Kate the Great Day!

I think I got to the HF release 15 minutes before the doors opened. There were like 100 people in line at that time (some guy actually counted as he walked by). It is kind of a surprise because of the time of year but then again it was a holiday weekend for a lot of folks and some people were probably going North for skiing/vacation that weekend anyways. (and that growing interest in craft beer thing).A ton of people showed up after us probably not expecting the line and it got pretty long. Not sure if anyone really missed out on bottles that day though. I think it was like high 20s and pretty windy.

 

I got there at 10:30? and was the first in line. It was a huge shitshow after an hour or so.

 

Unfortunate. Perhaps it's time they just go the non-announcement route. That seems to be working quite well for Allagash.

 

Actually, I kinda like it like this. I've been at multiple other ones and this was the first time its ever been like that. I think it caught everyone off gaurd, which is definately noticeable in this thread. Hell, I figured due to it coinciding with Kate tickets there'd be less people, but no. Holiday, ski season....just has to be lots of people. Now, if the next couple ones are like this then perhaps, but right now this appears to just be a fluke.

 

We got there for 9 last year and was drinking Kate by 12:30. I think we will shoot for 8 this year just to account for the increased interest in Kate and craft all together.

 

If you miss the first cut you will still get in later (assuming the line doesn't reach never-before-seen lengths), but you're going to have to wait a while. So whether you arrive at 8 or 11, you're still probably going to wait the same 3+ or so hours. What some people do though is just show up late afternoon and more or less slip right in after the line has died down but Kate is still pouring. You can never really predict when it is going to kick though, or how many people will show up later, so this could be a risky maneuver.

Also, craft has really started to grow out of control in the last year, and Kate seems to be twice the shitshow every year. I'm staying away this year, but if I were going, like I said above, I'd shoot for 7:something. That said, it's currently scheduled to be a balmy 10 degrees or so early Monday morning, so any of y'all who wait outside in that temperture for a beer are f'ing crazy!

 

For those who have to work during the day... last year I got there around 415p, waited in line about 30 minutes and still was able to enjoy 3 glasses before it kicked

 

I showed up at 1:30 last year, waited just over 40 minutes then was in. You have to ask yourself, do you care about just drinking the beer or do you want to be part of the spectacle that is Kate Day.

 

this will be my first Kate Day, and was wondering how it works once your inside. Do people just camp out sipping on Kate for hours or do they give people a certain length of time to get a couple snifters of Kate that way the line tends to keep moving? Will proably be there early anyway but was just wondering.

 

I'm sure some people might camp out all day but I don't think this is the norm. We'll have a few glasses, some lunch, and then move on. But I don't think they kick anyone out either.

 

Thats what i figured, Thanks

 

It's like any other day - some will grab a quick beer and leave, others will have a normal length meal, and some people will camp out forever. Ultimately, we're talking about a 12% beer here. Three glasses would be pushing it for most people, so it's not very realistic to spend all day drinking Kate. I'm sure they've had to cut people off plenty of times...

 

In past years they have limited it to 4 glasses per person. Unsure if they still will do this. Don't want to get too sloshed, and spread the wealth a bit...

Prosit!!

 

Gotcha thanks gentlemen

 

This is my first year also, I am going to enjoy a few glasses quickly and move on to give others an opportunity. See yall Monday.

 

3:30 am sleeping in line waiting for Kate 'Those were the Days'

 

As I've been part of a few Kate Day's I can give you some cold hard facts. We serve 7 English barrels for tapping service. Once the 7 are gone, Kate has kicked and we'll see you next year. Last year we served slightly over 2,000 glasses of Kate starting around 11:30/12:00noon and it kicked at 6:03pm. The next highest selling beer was Bottle Rocket IPA coming in at an astounding 236 pints.

The first person in line last year camped out from Midnight through the morning (I'm pretty sure they were interviewed by a bunch of media and such.) The restaurant and down stairs lounge holds almost 300 people including Media, VIPs, staffing, etc. The doors will open this year at 11AM and we will be seating the restaurant in waves of 50 so as to not flat seat the entire business and ensure a better experience for everyone. No one wants to have to wait 20 minutes for a beer because 300 people just ordered one in 5 minutes. The full menu will be offered starting at 11AM and there will be 9 beers on tap to whet your whistle before the Kate tapping. This year the court yard patio will be open for service and will have 2 propane heaters. There will not be tables out there as it will be more of an informal "Beer Garden" type setting. Figured people would rather stand in the cold with a Kate than just stand in the cold. The patio will hold approx 20 people. Once out there however this does not guarantee you a spot in the restaurant if you "get cold." You can't just walk back into the building and grab a seat. This will be gone over by one of the manager's at the front entrance of the building once we start letting people in.

As for the FAQ of "...how many glasses of Kate can I have?" Responsible service will be handled by the staff and management. Do yourself and your friends a favor and don't get kicked out for being intoxicated. Please drink responsibly. We're all here to have a great time and enjoy one of the country's finest beers.

If it were me... I'd be in line by 7AM the latest to get in on the first waves of people and enjoy the spectacle that it the Kate tapping. I have a wife however and she refuses to stand in 10 degree air for 3-4 hours just to get a beer. People last year were walking in around 5PM with no problem. As mentioned earlier however, the craft beer business is booming, Kate has more hype than ever, and I've heard rumors of busses coming up from New Jersey.

Cheers all! I'll see you inside on Kate Day (I'll be the guy with the handle bar mustache just like last year!) It's Mustache March after all!

PS: If someone were smart they'd sell coffee and donuts to the crowds even though it would be illegal. Just Sayin'

 

Anthony!! Mah Man!!! Great info - thnx!! You have my seat near the window reserved for me, right? ;-)

Prosit!!