Goose Island 25th Anniversary Party: Just saw this pop up on Facebook...

Ill agree with everyone here. It was a total shit show. I didn't even bother with all the regular beers. Got there around 1 o clock. Stood in line twice for the barrel aged beers. Unfortunately I missed out on BC RARE, but I managed to grab bc napa, bc, buffalo trace, bf coffee, bc with berries? can anyone clarify what version this was? I cant find it anywhere. And like I said b4 I didnt have BC rare, but the consolation prize was King Henry. Amazing. Easily the best beer there. BC Rare has aluded me once more, but King Henry more than made up for it considering it supposedly wasnt on the list.

 

My favorite part was when they announced to the mile long line at the BCS taps that "there's only 15 minutes left to get thru the line before the event ends." A good 200 people were about to get shutout for a fifteenth time.

I had a few pours of great beer but spent 90% of the time in lines that rivaled the Trail of Tears. Never again.

 

Yeah, that was seriously messed up. I was about 2/3 into the line when they announced last call in 15 minutes. I feel bad for the people that were behind me.

 

Coconut Vanilla BCBV after the event closed was so Baller.

 

Blackberry BCS is what they were pouring around 2:45.

The GI barrel line was a complete shit show; the rest were tolerable but I'm not sure if that was because the GI line was so fucked by comparison or if they just weren't that bad. Snagged some Clybourne Flanders Red to start the festival that was super tasty. Missed out on Off-Color since I was foolish enough to jump in line for Rare.

 

i wouldn't agree on the tolerable part except maybe towards the beginning. GI brewpub line was the second place i went after destihl, around 12:30 or so, and they were already out of flanders red. when i bailed at about 1:15 or 1:30 or so, the destihl line was at least 15 minutes long. bear in mind that this was for four ounces of beer. a good chunk of breweries running out of beer as i mentioned only compounded the lines at the remaining taps.

 

Seriously people, if you have never been to a fest before, this is what you should expect. At what point did you honestly say, "hmm...2000+ tickets sold, small street, limited beers, this is going to be an issue." That's what you should have expected. If you want BCS variants, they had a specific line, it was easy. Was the line long? Yes. Did it give you ample time to drink the one you were working on? Yes. Did they have a great look into the wine barrel room? Yes. Was it the best run event ever? No, but you know what, they had amazing stuff on tap, it was $25 and you got whatever you wanted. I arrived at about 12:30 into the BCS line and still got Rare (which was not as good as the bottle) and then went in line and Henry was on tap.

I was there for all three hours and if you went with multiple glasses, they were giving it to you if you could carry it. The staff was super nice and the coffee variants were awesome. BCS Columba was solid, and the Scarlet was a big winner for our whole group.

For those who didn't have a good time, please don't frequent these anymore as yes, it was messed up at the beginning, but for all of those who have been to fests, it's all about lines, friends, and beers, get used to it.

Thanks Goose, neat event, and don't let butthurt BA's ruin it for the rest of us.

 

Got there around 11:30 am. Line started moving around 11:45, you could get a wrist band and get in line then. At 12 it opened.

Saw the line for the BCBS and it was nuts, first went to Flossmoor Station and get the Panama Red to drink while I waited in line for BCBS variants. Got some Rare when there was about 1/4 barrel left, it probably tapped out by 12:30.

Next got some Destihl St. Dekkera Sour Apricot and BBA Triton. The Apricot Sour was very good, the Triton is a BBA Barleywine and had a very strong smell and an intense taste. Both I would get again if I have the chance. The Triton was almost overpowering in smell.

Then we headed back for the BCBS line, at that point they started putting up barriers and fences to organize the line, good idea but the line was quite long. While waiting in line a friend go some Off Color Brewing, some RIS that was only 3%. Tasted like a dry Irish stout, very smokey and not bad.

