Door County Brewing Co. at the 2013 Door County Beer Festival.
Door County Brewing Co. at the 2013 Door County Beer Festival.

New Glarus Brewery Founder Deb Carey headlines the VIP event at the 2014 Door County Beer Festival in Baileys Harbor June 14.

Carey, the first woman to start a brewery in the United States, will talk about building a brewery from upstart microbrewery to one of the nation’s most respected craft producers.

The event, limited to just 50 attendees, will also feature tastings of special small batch beers from New Glarus, the brewery famous for creating Spotted Cow. Ticket-holders will also receive a beer festival glass, t-shirt, koozie, and early admission to the beer tasting tent featuring more than 140 craft beers.

Carey’s brewery was among a small band of micro-breweries that opened the door to the craft brewery boom now taking over tap handles, beer coolers, and refrigerators across the country. When New Glarus was founded in 1993 craft breweries represented just 2 percent of all beer sold in Wisconsin. Today that number is at 6 percent and rising.

“There are just so many things that are good about craft beer,” Carey says. “The beer is better, it’s at a price point where the bars and retailers are making money, and people aren’t drinking a dozen of them a night. Plus, you’re keeping your money in Wisconsin and the U.S.”

While Carey’s presentation is limited to VIP ticket-holders, the festival will feature four more seminars open to all ticket holders.

Door County Beer Festival

Date:  June 14, 2014
Where:
Baileys Harbor Town Hall Park
2392 County F (Corner of F and Hwy 57)
Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin 54202

Time:  12 am – 4 pm (VIP event starts at 11 am)
Tickets:  General Admission, $40; VIP, $70; Designated Driver, $15
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/doorcountybeerfestival