Why no beer festival in Chicago???

[Kalleh1]

Richard posted this link on Wordcraft (http://www.realalefestival.com/).

Why in the world can't we find a place for a beer festival in Chicago? There are a lot of beer lovers here. Just look at this board, for starters. I don't get it, but it makes me angry! I am not able to ever go to the beer festival in England because it is during our annual meeting. Is there another one around here? Maybe St. Louis? I will be in Washington DC during the first week in August (during the British beer festival!). Is there anything around there then? I have never been to a beer festival before, and now that I know a little about beer, I'd just love to.

[dillen]

Because our Mayor is an IDIOT! and fest were charged to much for permits and cleanup, I hear Goose Is going to try to come up with a compromise but nothing as of yet

[fretlessman71]

Yeah, but he's just the Mayor of Chicago, right? Don't you have suburbs you could take it to? Aurora? Elgin? Show the idiot what he's missing by not having the name of the Windy City attached to the fest - someone could call it the Lake Michigan Brewers Fest!

[Bruno_78]

I doubt he would care.

Kalleh, I'm with you on this, as is Steve, Studentofbeer (even though he's on the other coast), and many others. I think Steve mentioned that it might have been the Chicago Beer Society that hasn't done enough to pursue this. We'll ask him tomorrow. I think those of us who would like to see this back again, should contact the proper organizers.

[Kalleh1]

I agree, fretlessman, we could have it anywhere in Chicagoland. Bruno, unfortunately, I am not going to be able to make it tomorrow, after all. My daughter needs me to help her look for an apt. However, I am willing to be part of some committee to plan this. Maybe we could do it! After all, I do know the CFO for Goose Island now...having met him drinking beer in one of their bars. ;)

Steve, are you up for planning something like this?

[chazwicke]

Chicago used to be home to the annual real ale fest. But problems with the venues has caused it to be cancelled for the past two years.

Washington DC area is having one of it's largest local fest this weekend at Old Dominion. In the fall we have several other good festivals.

I have not yet decided if i'm going to GBBF.

[steveh]

Kalleh - are you still a member of the Chicago Beer Society? They're the ones who started the RAF years back - in fact, remember I pointed out Ray Daniels at Goose Island that afternoon we were all there? He's the one we should have talked with.

But Dillen's right, da Mayor didn't want to have a "beer" festival of drunken sots attached to the name of the great city of Chicagah. And right now I have too many extracurricular activities going on to attempt any sort of festival organization (not really my expertise either), but I'd be happy to provide advertising artwork, logos and the like.

S.

[steveh]

Originally posted by chazwicke
Chicago used to be home to the annual real ale fest.

That's the link Kalleh posted.

S.

[TOBP_Steve]

The Atlanta area has two pretty good beer festivals...the Decatur Beer Festival, which is the better one with more breweries, more sponsors, outdoor venue, etc. The other is the Classic City Beer Festival in Athens GA (home of UGA).

The solution is simple....limit the venue. Both of the above have limited size/capacity, with tickets required. Establish a venue with a maximum permissable crowd, sell tickets, and that's it. It's in a controlled setting, with security able to handle the crowd, and with limited problems. The price of the ticket makes it prohibitive to the guys that just want to drink Natty Light all day, and gets you a higher-class crowd. Sure, a limit of 10,000 people sucks for a metro area of millions, but start small, show that it can be profitable, fun and safe, then expand the next year. In all honesty, I'm not sure I'd want to go to a big open-air, free for all beer festival myself, with the drunken rowdies that you'd find there. I'd rather it be smaller, more mature, etc.

[steveh]

The RAF was always a ticketed, limited entry festival - and there was never any trouble with festival goers, as far as I know. It's just another case of hyper-nervous public officials expecting the worst and doing their best to head off law suits in this litigation-happy world we've got.

S.

[chazwicke]

Someone should forward the link about New York and the Beer Trail. NY is using the breweries as a way to ATTRACT visitors and tourists to the state. Maybe they might change their short sighted, narrow minded opinions if they were to see that it is a way to garner more business for the Windy City. I have never been to a beer festival that turned ugly. A city that shuns potential convention or tourist dollars is foolish. All of you locals should start a letter writing campaign.

[fretlessman71]

Makes you wonder if he'd be okay with a wine festival... geez, what do we have to do to promote our favorite beverage as one whose sole purpose is not to get one hammered? Wine managed to do it - as newportstorm pointed out, they don't call 'em "beer-o's", do they? Wine certainly didn't always enjoy the universal respect it seems to have. What do we do? :(

[brewcrew76]

It is a shame a festival can't happen in Chicago. I just bought tickets to the Great Taste in Madison in Aug and have been reading the lineup from last year. Looks like there many good Chicagoland breweries/brewpubs that could contribute.

