Beer Festivals - Which is best?

[chazwicke]

I am curious to see which beer festivals everyone enjoys most. While I have attended many I enjoyed the Miami International Festival early this year the best. It was In South Beach right on the beach and the weather was 80 degrees. A very nice change
from the cold DC weather. But what drew me to make the trek was the promise of 64 cask ales from the UK. This was the largest gathering of these cask ales ever put together in the USA. They were handled properly and were kept in a temperature controlled tent. I was not dissappointed. I spent the better part of two days in this tent. In addition to the fine real ales was the Belgian tent. The Oud Beersel beers were outstanding. They had a Gueze and a Kreik that I loved. (I have since heard that this brewery has ceased brewing. I hope it is not true!). There were many beers there that I had not sampled before. This is part of why I enjoyed it. Most of the local fests in my area seem to always feature the same breweries and many of the same beers over and over again. While I dearly love some of those fine brews, I enjoy trying new ones from different breweries. Of course I realize that a local fest is just that, a place to highlight the local breweries. I also realize that it is often hard for brewers to transport and handle thier beer more than regionally. So it is a pleasure to travel to other areas to get the variety that I seek. I have a few coming up this summer but I am most looking forward to the Great British Beer Festival in London in August. Did any of you attend the Miami Fest? What did you think? Anyone else going to the GBBF? What are some of the better festivals that you have attended and would recommend? Are they crowded? Is it difficult to get a sample? Long lines? Anyone been to the cask ale gathering in Chicago? Any recommendations or warnings?

[brewmonkey]

IMHO I would say that the Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison WI. It is a one day event with about 100 or so breweries plus some mead makers. The beers brought out are some of the best as well as some of the most limited production beers made. Most of the brewers attending pull out all the stops. It is always a hoot to see what Todd Ashman from Flossmor has on tap as well as stopping by Larry Bell's booth.

Being in the small setting (it is outdoors) that it is, the producers of this event have assured that all in attendance will have the best time. It is set up by a lake whose name escapes me right now, but it is nice. Cool crisp breeze on a not to hot day.

It is a very intimate event that displays some of the best beers in the nation. It is limited to the numbers of breweries allowed as well the tickets sold are limited (I believe 6000). It has been going on for I believe about 20 years.

I have been to the GABF (several times) as well as some of the other festivals across the USA and if I had to pick one event and only one it would be the Great Taste.

I believe you can get all the info on them at the Madison Homebrewers website (www.mhtg.org). They have already sold out this years event.

[Richard English]

The Great British Beer Festival has probably the widest range of beers anywhere.

In spite of its name, it is not only British beers that will be available (although there will be around 500 of them available on draught).

There will also be Real Ciders plus, of course, quality beers from everywhere in the world. Probably at least 50% of the beers available will not be British Real Ales. Stout dribkers, for example, will be able to try Guinnesses brewed in various locations (such as Nigeria) each of which tastes different.

Lager drinkers will be able to sample real lagers and, of course, the Belgian and German brewers will also have their wares on sale.

And yes. I will be there!

[brewmonkey]

The Great British Beer Festival has probably the widest range of beers anywhere

The Great American Beer Festival (www.aob.org) also has a very diverse selection available. Held every year in downtown Denver during the last weekend of Sept or the first weekend in October it is a "must see" for the devoted beer lover. They have had to limit the number of breweries to about 300 since the days of Currigan Hall (we shall miss the old hall) and about 1700 beers plus or minus some.

I would love to make it to the GBBF one of these days. If it is anything like the GABF the biggest problem is which do I try first followed quickly by "I hope my palate holds out"!:D

[hops99]

The Great Taste of the Midwest is held at Olin Park, on the shores of Lake Monona (on the outskirts of Madison). I've been to five or six different festivals in recent years (although I haven't been to GABF), and I totally agree with the earlier post; this festival is the best.

In addition to the beautiful setting, 100+ breweries from Ohio to Minnesota, breweriana, acces to the brewers, etc. - this festival gives you the most bang for your buck. Unlimited samples give you the opportunity to truly taste your way around the midwest. Simply awesome.

