Philly Beer Week 2013 (May 31st - June 9th)

The App is available for download now for iPhones at least. It only covers official events, but it's pretty helpful, especially if you're visiting.

 

I talked with Matt at Capone's and he said that the guys from Hill Farmstead would not be coming down for this year's Beer Week. I suppose that doesn't mean no beer will, but who knows?

 

This was what Shaun said when I was in VT back in January. I was a few pints of Edward deep, but I remember him saying that PBW was too crazy. Not to speak for him, but I believe he prefers coming o town outside of Beer Week.

- Joe

 

Hopefully the beer still makes it down this way even if Shaun doesn't. A Philly Beer Week without HF would be, well, strange. I can totally appreciate and respect his point of view, however. I was at a couple events last year for Hill Farmstead, and swamped isn't even the word. I'm sure everyone has their limits on how much humanity they can take at one time, and some have a lower threshold than others.

 

not like Shaun is actually going to be missed at any events. He basically stood around and maintained eye contact with the floor the whole time.
better off sending Mike out for events.

 

I'm sure it's a whole pile of fun for brewers at PBW events--or anything similar--where most of what they hear are things like, "Hey, remember the time you made Abner?? That was awesome."

 

if the brewer doesn't have the social skills to rep their brewery correctly, then they shouldn't be doing it. they have hired reps just for that.

 

I know that, more often than not, when I'm at beer events in Philly, some of the people attending the events make me think twice about continuing to attend. You have to admit that some of the people that stand out at releases and tappings are not noticed for their primo social skills. I work with kids with disabilities and I feel like some of these people at the events have personality disorders. I don't blame any brewer for not bring thrill about being stuck in close quarters with annoying, intoxicated people. There are a lot of great people in the community. However, the obnoxious ones can still outweigh the good ones.

- Joe

 

ok, I probably should have been more specific. I, in no means, meant that if a brewer doesn't have the required social skills to meet with fans without panicking, then they shouldn't be brewing. I meant that they shouldn't be the ones going out to the events. They have the reps to do that for them.
Basically, what I was getting at was that when I met Shaun multiple times at these events, he wasn't even meeting with the fans. I actually ran into him in the stairwell at Jose Pistola's when I was heading to the restroom. We were the only ones there. And I told him "congratulations on your success. happy anniversary for the brewery" or something along those lines and he seriously stared at the floor and walked by me without even a thanks, hello, acknowledgement, or anything. Apparently he reacted that way to a number of people I talked to that wanted to talk or say hi to him.
It really put a bad taste in my mouth for him, and for the brewery. And other 'holier than thou' actions he has done lately does not help that matter the bit and just further cements my feelings towards him.
So my point is... if you can't even do the bare minimum of fan interaction, then don't go. and then don't complain that the events were "too crazy" for you.
I didn't want to have to go into that much detail and all since now i'm going to be attacked for it probably. but whatever. bring it on

 

oh I didn't think you were attacking me, john. I was just foreshadowing other responses that might result from these from other uses haha.

 

Below is something I posted in a previous thread concerning Shaun Hill:

“Permit me to tell a Shaun Hill story. I have never been to the brewery but I got a chance to meet Shaun Hill at Teresa’s Next Door (Wayne, PA) as part of Philly Beer Week 2012. My wife and I had a chance to talk to Shaun for 10-15 minutes. He is a very pleasant guy and very open in communicating. I am a homebrewer so I asked a number of technical brewing questions which Shaun patiently and cordially answered. I then made an honest statement to Shaun: “I have had a large number of your beers and every one of your beers has been very, very good.” Shaun replied: “That’s because we never let a ‘bad’ batch out of our brewery.” I replied: “You never had to dump a batch, did you? He responded” “Yes, and that is tough to do when you only have $5,000.00 in the bank.” So, apparently Shaun did experience a few ‘hiccups’ during his startup but he had the integrity to not sell what he considered to be subpar beer. Yup, Shaun Hill is an excellent brewer on many levels.”

Cheers!

 

Brewers today are like rockstars, whether you want them to be or not, and whether they want to be or not.

Constant attention, lovers, and haters will wear on anyone and they can't escape it except when the brewery is closed to visitors. That said there are 2 main differences between today's top brewers and rockstars:

1) Most rockstars don't have their fans running up to them saying they want to play guitar right then and there with them (fans always want to have a beer with the brewer) or asking them how they can play better (how to brew better)
2) Rockstars have security to keep the crazies away. Brewers do not (99.9% of the time)

So please apply the same courtesy and respect when meeting your favorite brewer that you would to meeting your significant others parents, the president, or the pope.*

Cheers

*Now I know I'm going to get a hate reply from someone that doesn't have a significant other, and hates the president and the pope.

 

I'll be courteous to them if they'd be courteous to me. Works both ways, bub.
on my shitlist already thanks to this rule:
1) Firestone Walker
2) Hill Farmstead

 

I hope you don't run your own business.
That is the point i'm trying to make. If you're trying to market your product, don't be a dick to your customers.

it amazes how quick people are able to defend this type of practice.
if you read what I said, not anywhere did I say I approached him in a crowded bar. we were alone on a staircase.

 

in addition, I also didn't expect a conversation with the dude. just a simple "thanks" would've been cool.