If you are suffering from the usual Jan/Feb depression, no money, no light, not much to luck forward to, then what a better way to beat the blues then going to a beer festival. It probably won't cost you that much and you can enjoy the conviviality of company and the excitement trying the new.

January brings an enjoyable range of winter beer and ale festivals around the globe. 37704339.jpg The 8th annual Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywines Festival kicks off in Vail, Colorado January 10. The festival includes a Brewmaster's Dinner, a Homebrew Competition, several Tasting Events and Educational Seminars for those who love to brew.

The National Winter Ales Festival runs from January 16-19 in Manchester, England. The Festival, sponsored in party by The Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA) offers beer, ale and cider from the U.K. as well as countries such as Belgium, Germany, the U.S., Australia, France and Poland.

Another CAMRA sponsored event is the 19th Annual Exeter Festival of Winter Ales in Exeter, England. The festival begins at 11 a.m. on Friday, January 11 and continues until late Saturday, January 12. Go and enjoy the live music, more than 60 winter ales and cider to taste, as well as great food.

In Anchorage, Alaska, the 13th Annual Great Alaska Beer & Barleywine Festival takes place over the weekend of January 18-19. More than 50 breweries, mainly from Alaska and the West Coast, will have over 200 ales and beer on offer.

CAMRA offers two more events to round out the end of the month in the U.K. The Chelmsford Winter Beer Festival and the Pendle Beer Festival both run from January 31 to February 2. These events showcase local ales, cider and food.  So no end of choice and places to go things to do.