This past weekend, the fifth annual Suttle Lodge Winter Beer Fest took place under the trees next to Suttle Lake, with good weather, beer flowing, fires crackling, and an overall chill experience. I’d posted the details a little while back, and got a media invite to attend the festival again this year (disclosure, they were VIP credentials for free), so we were able to attend on Saturday the 24th.

Here’s my roundup of the event in photos, with a few notes.

As in previous years, six of the rustic cabins were the pouring stations for the beers and ciders, and in between there were fires stoked at each of the campfire pits for those who wanted to stay warm. Each of the cabins had at least four beverages pouring, all from cans or bottles, featuring a wide range of styles.

The layout of the entrance was a bit different this year from last. Previously, the entrance/check-in to the fest was in a tent across the parking lot from the front of the Lodge. This year, they’d moved it to the north side of the cabin loop, near the event parking. There was still a tent at the other end near the Lodge, but it hosted a refrigerated tap trailer that was pouring an additional 16 taps of beer beyond what you’d find in the cabins.

There were definitely some gems among the beers ! Though a piece of advice, if you see a beer you want to try, don’t wait on it. There was a Truffle Ale from Wolves & People Brewery that I wanted to try but didn’t get it on the first pass, and several people mentioned it as their favorite of the day so far. By the time we came back around for it, it had tapped out.

Food was only available inside of the Lodge; in previous years, there were food stations set up near the cabins, but this time, if you wanted to eat, you either had to have VIP access, or had to go to the Lodge to order. We did both; we bought mac and cheese and a large pretzel from the Lodge, but we also grabbed some fondue from the VIP cabin afterward.

About the VIP cabin: This was set up in one of the deluxe cabins, and featured specialty pours including spirits and two super-limited Japanese ciders. (Drinks still cost a ticket even in VIP.) Since the cabin has a full kitchen, staff were preparing a fondue station so that VIP guests could nosh for free starting at 3pm. I’ll note we tried both ciders and I had a Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey along with the fondue.

Overall, it was another really good iteration of this event, and it’s one I’d recommend for its somewhat unique setting and overall experience. One I’ll look forward to attending in the future.

All right, you’ve read this far, time for a bunch of pictures!