One of my favorite things to do, both while traveling and while staying local, is to check out any beer or food festivals that might be going on. They’re a great way to get exposed to new styles and tastes, and to gain new ideas as a brewer. However, when traveling, it can often be hard to figure out the where and when of an area’s beer festivals. Yes, everyone’s heard about the big festivals like the Great American Beer Festival, Oktoberfest, or the Great British Beer Festival, and they’re undoubtedly great events, but smaller events can be a great way to get in touch with what’s going on at a local level. It’s also a great way to taste some smaller batch or more experimental brews.

That said, January is a bit of a thin month this year for British beer festivals. The National Winter Ale festival is being held in mid-February, instead of it’s traditional January date. However the end of the month is home to some large, quality festivals, including the Cambridge Winter Ales festival, the Manchester Beer and Cider festival, and the Colchester Winter Ale festival. I’m mapped out each of this month’s festivals, and added what information about them is available online, including beer lists (or at least the number of expected beers), festival dates, location, and site pages. This map should serve as a resource for all those traveling through the UK that want to check out the UK beer scene and get a taste for what Britain has to offer. Other months are soon to follow.