If craft brewers were graded like kindergarteners, almost all of them would get a big smiley face for “Works Well with Others.” Craft brewing’s culture of collaboration beers—special projects made by two or more breweries for limited release—are ample proof.

That spirit of working together will be on full display during the Collaboration Fest, one of Colorado Craft Beer Week’s most novel gatherings. The fest will feature at least 37 collaboration beers and plenty of the Centennial State’s best, smallest, newest or most-revered breweries in full-on Colorado-on-Colorado action. If that weren’t enough, the fest also will spotlight pairings of Colorado breweries with several out-of-state notables, too.

“Collaboration Fest was created to showcase the camaraderie between craft brewers near and far,” says Steve Kurowski, manager of the Colorado Brewer’s Guild. “The idea of working with another brewer to create a special beer just for this event is truly unique. I’m pretty sure this is the only event of its kind in the country and probably the world.”

A few of the in-state/out-of-state highlights include collaborations between Longmont’s Oskar Blues and Le Cumbre of Albuquerque, N.M., as well as a coupling of Boulder’s Avery with Russian River of Santa Rosa, California. A brewery from Sweden—Nynashamns Angbryggeri—even made a beer with Ska of Grand Junction.

Denver partisans will have plenty options, including a collaboration between TRVE and River North breweries as well as a collaboration featuring no less than six Denver breweries including Renegade, Wit’s End, Strange, TRVE, Black Sky and Breckenridge. A brew concocted by Hogshead and Crooked Stave isn’t to be ignored, either.

A few other notable collaborations include a Colorado Western Slope brew made by Palisade, Kannah Creek and Rockslide breweries and a southern Colorado collaboration featuring Pikes Peak, Bristol and Phantom Canyon breweries.

There are many, many more. And if you plan on making it through the entire session, you’re probably going to need a partner.

Colorado Craft Beer Week’s Collaboration Fest will be 3 – 7 PM on March 22 at the Curtis Hotel. Tickets are $50. For more information, visit www.coloradocraftbeerweek.com/event/collaboration-festival/.

Photo: ImbibeDenver