Great Taste 2015

Believe I'll be hitting up Steve's Junction or the Wine and Hop Shop. Last year at Junction we shared some small, tasty bottles, so perhaps this year that'll happen again. Weather is a bummer after the DLD slog...

 

Roger that. Seemed a bit odd to have the request postmarked by a specific day to me but I guess it makes it easier for the organizers to sort through the incoming envelopes without ever having to open a bunch of them.

 

It's essential to note that mail orders have to be postmarked on May 4th – no later but also no earlier.

 

I've gone the last 3-4 years and it's always been through the mail. I have a group of 4 that submit letters. Been pretty lucky.

I have to admit though, as great of an event as it is, last years was way too crowded or at least seemed that way. Does anyone know if they've increased ticket sales over the years? They definitely haven't increased area.

 

be super careful

last year there were some dooshbags eyeballing, and making rude comments about, my friends pregnant wife for "line cutting" after she showed up and joined us in line.

she had been napping in their car after a long drive but, because beer, people automatically assumed the worst.

 

Some would say that sleeping in a car is not waiting in line. Hardly different than setting up a chair and heading home to bed. I dont think this way but I understand the reasoning. Sometimes guys have a half a dozen friends showing up throughout the morning that were all "sleeping in the car."

 

Are we allowed to bottle share in line at capital? That would make this much more enjoyable

 

I always wait in line but send in for tickets also since I have a bunch of friends that want to go but cant wait in line for various reasons. Haven't had much luck mailing in for at least 4 years so I think it is indeed getting tougher.
I called out a guy last year that I saw just wander up and join about 5 buddies ahead of us in line. After a brief discussion the whole group got up and joined him at the back of the line. They handled it fine and as far as I know they all still got tickets.

 

Anyone have any experience waiting at Vintage?

 

Vintage seemed to have a longer/earlier line than most last year, I assume due to it being said you could get out of line once they opened (although that wasn't actually allowed day of). This year they're saying you can only get out of line for 15 minutes but I still assume the nicer situation will once again make the line longer than at some of the other sites. Last year I went to Vintage first but quickly bailed since it looked like the line was too long, but was way within the cutoff elsewhere.

I'm pretty sure most places don't allow tents or bottle sharing officially, but unofficially it's rampant. I've never waited at Star though.

 

There was bottle sharing in the parking lot last year.

 

When it says each household is limited to two tickets for the mail-orders, does that mean each household can only enter once? Or can both the wife and I each enter, but we'd only be able to get one set of tickets? Thanks.

 

One entry per mailing address.

 

yes

 

I think last year everyone who was there by 6:45am made the cutoff.

I love Star, but it's probably not the best outlet at this point, as their ticket allotment has been cut significantly from what it used to be, but the number of people showing up for those tickets has not decreased much if at all.

 

Allotments for this year:

• 400 tickets at Capital Brewery (7734 Terrace Ave. – Middleton, WI)
• 300 tickets at Cork ‘N Bottle (855 E. Johnson St. – Madison, WI)
• 400 tickets at Star Liquor (1209 Williamson St. – Madison, WI)
• 400 tickets at Steve’s University Avenue (3618 University Ave. – Madison, WI)
• 400 tickets at Steve’s Junction Road (122 Junction Rd. – Madison, WI)
• 400 tickets at Wine and Hop Shop (1931 Monroe St. – Madison, WI)
• 300 tickets at The Malt House (2609 E. Washington Ave. – Madison, WI)
• 400 tickets at Vintage Brewing Company (674 S. Whitney Way – Madison, WI)

Edit: Ha! I searched for this info for 5 mins and now I see its also just on the Great Taste's homepage.

 

Agree with the last part. It's a slippery slope.

Personally, I don't care if someone line jumps me to be with their friends when the line is short. We're all getting tickets, it isn't a big deal. But when that line at Capital starts to inch close to 200 people (which, based on prior years, would place the end of the line somewhat well down the street), we're probably gonna have a problem there. I try not to get in too much of a fuss about those sorts of things, but you have to remember for every real "my friends pregnant wife that was sleeping in the car" there's 5 "my friend's pregnant wife that just showed up because we want 2 more tickets to flip for profit on CL"

as with anything. limited supply brings out the absolute worst in some people.

 

I don't know if anyone else has noticed in the past, but there doesn't seem to be much of an aftermarket for these tickets (fortunately). I've always seen tickets resold for face value and there are always a bunch of people walking around outside the fest looking to offload extra tickets.