[brewmonkey]

Originally posted by hops99
The Great Taste of the Midwest is held at Olin Park, on the shores of Lake Monona (on the outskirts of Madison). I've been to five or six different festivals in recent years (although I haven't been to GABF), and I totally agree with the earlier post; this festival is the best.

In addition to the beautiful setting, 100+ breweries from Ohio to Minnesota, breweriana, acces to the brewers, etc. - this festival gives you the most bang for your buck. Unlimited samples give you the opportunity to truly taste your way around the midwest. Simply awesome.

That's it!!! Last year there were several breweries from Kansas there as well as some from Iowa.

In addition the festival the town of Madison is a great place to hang out. On Saturday morning there is a farmers market set up around the capitol building as well as the great breweries located in Madison itself. There was also a pretty neat restaurant that we ate at called the EssenHaus.

[Richard English]

Let me warn potential US visitors to the GBBF - the eating arrangements are no more than adequate. Don't expect gourmet food provision, the GBBF is a beer festival and everything else is subjugated to that!

So don't expect to have a gastronomic festival alongside the beer festival; it just isn't what happens at the GBBF.

Wait until you've drunk your fill and then explore the many gourmet pleasures of London's multifarious restaurants.

[brewmonkey]

Originally posted by Richard English
Let me warn potential US visitors to the GBBF - the eating arrangements are no more than adequate. Don't expect gourmet food provision, the GBBF is a beer festival and everything else is subjugated to that!

So don't expect to have a gastronomic festival alongside the beer festival; it just isn't what happens at the GBBF.

Wait until you've drunk your fill and then explore the many gourmet pleasures of London's multifarious restaurants.



What? no Taco Bell or White Castle????

What the hell is a good drunk without one of those places to end the night?:D

[Richard English]

I confess my irgnorance as to what are Taco Bell or White Castle (are they anything like McDonald's?) but can certainly confirm that they will not be at the GBBF.

However, as I tried to make clear, it is the festival venue itself that is lacking in fine food; there are plenty of good eating places in and around Kensington (and, indeed, most other parts of London). You will not starve!

[brewmonkey]

Originally posted by Richard English
I confess my irgnorance as to what are Taco Bell or White Castle (are they anything like McDonald's?) but can certainly confirm that they will not be at the GBBF.


White Castles is a burger joint Taco bell is just nasty in my book. Loaded with saturated fats!!!

The GABF is run the same way. No real food in the venue but loads of great pubs in Lodo.

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by Richard English
I confess my irgnorance as to what are Taco Bell or White Castle (are they anything like McDonald's?) but can certainly confirm that they will not be at the GBBF.

However, as I tried to make clear, it is the festival venue itself that is lacking in fine food; there are plenty of good eating places in and around Kensington (and, indeed, most other parts of London). You will not starve!


Richard, When it comes to those establishments, Ignorance is bliss. I look forward to The many Indian restraunts in London and I am certain I will make it to Chinatown at least one night.
I have tickets to all the sessions of the GBBF. When are you going to be there?

[Chango]

Locally speaking, my favorite so far has been the Made In The Shade beer festival in Flagstaff in August. There's a campground right next to the site in the cool pines, which is welcome relief after a summer down here in Phoenix.

[brewmonkey]

Another good one is the Oregon Brewers Festival.

[hnrblbrbrn]

IMHO, the best beerfest seems to always be the one you missed.
:D

[chazwicke]

Anyone going to Stoud's this weekend? 6/14

[Ninkasi]

The Great Canadian Beer Festival - Sept. 5th and 6th, 2003
Victoria, BC

http://celebrator.com/200302/fest.html

This is my favorite due to it's proximity to home, but the Oregon Brewers Festival ranks a very close second. Fond memories of Widmer Hefe for breakfast at the Widmer boys cafe, before embarking on a hedonistic day of hop and malt consumption. Repeat.

[Richard English]

The Great British Beer Festival, 5th-9th August 2003, Olympia, London, UK.

The Great British Beer Festival is the biggest and best real beer festival in the world.

450 British Real Ales, PLUS ciders and Perries PLUS imported beers. A total of OVER 1000 different beers (so you might decide to stay on halves if you want to get through them all!)

You can find out more at http://www.camra.org.uk/SHWebClass.asp?WCI=ShowCat&CatId=235

[Richard English]

The Great British Beer Festival, 5th-9th August 2003, Olympia, London, UK.

