For those who were fortunate enough to get tickets, Winterfest 2013 promises to deliver. Featuring almost 40 breweries and catering by Bon Appétit, fest-goers are certain to tantalize their taste buds with everything from chili pepper Pilsners to Russian Imperial Stouts.

One of the best parts about the festival is the intimate setting, which allows the beer lover to meet the brewers and the people behind their favorite brews. If you’ve never been to the History Center it is a beautiful space that creates the perfect atmosphere for this event. The annual Snowshoe Award will be given to the brewery that brings the best beer (as voted on by the attendees). Last year’s winner was Barley John’s Brew Pub for its Dark Knight, but they will have some stiff competition this year.

Some beers worth seeking out this year include Lift Bridge’s first Russian Imperial Stout named Silhouette. This 10.5% monster was aged in a single barrel with 12-year-old Heaven Hill bourbon barrels and will be featured at the brewery during the release party on February 9th. They are also offering a bacon version, sure to redefine the term “breakfast of champions.”

Another intriguing brew is the product of a local collaboration between Indeed Brewing and Northbound Smokehouse Brewpub. Hot Box Imperial Smoked Pepper Porter was made at Indeed with smoked malt and chilies from Northbound. This one is not to be missed.

For the coffee lovers out there, Harriet Brewing will be breaking out Peace Coffee Elevator Doppelbock. Lightly toasted and infused with cold press concentrate, Elevator will surely please the palate.

Surly Brewing is, once again, pulling out all the stops with a beer called Pentagram, which is a dark ale fermented with Brettanomyces and aged in red wine barrels. This beer will be hitting shelves in bottles this February. Get in line early for this one as it may not last too long.

Fitger’s Brewhouse is bringing a 3-hop IPA called Hoppelujah which will deliver aromas of blueberry, peaches, grapes, and grapefruit and should finish clean. Fitger’s has been known to brew some of the most interesting beers around and by looking at their line-up for this year, they’re continuing the trend.

Winterfest will also be a great opportunity for you to get a first taste of some of the many new breweries such as Dangerous Man, 612 Brew, Canal Park Brewing, and NorthGate.

The doors open at 7:00 PM and the event goes until 10:00 PM. Remember to plan a sober ride home and to drink responsibly. Here is a link to the Metro Transit site where you can find bus schedules. Also according to MNBeer.com (a great source for beer news) there will be free car rides available thanks to a partnership between Better Beer Society and Uber (car service). Check out the details here . Have fun meeting some of the people behind your favorite beers.

Cheers!