Image thanks to +Russ on Flickr.

The Washington Beer Commission’s 2012 Winter Beer Festival will feature winter seasonals and specialties from 32 Washington breweries this weekend at the Hale’s Palladium on Leary Way. You should have locked up your tickets long ago if you plan on attending, but if you slacked off it sounds like limited tickets might be available at the door on both Friday and Saturday.

Most breweries bring two or three beers to pour at the event, so there is a lot to choose from. The full list of what is pouring is on the website, and following are a few of the beers that I plan to target. While there are many great seasonal beers pouring that you should think about checking out, I am all about looking for beers that you will have a hard time finding anywhere else. There are quite a few tempting beers this year. Glad I’m taking the bus to the fest.

Fremont Bourbon Barrel Abominable – One of my favorites. Can’t pass this up.

Icicle Brewing Dark Persuasion German Chocolate Ale – I love chocolate. I love coconut. And, I obviously love beer. Will all three combine into greatness? We shall see.

Boundary Bay Imperial IPA – With all of the stouts and winter ales pouring at this fest, I know that I’ll need some hops to set me straight at some point. We don’t see this Imperial IPA from Boundary Bay very often, and it is definitely worthy.

Naked City Kentucky Dude – Their Big Lebrewski Imperial Cream Stout aged for 10 months in Heaven Hills bourbon barrels.

Rogue Issaquah Barrel-Aged Frosty Frog – Their winter beer aged in Rogue Dead Guy Whiskey barrels.

Big Time Breakfast Cereal Killer Oatmeal Imperial Stout – Now brewed with real breakfast cereal! Seriously. They included six different breakfast cereals in the mash, and also used Theo cocoa nibs and Stumptown coffee. My wife had a glass of this at the brewery this past weekend, and it was outstanding. The coffee and chocolate come through nicely.

Black Raven Bourbon Barrel Aged La Petite Mort – A Belgian-style strong dark ale aged for 5 months in bourbon barrels. This has been great in years past.