On a side note, anyone attend the Goose Island tastings on the last Wednesday of each month? This Wednesday is summer/wheat beers?

[Kalleh1]

All of you locals should start a letter writing campaign.

Well, I am good at letter campaigns, and I will get started on that right away. Thanks, Steve, for the offer of designing a logo...that would be great. Whom should I contact besides da mayor? Is it worth contacting the Beer Society? This is why we should have a CAMRA in Chicago. They are a prestigious group that is all about quality, and I definitely think they'd be able to help.

I will try. [Maybe I will slip da Mayor a Fuller's 1845 and a Coniston Bluebird Bitters. ;) ]

[Richard English]

There is little one can do to rapidly change entrenched and misinformed attitudes but it can be done little by little and a drip, drip, drip of letters is one way.

Start with a few facts about beer festivals such as that fact thet you do not see drunkeness at beer festivals since those that attend are there because they enjoy beer. Contrast that with the situation at many sports events (and I suspect they have a few in Chicago) where drunken behaviour from the A-B swillers is very common.

Point out the touristic advantages of having America's biggest and best beer festival in Chicago.

And make the point that you, as a voter, decide about his job security when election time comes around (I assume the mayorship is an elected post).

And of course, get CAMRA involved - has anyone started a Chicago branch yet? CAMRA is the world's most experienced organisation in running beer festivals.

Incidentally, next weekend I shall be at the Ardingly vintage vehicle show and they have a CAMRA tent there. Only about fifty different beers, though, so there's not the choice you get at the GBBF. If I remember I'll take a picture of it so you can see how easy it is to set something up. The Ardingly bar is in a marquee - so all you need is a bit of spare land and you're away.

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by Richard English
Only about fifty different beers, though, so there's not the choice you get at the GBBF.

I'm not sure I could get through 50!!!

[Richard English]

Quote "...I'm not sure I could get through 50!!!..."

Well, the show does last two whole days, of course. Mind you, if you're not feeling on top drinking form than you could always stick to halves (an Imperial half is just a bit smaller than a normal US bottle).

[Kalleh1]

Still, I can't imagine being able to taste even half of them!

Today on Wordcraft, a site that puts out a word of the day and discusses language, the word was shot-clog – the companion who is tolerated because he pays for the drinks.

I thought it a fun word and especially relevant to this board.;)

[chazwicke]

It might be hard to sample all 50 even in two days but I'd certainly enjoy my share. Cask beer is easier to drink because it is less fizzy. I'd try halfs of different beers so that I could sample more as well.

[Jules]

At least Chicago is an easy drive to Indy for the Brewers of Indiana Guild Microbrewers Festival on July 30th. The challenge is the drive back--is everything still under construction? We're going to the Indy Fest and then up to Chicago the first week in August--is the Skyway under construction or ok? What are the good beer bars downtown in the Museum area?

[BluesHarp]

It is too bad; although not all are large, I can go to at least ten each year here in WI, all less than 1.5 hours drive.

[steveh]

Originally posted by Jules
is everything still under construction...What are the good beer bars downtown in the Museum area?

It's Summer - everything's under construction. :rolleyes:

What museums? The downtown museums are the Art Institute and Museum of Contemporary Art (among smaller venues) - the Field, Shedd, and Adler are getting a little south and east, and the Museum of Science and Industry is way south in Hyde Park.

Nothing much on the lake by the Field, Shedd, and Adler. Not sure what's around MSI any more. Downtown you can get to Rock Bottom, and Fado pretty easily - and the Burghoff is worth checking out for one beer just for the history. There used to be a branch of Govnor's Public House downtown, but it may be closed.

Clark Street Ale House isn't far from downtown (just north on Clark), and you'd be on your way to Goose Island Lincoln Park on Clybourn - and from there you may as well head over to the Map Room in Bucktown - from there just start wandering south on Damen and you'll run into a slew of great bars.

Best bet, check Metromix.com for info and directions. And here's Beer Advocate's (http://www.beeradvocate.com/beerfly/list) list of beer bars and brew-pubs in Chi proper. Looks like the Govnor's Pub that was on State is closed and may not be open again, in a new location, until December.

S.

[Thirdrail]

as far as the chicagoland area is concerned some might wanna consider this side of the line (indiana)..there are several places that would be more than happy to have a beer fest and 3 floyds is right here in munster..just my 2 cents

[chazwicke]

Any Chance Chicago will resurrect the Real Ale Fest this year? Or is it done for good?