Michigan Winterfest!

Guess they're having a problem putting up the tents in the wind. Don't have a link, but it's fo real. They need to wait until the morning to put them up. Wait until the wind dies down.

 

I'm planning on a 10:30 arrival for the Enthusiast line. Hope that's early enough to get in on the noon trappings.

 

For the ride there, I'd probably go with Metro Cab or Grand Rapids Taxi because the vehicles look like they're in better shape than the one's for Vet's and Port City.

For the ride home, they will probably have a big line of them waiting for fares like there was last year, and I'd just stumble into the first one available.

Fortunately, I have arranged for spousal drop off and pick up.

.

 

We're at the Comfort Suites near the ballpark. Far from everything...

Did go to Mitten for a couple, plus a growler.

Any one want to pick us up on the way to the ballpark (because the walk looks TREACHEROUS)....

 

we'll be at the comfort suites so i planned on walking to and form the fest.. was going to take a taxi over to logans alley for a bit after the fest so i figured id ask..

i was wondering how the walk from comfort was going to be..hopefully its not that bad..

 

Is Comfort Suites not providing a shuttle to the park?

 

not that i know of.. i just figured it was a short 5 minute walk and wouldnt be much of a problem. guess ill find out when we arrive.

 

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rap...flatten_winter_beer.html#incart_river_default

 

I am on a choo choo train headed your way Grand Rapids. Its time to test the capabilities of the human liver. Bring it!

 

Nope.
Distance-wise it's not a bad walk but it doesn't look like there is anywhere to walk but on the road.

 

We're already pre-gaming it on the way. I'm pretty sure we're all gonna be hurting later

 

Since I cannot make the festival, are there any great tap takeovers after the fest?

EDIT: Never mind...I saw what stella's has..thats the place to go

 

I'm about 20th in line. Still a lot of setup to be done.

 

I can't believe people line up this early. Your getting what ever you want if your an enthusiast

 

#gottabefirsttotryrarebeerbro!

 

Bourbon Carrot Cake for the first sample. YEAH

 

Eminently successful Winter Beerfest. Was able to sample everything I wanted to, and only blew a 0.055 BAC on the Breathalyzer when it was time to leave.

 

Far and away the best beer was Ferment Salted Carmel Stout IMO. Shorts Bourbon Carron Cake was a close second and there were many other tasty ones. Night Fury variants were up and down for quality. Batch 9k was DAMN fine.

 

We got sidetracked meeting up with some brewery-connected friends right at noon and missed out on the Batch 9K.

But same brewery friends steered us to some righteous IPA selections, so I suppose it was a net plus.

.

 

I clocked in 43 beers today:

Short's Bourbon Carrot Cake
Kuhnhenn Bourbon Barrel Barleywine
Rockford/New Holland Polar Coaster
Vivant Love Shadow
Witch's Hat Bourbon Barrel Night Fury with Coffee
Witch's Hat Bourbon Barrel Night Fury with Cookies and Creme
Witch's Hat Bourbon Barrel Night Fury with Vanilla Beans
Short's Bourbon Wizard
Short's Love Knife
Short's Jitterbug
Short's Ectoplasmo
Short's Bourbon Ben's Asthma
Arcadia Bourbon Barrel Loch Down
Arcadia 17th Anniversary Ale
Saugatuck Bourbon Barrel Darker Than Your Soul
Saugatuck Hop In Yer Rye
Osgood Voyager Bourbon Barrel IPA
Osgood Motley Porter
Osgood Sol Seeker Wheat
Cranker's The Merchant
Cranker's Bourbon Barrel Porter
Cranker's 5th Voyage Coconut Porter
Greenbush Damn Dirty Apes
Greenbush Bourbon Barrel Dystopia
Greenbush Rage
Original Gravity County Street Amber
Hideout Maple Breakfast Stout
Hideout Barrel House Sweet Mead
Hideout Sake
Right Brain Cherry Pie Whole
Right Brain Sour Owl
White Flame Kentucky Kiss
White Flame No Joke
Perrin Stoutwood
Perrin Kingdom of Tonga
Bell's X-Slam
Bell's Bull in a China Shop
Rockford Anniversary Ale/Belgian Multigrain
Rochester Mills Bourbon Barrel Milkshake Stout
GRBC River Monster
Dark Horse Bourbon Barrel Top Fuel
Dark Horse Bourbon Barrel Plead the 5th
Short's Bourbon Magician

Blew a 0.04 at the end of the fest too.