Once we got up to the front of the BCBS line I got King Henry, BCBS Napa, and Scully (a sour). All were good, King Henry on draft was amazing, better than KH in a bottle for sure. Napa was good but super sweet, I couldn't finish it. Scully was a mild sour, good but not amazing, I enjoyed it.

Next we got food, but everyone was sold out of water. Went to 3 food trucks and all were out of water, one sold out 3 people ahead of us. Sucked, at this point we got some Silver Jubilee, everything else was sold out from the GI Brewpub line. Thankfully some more water became available at the GI food truck. 18th street was also tapped out at this point.

We got back in the BCBS line, it was crazy long at this point, winding around the side of the building. Waited in line again, sent someone for drafts but almost everyone was tapped out at this point. They announced cut off when we neared the front, not sure if we would make it but we stuck with it.

Ended up making it a couple minutes before cutoff. Got some BCBS Coffee for free in line (they came down line with a pitcher of it and gave it out). Got up there and ordered Sofie Paradisi, Sour Pere Jaques, Gran Gras, and BCBS Fruit Black Cherry (or maybe black berry).

The Gran Gras was very good, better than Sofie Paradisi (but both were good). BCBS Fruit was good but again, very sweet, hard to finish. Sour Pere Jauqes was quite good, would like to have it again.

Overall it was a a clusterfuck, very crowded, running out of water, no way to use all 25 punches, but I had some great beer and had a great time. It was nice that the $25 admission gave you more than enough beer, no need to pay for more.

 

I have been to a lot of beer events and I know what to expect. This event fell so bar below those expectations, I am embarrassed for whoever "planned" this event. One could have walked away thinking Goose Island was in the business of creating lines rather than beer.

And if anyone is going to tell me that it was all okay and worth it because you got 4oz. each of Rare or some random Sister? Please take not - you're an idiot.

 

BTW did anyone get BC templeton or BC speyside? They were supposedly on the tap list, but I didn't see them.

 

all i saw was one gigantic line to get 95% of goose beers. the only goose beers that were not in said giant line were sofie, summertime, 25th esb, green line, and one more that i can't remember.

as i said, if i would have gotten to have even some of the fulton and wood series stuff without waiting in line for an hour i would have been perfectly happy with my day. but i couldn't, and i wasn't. i understand that lines happen, but having a three hour event which has a 40 minute wait to get inside the gate and then a 1 hour wait to get 50% of the beers is complete and total bullshit when you charge money to get in. had they charged per pour rather than the advance ticket, i would not have been anywhere near as angry as i am.

this year's dark lord day (albeit with some hiccups like the bottle purchase line) proved you can put on an event that has a lot of people but doesn't make you wait an hour for a four ounce pour. also, GTMW.

 

Blackberry Rye. Was available for first hour last Saturday

 

Yeah a friend of mine got BCBS Templeton Rye, it was good. Did not see Speyside.

Also never saw Boring go on draft, really wanted to try that. Although I guess King Henry was a surprise.

 

King Henry was on for the last two hours, incredible.

 

Total shitshow.

Got there by 11:45. Ran up, got a quick pour of Rare, and avoided the BCS line the rest of the day. It stretched around the fucking block by about 1pm. Total joke.

Still had 7 punches worth leftover at 3pm when they were kicking everyone out.

The beer was good, but piss poor event planning overall. Having ticketed patrons wait in a huge fuckin line while cash walk-ups get right in?! Just awful.

 

Honestly who didn't see this becoming a cluster. 2,000 tickets in an ally. Heard it was a solid event though

 

Funny thing is when I went to grab the barrel aged bc varients, I asked the dude to get me 4 different varieties. He says and I quote " you're one of those assholes huh?" Fact of the matter was, If I didn't, I would've gotten screwed out of trying all those amazing beers. 3 hours was definitely not long enough for this event.

 

BCBS Kenyan Coffee was possibly the best of that variant yet. Everyone else has all the complaints down.

 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

 

Damn, I got served by Brett Porter personally the first time, and the second time the guy said "rock on man" when I walked away with 3 drafts.