NYC>Ommegang Belgian Beer fest? Need Ride!

[ChefLaura]

I'm writing from NYC, trying to find a ride up to this amazing sounding festival. If anyone can help myself and a friend, please email me at cheflaura @ gmail . com!

We can help pay for gas, take a shift driving, etc..

THanks!
Laura

[O2 Mash]

Originally posted by ChefLaura
I'm writing from NYC, trying to find a ride up to this amazing sounding festival. If anyone can help myself and a friend, please email me at cheflaura @ gmail . com!

We can help pay for gas, take a shift driving, etc..

THanks!
Laura

Okay ChefLaura, you know the story....... Gas, Grass, or Homebrew. What's it gonna be? ;)

[ChefLaura]

gas AND grass!

can you help us or just taunting me??!

[threecb]

I really wanted to go to this one, too! Damn NJ car insurance bills can put a damper on the best of plans, though.

Have you tried beeradvocate.com? There's NYC members there, though I don't know if any are planning on attending.

Hope you find your ride!

[newportstorm]

If all else fails, I'm pretty sure Trailways has a bus that goes through Cooperstown. Might be a good option, too. No worries about drinking and driving - time to sober up on the ride home. Have fun, if you make it!

Cheers!

[ChefLaura]

thanks guys..

looks like i might have found a possibility on the advocate forum!

the bus costs $89 round trip..

the kicker..NYC's a big, pretty cool city, right? Well my friends in scranton are riding up on a chartered bus that their local beer-restaurant put together.. $50 includes your ticket, your ride, and kegs on the bus, plus, if anyone's still sober ( yea right) they're stopping at a Belgian bar in Binghamton. I'm just so jealous! I've asked a few different big beer bars here (including Men's Journal's #1 beer bar, the Blind Tiger) and they all said they weren't going.. whats up with that?!

thanks for letting me vent. .fingers crossed that the Advocate ride works out..

[threecb]

There's a Belgian Bar in BINGHAMPTON!?!?!
How'd that happen?;)

Good Luck and have fun.

[Fly Creek]

I hope you find your ride. Ommegang usually puts on a pretty good party.

Check it out at http://www.breweryommegang.com/

[ChefLaura]

thanks..

i didn't make it, in case anyone's interested, but i got a report from my friends..

sounds like the beer was good, but not very belgian, but the surprise brewery was New Belgium! They brought their fat tire (meh) and Triple (!), and Unibroue was the brewery with the most selections including some new kind of Belgian stout (wtf?). But all the other breweries weren't all that belgian.. dogfish head, brooklyn, etc.

the food, apparently, was awful. Despite the ads, all there was was waffles, veggie chili, and beef stew. No mussels, no frites.

The bus trip didnt bother with the bar in Binghampton, just stopped at Burger King because everyone was still hungry. And no kegs, either (was supposed to have kegs on the bus).

So I'm not too sad.. and drowned my sorrows in some VT beers - Trout River and Long Trail. Waiting for BeeronthePier.com!

[newportstorm]

Originally posted by ChefLaura
thanks..

i didn't make it, in case anyone's interested, but i got a report from my friends..

sounds like the beer was good, but not very belgian, but the surprise brewery was New Belgium! They brought their fat tire (meh) and Triple (!), and Unibroue was the brewery with the most selections including some new kind of Belgian stout (wtf?). But all the other breweries weren't all that belgian.. dogfish head, brooklyn, etc.

the food, apparently, was awful. Despite the ads, all there was was waffles, veggie chili, and beef stew. No mussels, no frites.

The bus trip didnt bother with the bar in Binghampton, just stopped at Burger King because everyone was still hungry. And no kegs, either (was supposed to have kegs on the bus).

So I'm not too sad.. and drowned my sorrows in some VT beers - Trout River and Long Trail. Waiting for BeeronthePier.com!

Well, it sounds as if you weren't too thrilled with the line-up or food selection, so it probably worked out for the best you didn't make it.

Though, I can't think of a worse death than drowning in Trout River's brews :eek:

Cheers!

[Fly Creek]

For what it's worth, I really enjoyed the event. True, there were several non-Belgians in attendance, but those were mostly in addition to each brewery's Belgian-style offering. There were a couple non-Belgian breweries there, but I'm not complaning. Some great stouts, IPA's and goldens made for a nice variety for the four hour tasting session. After 4PM it was an Ommegang-only show.

I thought the food was fine (long lines though). In addition to the waffles, which are of course a tradition at Ommegang, there were brats and kraut and two roast pigs.

Good music all day into the night and since the brewery is out in the middle of the country, camping on site. There was a place for kids to play and it was dog-friendly too. It felt as much like a music festival as a beer tasting.

I would recommend making the trip next year. I live only a few miles away, but would have camped out if I had remembered to bring my tent.

[ChefLaura]

I didn't mean to take away from the trip, for anyone who went. After a much longer conversation with my friends, it sounds like it was a great event, and they're definitely all about making sure as many of us go next year as possible.

i'm happy that everyone had a good time. Someone put up some fun pics on the advocate forum, too.. looks great!

I'm just glad i can take a subway to beeronthePier next month!