slides: International Beer Festival Hits Worcester

Brewing Bash

Mechanics Hall was full of hops, malts, and beer brewers this weekend.

Organizers of The Festival, The Shelton Brothers, succeeded in keeping their international beer festival an intimate setting.

Guests were welcome to peruse the area, speak with the brewers, and mingle during the two-floor, three session event.

This was The Festival's first year and organizers said the classy venue was a perfect fit for the ambiance they wanted.

Sipping the Good Stuff

Attendees were given two ounce sips and samples at any table.

The Festival featured all kinds of beers and brewing techniques, including the sour beer pictured here.

The event brought beer connoisseurs and brewers from around the world to Worcester for a one of a kind event.

Not Playing Around

Isaac Tremblay of Quebecois micro-brewery, Le Trou Du Diable, explained their lineup of bold, intense beers.

The brewery had four beers on tap at The Festival, all unique and equally pleasing.

Tremblay was very excited to be in the area for the wide variety.

"We brought Smash - with means single malt and single hop - IPA brewed with citrus. It's very clean," he said. This one was a crowd pleaser for most, he said. Bitters, a triple, 10% brew packed a bit more of a punch.

Beer Abounds

The event was the first of  what sponsors hope to be many beer festivals to come. They are looking to make this an annual event, and love the classy Worcester location for its central location.

Whether or not the festival comes back, that remains to be seen, as the idea of taking it on the road is being entertained.

For a price, The Festival offered unlimited sampling of over 300 of the best beers, ciders, and meads in the world.

Summer Cider

While beer dominated The Festival, West County Cider was present, offering delicious ciders that were proving to be a popular table at the event.

"Cider is unique just because it's a total opposite from beer and wine. There are so many varieties you can make cider with," said Michael Barnes, who was at the table to explain their spread. "It's a bold fruit."

West Country had four different ciders at their table, including some Golden Delicious, Wine Sap, French apples, and Red Fields.

The company is the only cider company in the US that has Red Field cider, a fruit that features red fruit under the peel instead of the usual white.

All the Way From Spain

Many local brewers were on scene at The Festival, but the beers that attracted the most attention at Mechanics Hall were ones that traveled to Worcester from around the world. Masia Agullons, a small, specialized brewery,came all the way from Meduin, Spain.

Brewer, Carlos Virigili was on site to offer attendees a taste of the best small batch beer in Spain.

Germany may still have a reputation for being the beer-loving country of Europe, but their neighbor is giving them a run for their money.