Chicago Craft Beer Week

I'm gonna go ahead and say beer. Just my opinion of course.

 

Yeah, beer is probably number one, but the focus also demands Chicago love!

 

Fwiw I was at Half Acre last night and they were still selling tickets to their event.

I wanna go to Unicornucopia.

 

The general BA forum almost always has a thread complaining about the lack of restaurants that take pairing beer and food seriously. I think that we're pretty lucky here in Chicago because this isn't that big of an issue for us. We have amazing options because quite a few of our local chefs are known for working closely with local breweries. So I'm going to say that CCBW should be about highlighting all the positives of the Chicago craft beer scene. Food is definitely an important part of it. Sure, the focus should be on the beer brewed here, but I don't see the issue with a chef creating an event that highlights how local beers work with the Chicago culinary scene. Not everything has to be about rare releases and huge taste lists.

 

I believe I'm in the minority, but I thought CCBW in 2011 was a blast with the focus on discovering new places around the Chicagoland area whose focus was on craft beer through the passport system.

 

Looks like Goose Island is throwing a big ol' block party during craft beer week:

http://gooseisland25.eventbrite.com/#

 

Because why would anyone want to spend a (theoretically) beautiful Sunday afternoon outdoors in the sun enjoying some great brews.... ???

Worst case scenario you've got your evening open to hit up another event if so inclined...

 

Can't get wasted for hours and drink a BCS variant that doesn't and never did exist? Scroll past.

 

Snobbery has officially infested beer culture. Whatever happened to simply enjoying a beer at your local bar or brewpub? If I wanted trendy, pretentious, overpriced, bullshit events, I'd be into wine.

 

You can't still do that?

 

Pretty sure no one is being forced to purchase tickets....

 

Last year's block party was Labor Day weekend when it's almost always still summer weather. This one is in the middle of May. You're really taking your chances with it being pretty damn cold if you do it after sundown (hell, I've been to a Cubs day game in mid-May where it was sub-40, windy and lightly snowing). Middle of the day gives you the best chance of a pleasant atmosphere.

 

The only snobbery I see is the kind of reverse snobbery in this thread claiming that this event is unworthy of CCBW and people telling the rest of us what CCBW "should be about" and that only rare beers will make it worthy. CCBW isn't about anything except for having fun related to craft beer, and that means whatever anyone finds fun related to craft beer is exactly what CCBW is about. This event is all about fun and the pleasures of taste, probably even more than most events because there will be no time wasted having to show up early to fight for a spot or waiting in lines for beers. Sitting on a rooftop interacting with brewers and chefs, having world class food and great beers brought to you non-stop for hours sounds like fun to me, and not having to fight crowds and wait in lines is worth a fair amount of $ IMO. My time is worth at least $25 per hour, so figure that every hour people here spend tracking down and making trades adds $25 to the cost of the beers in the trade, and every hour spent arriving early or waiting in lines for beers adds $25 to the cost of an event or the beers you have at a non-ticketed tapping. Considering this and the high quality of the food involved, the price of this event is not that high even if the beers are merely great and not of the sort that would garner a rare beer ticker's attention.

Nothing. You can do it every single day of the year including today and even on the day of this event. The only sense in which I can agree with you is that CCBW in general (not this Goat event in particular) crams a lot of desirable beers and fun events into 10 days. Places wind up stockpiling their best beers for that week, meaning fewer of those beers at other times. I have generally noticed a bit of a lull in tap selection quality across town leading up to and after CCBW. As someone who goes out to bars 3-4 times a week I'd rather see those beers spread out over time. The same goes for the events that either overlap or are a little less enjoyable when the follow a string of many nights of events. I'd personally like it more if they were spread out over time. But I think CCBW brings concentrated media attention and increases attendance of more casual craft beer drinkers and thus is good for the sellers and market growth which leads to more breweries which leads to more opportunities for deliciousness.

 

You seem to have no idea how to read.

Sitting at a local brewpub means I'm already enjoying those finer things. Paying $175 + tax and tip for some beer dinner just tells everyone that you have no idea what you're doing.

 

I think Chicago Craft Beer Week should be about highlighting and supporting local/regional craft breweries as well as the bars/bottle shops that regularly sell these products. It's about meeting fellow craft beer fans and celebrating the community. I think that 95%+ of the events absolutely accomplish that feat. Many places and patrons show their support with great events and their attendance at various tap takeovers, tasting events, etc. I think part of supporting this event and craft brew community is giving something of yourself. I'll be attending some ticketed CCBW events, but I'm also going out of my way to drive from St. Charles to visit Revolution and Half Acre because I don't do that enough. I'm also going to go out of my way that week to visit local craft beer bars in my area, not just for events but to show my support and have a beer. Many breweries are offering special beers around town during that time, while some bars are working hard to provide special tap takeovers or other drafts during that week. They are giving what they can to the event. Every bar I believe will have a $4 craft pint on draft the entire week plus. I just think personally that you're not giving anything of yourself to charge $175 plus tax and tip. That's your regular going rate or maybe even more. If you think that's fine because of the James Beard award, then go right ahead. I can say that my line of work doesn't often coincide with craft beer. Recently, it did for the first time in 8 years. I provided my services at half of the normal fee to an upstart brewery. I'm not saying everyone can afford to do that, but don't tell me that a $175 event has anything to do with beer advocacy. It's about the bottom line/profit. If you're OK with that, then it's fine. I would rather filter my CCBW dollars into the hands of breweries or beer bars.

 

Any news on events or such being held by Bigsby Pour House by Chance, thanks in advance

 

Again - no one is being forced to buy tickets to ANY of these events. I simply cannot understand what the big deal is...

 

Jealousy and entitlement. "how dare x makes a profit by charging a price for something I want but can't afford instead of just like, giving it to me, man"