Firestone Invitational 2016

Really looking forward to the festival. This will be my first time attending and I am hoping to get thoughts / advice on a few things.

I have read through this thread and ones from previous years. It sounds like the bottle shares are great and I have a few additional questions, following-up on recent posts in this thread.
- I know that bottle shares are often informal and sometimes spontaneous things. Is there a good way to keep track of what is happening and where? It sounds like Adelaide on Friday night is a standard and perhaps that is a good starting point. Any others that would be good to target?
- What is the general vibe of bottle shares around the festival? Is it pretty laid back and in particular open to newcomers?
- Are Friday and Saturday the main nights for bottle shares? Does much happen on Sunday?

If anyone has general tips for a first-timer, these would also be appreciated. Some specific questions include:
- I currently have a general admission ticket. Is the entry fairly smooth for this group? Or given the size of the crowd, does it take a while to get in?
- I know that some lines (e.g. Side Project) will be pretty long, but what is the general wait time for average lines? A matter of minutes or longer?
- The number of options at the festival is a bit overwhelming, in particular in what feels like a somewhat limited amount of time. Any thoughts on how to approach this?

Thanks!

 

Adelaide on Friday night is the major informal share, and there's several other smaller ones. Not to be rude, but if you haven't been invited to a smaller group share Adelaide is probably your best bet as I've heard it's usually a decent group of people.

Laid back at Adelaide from what I've heard. People will always take care of friends first, but there's enough that I doubt you'll be unhappy.

Most of us drive back Sunday.

They start checking everyone in early, and it works well and everyone is ready to go once the event officially begins. Worst part of the day is going to be standing in the 100 degree heat waiting to enter the actual festival after checkin.

There will be plenty of lines with lots of people, and plenty with a few. You'll have to decide if that Dark Lord variant and Side Project pour is worth X minutes in line, or just jump around to other breweries with much smaller wait times. Hit a few big releases, but don't ignore all the other solid beer.

Have fun and don't stand in line all day. Lots of great breweries.

 

Open invite for peeps staying at the Motel 6. Our group is having a share by the pool area.

Cheers

 

Getting some feelers for bottle shares just on Friday night. I've done both shares at the Adelaide and smaller private shares. Unfortunately due to the tix situation this year, many of the usual groups will not be attending or holding shares. Anyone staying at the Courtyard Marriott that'd be down to set something up there? Not entirely sure how cool the hotel would be about it but I doubt it's a major deal assuming 80% of the hotel is probably attending the festival.

 

Ha, beat me to it. Guess I will be seeing you guys at the pool. That .5mile walk to adelaide seems so far when I can just walk around the corner. =P

 

Anyone staying at or planning a share at the Best Western Black Oak - next door to the Adelaide? There's a decent pool area and with temps over 100 a poolside share may be the way to go. Pretty decent set up there with tables and chairs.

 

look guys, don't worry. You can throw a stone in just about any direction and know a bottle share is going on and if you have bottles in hand, any share will be glad to accept your mid-west pours.

 

Been at the Adelaide pool for the past three years. I am trying to understand the Midwest pours comment. Is it a reference to anything or just a joke. Explain please.

 

Did this year 1 of the festival and we were kicked out because of the no glass in the pool area rule. Maybe they are more lenient now.

 

I'll be staying at the Marriott, although I'm not sure how late I'll be rolling in. I've stayed there before, albeit not for this event and I don't think they would have an issue with it.

 

Adelaide was very accommodating at the pool last year.

 

Don't yell at the night manager at the Adelaide in a drunken stupor. You'll fee like a douche the next day. Do walk through the Taco Bell Drive Thru at midnight, tap on the window and order some tacos. You'll feel like a boss. Don't throw up those tacos all over the road on the walk back to the hotel. You'll once again feel like a douche...

 

Anyone staying and sharing at The Oaks?

 

The joke (or maybe it's reality) is that if you go to a bottle share in the Midwest, you're getting a sip as your pour.

 

We stay at the Oaks. There was a very small share at the pool last year after the festival. There may have been more, but we usually don't spend too much time at the hotel...

 

It can also be defined as 40 people sharing a bottle. A "pour" is really a "splash."

 

Hung out at the pool at the Motel 6 after the fest in year two or three and the staff didn't really give a shit (most of us were using plastic cups or cans though, which may have been a factor).

However, there was a smaller group who was way too drunk and leaving all their empty bottles on a rickety table, which unsurprisingly ended up resulting in broken glass when one of them drunkenly bumped it too hard. Some of us that were less shithoused grabbed a trash can and cleaned up before it turned into an injury situation, but if you're going to share bottles there, be conscious of the fact that you're in a pool area where people walk around barefoot - just throw your empties away and minimize any possibility of broken glass.

 

It doesn't seem to me like it would be an issue so long as everyone is cleaning up after themselves and not being drunken ass. They have a patio area with seating which would be great to set up a share. I'm not sure of my exact ETA to the hotel, leaving SF around noon and making a few stops in between. I'd be down to start post a quick dinner on my end. My fiancé and another couple would be joining with bottles as well.

 

I'll be at the Marriott as well. Not sure what time we're rolling in, but post something if there's a share and I'll bring some sweet bottles.

 

That's what happened in our case. We had cups, then another group came with bottles and growlers. We were then told to remove all the bottles and glass from the area, so we just went to our room. Been renting the same cottage since year 2, so problem solved.