October 12, 2026 · Chicago, IL Barrel-aged beer fans have their biggest weekend of the year locked in. The Festival of Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer, better known as FoBAB, returns Friday and Saturday, November 13-14, 2026, to Credit Union 1 Arena at 525 South Racine Avenue in Chicago. Each session features more than 250 expertly crafted beers, ciders, meads, and perries across 13 style categories. Everything is wood- or barrel-aged, and many pours are brewed exclusively for the festival. General admission is $85. Session 1 runs Friday, November 13, from 6-10 p.m., with ImBIBE early entry at 5 p.m. Session 2 runs Saturday, November 14, from 1-5 p.m., with ImBIBE early entry at noon. Tickets include access to the second-floor Lager Lounge, stocked with lighter pours from dozens of Illinois breweries and a bird's-eye view of the festival floor. New this year is a limited Green Room ticket at $250 with private access, lager cans, a private water station, a concession food stipend, exclusive glassware, a FoBAB bag and koozie, plus a private outdoor fire pit. Before the festival, expert judges medal gold, silver, and bronze across the 13 categories, plus Best in Show. The awards ceremony lands during Session 2 and streams on the FoBAB site and the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild YouTube channel. Early bird ticket buyers, skip-the-line raffles, and Ultimate FoBAB Upgrade raffles add more chances to sharpen the day. If wood and barrel-aged beer is your lane, Credit Union 1 Arena on November 13-14 is the stop, with two full sessions and more than 250 pours waiting. Sources: Festival of Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer official site (fobab.com).Two sessions, 250-plus pours
Lager Lounge and Green Room
Awards and raffles
Bottom line