The Great British Beer Festival is the biggest and best real beer festival in the world.

450 British Real Ales, PLUS ciders and perries PLUS imported beers. A total of OVER 1000 different beers (so you might decide to stay on halves if you want to get through them all!) I am intending to go on the Thursday for sure and maybe some other days as well - it depends on my workload.

You can find out more at http://www.camra.org.uk/SHWebClass.asp?WCI=ShowCat&CatId=235

[chazwicke]

I will be attending all sessions. Having that many real ales will be a fantastic treat for this American! Next best was the Miami International Beer fest that had 64 cask ales and some excellent Belgians as well. I am greatly looking forward to GBBF.

[chazwicke]

The lates issue of "All About Beer" (September) has thier listings of the 51 best beer fests. Interesting list.

[guzzler67]

Chaz, since you live in the general area, there will be a Firkin Fest at Sean Bolan's in Baltimore on July 26. At least 12 unique firkins, including some from England. If you need directions, just pm me.

[chazwicke]

Unfortunately, I have a function to attend that evening although I would much rather go to the Firkin tasting. Baltimore is a fun town with a very good selection of breweries and beer to choose from. I also enjoy the Markets, Little italy and Fells Point. Bertha's has amazing mussels and a good beer selection to boot. Both Wharf Rat locations have been favorite haunts of mine in the past as well as DeGroens Baltimore Brewing. I have been to others up there as well. I miss the old Sissons. Baltimore is a really fun place. Thanks for the info. By the way, were you able to use that info I sent?

[Nealz]

The 'Made in the Shade' Beer Festival in Flagstaff, AZ is a great local festival. Also a good way for us desert rats to cool off at the end of the summer.

-Nealz

http://www.azbeer.com/mits/index.htm (http://)

[BelgianBeer]

This is what Stephen Beaumont is saying in a piece called "Visiting the World's Best Beer Fest:

"Remember the old Crocodile Dundee movies? They starred Paul Hogan as the displaced Aussie who, when confronted by an armed mugger on the streets of New York City, would chuckle "You call that a knife?" and whip out his foot-and-a-half long bush machete. The mugger, displaying more sense than your average Hollywood movie street crook, would turn and run like hell.

On a recent trip to Antwerp, Belgium, I felt a bit like that mugger. Only the reality that confronted me was not a knife but the 10th Annual 24 Hours of Beer Festival. And I didn't turn and run, I stayed and drank."

I've been there and can confirm: it is good. And since you asked about prices etc., this is how the article concludes:

"So now you're waiting for the hammer, right? You expect me to tell you that it was prohibitively expensive, or populated by too many drunks, or marred by inebriated fistfights? Well, sorry, but none of the above apply. During the not inconsiderable amount of time I spent at the 24 Hours on both days, I saw no brawls and only a few drunks, each of whom was escorted off the premises by the mild-mannered, all-volunteer security squad. Oh yes, and admission to the fest was free, with tasting tokens costing only about 75 cents (US) each. You could even return your glass at the end of the day for a full refund, if you were so inclined."

The entire article is at: http://www.worldofbeer.com/features/feature-199910.html

[Richard English]

I learnt yesterday that their is to be a beer festival in Germany this year that will have around 2000 beers from 42 countries. I switched on halfway through the news item so didn't hear which town it was.

If that's true, then it will be around twice the size of Britain's GBBF. Whether it will have the same number of high-quality beers is another matter, of course.

[Nealz]

Originally posted by Richard English
I learnt yesterday that their is to be a beer festival in Germany this year that will have around 2000 beers from 42 countries.

The mind, and palate, reels at the thought! Here's yet another good example of why Americans need more vacation time. :eek:

-Nealz

[warmstorage]

i see that this thread is mostly about the GBBF, which i hope that, sometime before i go to that great big brewpub in the sky, i'll be able to attend. that said, i'm surprised that nobody has mentioned how amazing the Great Alaska Beer and Barleywine Festival is. (see, for example: http://www.beerfestivals.org/archive/bt/barleywine.htm , since i can't find a home page for it.)

the selection was fantastic, and for whatever reason, it had many fewer dumb young frat boys just looking for a drunk than did GABF. (probably since the Anchorage area has many fewer dumb young frat boys and analogues thereof than the Denver/Boulder area.)

having been to GABF, the Real Ale Festival, and a host of more local events, the Alaska festival is my favorite. and it helps that it was held within easy walking distance of several solid Anchorage brewpubs (Glacier, and Snow Goose/Sleeping Lady). of course, props go to Humpty's for keeping a solid tap list on, but when i lived in Anchorage (pre smoking ordinance -- has it changed?) it was so damn smoky in there i could barely taste the beer.

