Great Taste Pre-Party Events Thread

IIRC it was PB&J Bo & Luke and BA Abraxas. The Bo & Luke was particularly aggravating as there was a small group that cut in line ahead of us after we got under the awning, and it tapped out right as we got to the front of the line, so their cutting literally meant the difference between us getting or not getting pours.

 

If a line looks like it's going to take more than 5 minutes, I'm out. It's been interesting to watch the lines get crazier at certain places every year as the whalezbro phenomenon grows. It actually makes for a much more enjoyable festival for me as it concentrates a lot of people in certain areas and leaves some pretty fantastic brewery tents more or less empty.

 

Just a heads up this year, the program won't have the special release times printed this year as they're trying to cut back on crazy lines carrying over into other brewery's tables. If a brewery wants to do a timed release they will have to post it at their own booth or the breweries will post it on their own social media.

 

This is something of a neat idea...wonder how it will play out in reality.

 

Toppling Goliath at Dexter's

10-12 beers
3 firkins
Mornin' Delight
and... the last 1/6 barrel of SR-71

I'm not seeing times, also says more details to come.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1501527620138042/

 

Central Waters back again at Brickhouse joined by 3 Sheeps & Upland.

20 CW taps. Some old standbys, some new faves, lots of barrel-aged, and some brand new never before seen stuff.

 

Fuck. Yes. Will be there for the...well, I lost those brain cells, but a lot of years in a row. Too bad they lost Shorts though. The CW/Shorts combo was awesome.

 

It'll be like the previous years. 90% of beer is on tap all day (they open at 11) and things like MD/SR71/firkins will be tapped later in the day and into the night. Last year MD was tapped at 10pm iirc.

 

Looks like the mobile app is (mostly) updated.

 

Are you on iOS or Android? Cuz the Android app still has all of last year's info.

 

From the Great Taste twitter feed:

Great Taste ‏@GreatTasteMW
Don’t get too excited about the app folks. Very much a work in progress. Hope to release earlier this year though!

 

iOS, sorry.

 

Heard a rumor of Jolly Pumpkin at Gibs with some good stuff not available in WI. Will probably try to make it over there.

 

How early would you recommend showing up to Dexter's to score pours of MD and SR-71? Does a line form for the .rar beers? I missed this event by a few hours last year thanks to a flight delay, hoping to make up for it this year.

 

I'm planning on going there almost directly after I get into town Friday afternoon. The place doesn't look very big (not small, but not big) so I don't want to have to fight for a table.

Curious if they're going to tap everything right at the start or if they'll do timed releases. I've seen it done both ways at various GTMW pre-parties.

 

Got there last year not very long before the MD tapping and had no problem getting I think 2 pours. I could be wrong about the second pour. There's too many other great events to spend the whole day at one place so you can be a little closer to the front of the pour line, IMO.

 

I'm having a really hard time believing that. I hope I'm wrong, but I doubt it will be that chill this year. I'm anticipating a substantial line.

 

It WASN'T chill last time. It was incredibly packed. Most people there still got a pour however.

I got there around 9 for the 10PM tapping and was fine. If you want to wait around all day for one tapping with all the other great events going on, be my guest, but I don't think it's necessary to be there any earlier than an hour before. It's when that mentality becomes commonthat makes there be a ridiculous line in the first place.

 

I'd be very surprised if they tapped those two at the same time as everything else. As someone already said above, last time Dexter's had MD on it was tapped at 10PM. The firkins, SR, and MD will likely all be timed tappings.