Beer festivals; am I getting old?

Your complaint seems to have more to do with the uncomfortably high percentage of assholes constantly surrounding us in the industrialized world, than a particular subset of them more prevalent at brew fests. There are downer jerks surrounding us.

IMHO it also doesn't have much to do with you getting old, as I bet I'm older than you, and I go to fests, and still am able to have as much fun doing what I enjoy to do, surrounded by high percentages of assholes, as I have all my life, even as I have aged.

To paraphrase, Relax, Don't Worry, Have a Craftbrew (sorry Charlie)

 

I might be wrong, but I seem to remember the one in Anchorage (Egan Center) is also ticketed per drink. I certainly don't fit (and never did) with the "let's get shattered" crowd at these events. If getting drunk is the goal, why not go to your local corner store to buy a 30-pack of Stones or a basket full of 40s and go home? It's a lot friggin cheaper...and less douchebagesque.

 

did you read the thread? the description goes beyond "new people". To correct your post for accuracy, it should read that I'm petty for complaining about the increased frequency of behavior that ruins it for other people.... and that's something a bit odd to regard as petty.

After all, once you've been there 10 times or so, it's perfectly ok for it to suck. And why not go beyond the 10? If you've been to a local place hundreds of times and suddenly it changes like this, even more so it would be petty to complain.

 

I can agree with a lot of this thread. I feel that new people discovering craft beer range from those who are truly interested in it and tasting it... and then you have the another half who only pays attention to ABV so they can get drunk. It's unfortunate, but this is one of the reasons why the growth of craft beer is a double edged sword. On one hand, it's great that there's more festivals, but on the other hand it sucks to have such an increase of undesired people there acting poorly.

 

Bingo.

Another way I would put it is this - in the past, these festivals were moreso just a place for rather highly interested beer enthusiasts to gather and taste beer. Not a perfect group of people, but there was a substantially higher percentage of really enthusiastic people into craft beer (or micros as we called them then). High percentage of people wanting to chat with brewers, taste cautiously, take notes, maybe keep track of ones tried, etc. Now, the problem is that it is no longer a demographic of dedicated beer enthusiasts who attend - it is the general public now. And with that you're getting a more unsavory bunch of people attending, as countless GABF stories in recent years attest. Regardless of what the # of attendance is, the general point is that the transformation has crossed a clear point from being an event for enthusiasts, to being an event for the general public. There's no going back, and many of us lament having seen this irrevocable change take place.

 

I'm 21 and I can say that I go to beer festivals to try new beer. thankfully I discovered craft quickly. I have gone to a couple beer festivals so far, one being a ticket for each pour and the other being unlimited. I enjoyed the the former as it was more relaxed and I discovered some of my current favs. The latter was kinda of a downer as it was more of a nightclub setting and alot of young ppl. I dont really care with ppl going just to get wasted, their money, but I kinda wanted to talk with ppl and see what they thought of the beer. But at the same time they give young people like myself a bad rep as older people give me odds looks and its harder to engage other beer enthusiasts in conversation. So I agree with the yemen that beer festivals should go more of the route with the ticket per pour system, no price hike though, im still in college and I cant spare much.

Edit: I am currently enjoying some Hop Stoopid...hehe

 

I agree competely and this is one of the reasons why I frequently go to special events from BA (EBF, Beer For Beasts) and Savor. I feel that these festivals still hold that same feel and why I'll travel hours to get to them.

My reaction to the change has been to just not attend the festivals that I feel are going to be a shit-show. Instead, I hold tastings with friends who I know will appreciate the beers. I sort of feel that's the way most people are going to wind up going in the long run. Spending time with friends in a comfortable place and drinking beers with people who appreciate them and most importantly, having an enjoyable experience.

 

Cat fights are a regulated sport here. Sometimes with mud.

 

as we grow older our gripe list grows longer - often including a host of social pet peeves that we once so frequently imbibed. having tolerance seems like the right thing to maintain, but it's exceedingly difficult to stand by and watch banal behaviors run rampant when the crowd become disproportionately young - and ultimately marring the experience you expected. fuck the collective frat boy persona.

 

"fuck the collective frat boy persona"

I second that! There's a reason the term isn't frat men.

 

IMO it's the tastings that advertise "unlimited pours" or allow for additional tasting ticket purchases that draw the "drunken frat" crowd. However with alcohol, this element will always be present. Even if you raise the prices, there are plenty of people who can still afford it, and while they might be craft beer connoisseurs, they still probably want a buzz for their money. The only saving grace is they probably won't be as prone to vomiting as the younger crowd.

 

They also tend to be the fests that have shorter lines and serve beer quicker without having to deal with the riff raff of collecting tickets. . .

 

At Hunahpu day it was $5 a ticket, depending on the availability of the beer it might be a pint (CCB regular offerings) or in the case of Heavenly Hills Dark Lord, Hunahpu, and many other limited beers it was 4oz. This worked well, got to taste a ton of beers, and I only saw one person stumble. It was a marathon and not a sprintas we were there for so long. Only "festival" I've ever been to, can't wait to go again next year!

 

In regards to self defense its always best to have your lawyer friend behind you telling you when you can swing haha

 

Post of the month people. Thank you, my day just got better.

 

Festivals are so overrated. The hip thing to do now is to pay extra for access to the VIP area where you bring your own bottles to share. Fuck that other swill, best to pay a cover to drink your own beer.

 

In central PA it is a mixed bag for festivals. I actually started going to a local brew fest for convenience of location (10 minutes from my house). There is very little "unique offerings" from a mix of big craft and local breweries but it is in a large fair grounds that is spread out. It is the most relaxing fest I have ever attended. I do not like fests in crammed spaces with lots of "get your moneys worth sloppy" drinkers which there are a few in central PA like that.