-warmstorage

[oakgrovebrew]

The World Beer Festival in Durham,NC. Over 300 beers from all over for 20 bucks, can't beat it! http://www.allaboutbeer.com/wbf2003/

[chazwicke]

I've been to the World of Beer Festival and enjoyed it. I am considering going again this year. I just returned from the GBBF and London today. I met up with Richard there. He is a real gentleman and has a wonderful knowledge of beers as we have all seen here on the boards. I will post a better account of the GBBF later. I was away for eight days and did not have access to my computer so I am just clearing emails now. I drank eighty one beers during my stay in London and almost all were cask ales. I had very few disappointments.

[Richard English]

It made for a good afternoon to be able to meet Chazwyke. Sadly I had to work that evening so was unable to stay for as long as I would have wished.

We finished the day with a bottle each of Fuller's 1845 which, as I have remarked elsewhere, was served only for consumption in a proper drinking vessel (in my case a pewter tankard).

[Minnman]

The Great Taste of the Midwest is the best beer fest in the US. It's just an amazing event for a beer geek. This year was my second Great Taste, and our group supplemented the event with tours of New Glarus, Tyranena and Capital Brewing, lunch at the Grumpy Troll (all four places withing a 30 miles of Madison) and, of course, visits to the Great Dane, Angelic Brewing, JT Whitney's and (a personal favorite spot) the glorious Rathskeller/Terrace at the UW Memorial Union.

If you're interested, plan ahead. Tickets go on sale May 1 for the event and sell out almost immediately.

[Dr J]

I concur on Great Taste of the Midwest. I thought Flossmoor's offerings were especially strong this year - particularly the Old Conundrum Barley Wine. New Glarus also had a wonderful oak cask conditioned Belgian. Thanks to Minnman for the assist on tickets.

[Thierry]

Originally posted by chazwicke
I am curious to see which beer festivals everyone enjoys most. ... The Oud Beersel beers were outstanding. They had a Gueze and a Kreik that I loved. (I have since heard that this brewery has ceased brewing. I hope it is not true!).

I confirm, Oud Beersel don't brew anymore, but you can sign the petition to keep this brewery alive.
See : http://www.zythos.be/acties/actie1/indexen.html

Cheers !

[bierman2000]

24 hours of beer in Antwerp, Belgium is one of the best. In the U.S. to many to choose from so it depends where you live. Stoudt's in south central Pennsylvania has been doing it for 12 years. 3 times a year with about 1,200 people at each session. Others abound in MD and NY so it's always easy to catch a beer festival somewhere.

[Minnman]

FYI, as reported in the Aug/Sep. Celebrator, there will be no 24 Hours of Beer fest in Antwerp this November. They've lost their lease, so to speak. The event organizer went out of business.


BUT, there's a new organizer (Zythos), location and dates for the next fest. It'll be in the city of St. Niklaas, March 6-7, 2004.

See

http://www.zythos.be/

for details (not in English, by the way).

[hops99]

While the Great Taste of the Midwest is my favorite, I love the effort that the Schlafly Brewery puts forth with their "Hop in the City" festival. I attended my second "hop" this weekend, and it's a blast.

First, it warms my heart to attend a craft beer festival in the shadow of the evil empire (A-B in St. Louis). Second, the fest consists of only Schlafly beers, which at first glance may not be exciting, but Schlafly makes some excellent brews - and they have 35 (yes, 35!) available at the festival (everything from a surprisingly tasty pilsner to an outstanding smoked porter). Third, there's a good crowd, knowledgeable folks who are pouring your beers, and a great atmosphere both inside and outside the building.

I think it's the best "proprietary" festival any brewery puts on in the midwest...