Blumenau is located in Santa Catarina, a state in southern Brazil that was originally populated by a settlement program with colonists coming from all over Europe. Today, people of German and Austrian descent make up almost half of the state’s population, and many of them still speak German. Their heritage can be seen in the customs of the population of the state, which includes hosting traditional beer festivals.
The Brazilian Beer Festival (Festival Brasileiro da Cerveja) is the largest beer festival in the country. It is held every March at Vila Germânica Park. The festival features more than 300 breweries and showcases over 2000 beer labels and about 140 different styles of beer. It attracts over 40,000 beer lovers from all over Brazil and abroad.
The program of the festival consists of thee main sections: the festival itself, the Trade Fair, and the Brazilian Beer Contest. The main event offers beer tastings, delicious food provided by locals bars and restaurants, and Beer Pairing. Beer Pairing is a special program where experienced beer sommeliers pair 5 beers with 5 dishes cooked by Brazilian and international chefs. There’s also a cultural program with live music and other entertainment.
The Brazilian Beer Fair is a trade fair for industry professionals. With an exhibition area of 5,000 square meters, the fair presents an impressive selection of equipment, supplies and services and gathers companies from all over the country.
Finally, the Brazilian Beer Contest is designed to raise and promote the quality of Brazilian beer. Brazilian breweries submit applications, hoping that their beer will be deemed the best. The winners of the competition are selected by an international jury comprising beer sommeliers and industry professionals from different countries.
