Beer Meets Wood (2017)

just read through the FAQ's and it says the line forms around the corner from the bank. this must still be referring to the EBF and Microbrew inv. so the obvious question is, where will the line be forming for this event? I see the map has it marked but no other land marks are on the map to make sense of the map in relationship to the road, etc. but I know BA does such a awesome job at running these events, it will be obvious once I get there......sat can't come fast enough!

 

thanks todd! looking forward to another awesome event. thanks for all you do!

 

Will there be books like at mirco-invitational where we can mark which beers we tried? That was an awesome idea!

 

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, Dirigo Brewing Company is no longer able to attend Beer Meets Wood.

 

Aw.... Damn. They make some great lagers.

How many ended up pulling out? Just two that I've seen so far (Dirigo, Sante)? That isn't terrible. I recall one brewery dropping out of multiple Extreme Beer Fests in a row. Seems like holding a lineup is tricky.

 

Dang. Just realized I forgot to pack my headlamp!

 

So I am not allowed to bring in my backpack?

 

Thought this was such a well run event. Was able to get almost everything I had picked out from the list (RIP Apple Brandy El Lechedor). Lines were super fast (or even non-existent) and there were plenty of great varieties...though I found myself getting a bunch of stouts in a row a times because they were hard to pass up. Great time!

 

Really nice event in a cool location. The noon session on Saturday was super mellow. No crazy lines, a ton of great beers (Snake Cake by West Sixth was a nice surprise). I don't think a single beer that I was hoping to try ran out. The only bummer was Lickinghole Creek no showing.

 

Agreed with all the above. The standouts for me were 4 Hands (Madagascar), Almanac (Strawberry Basil!), and Jackie O's (Coffee BA Oil). All breweries I've had before but didn't expect the heat they brought. I went back for every beer and all were better than the next. Already looking forward to next year.

 

Great times at the fest! It's a bummer that they are tearing down that space. Hopefully somewhere nearby could host this event next year.

 

Man, that is a bummer about the space. The space was unreal - huge, steeped in history, aged wood, rugged iron...matched the beers being served perfectly and provided impressive context. Cheers to all the supporters and a slice of Portland that will never be the same.

 

I saw several folks being interviewed on camera at the fest. Any idea when/where this footage might be available?

 

Was a great event - fantastic beers, great vibe, fun location. Hope it can happen again!

 

first beer advocate event that i had went to, great time, well run, more then enough glasses, a ton of space, never a wait.

 

This beer festival had the best beer selection by far of any of the dozen or so beer festivals I've attended in the last eight years. Big, beefy palate-wreckers like 4 Hands Madagascar that balanced flavors beautifully and went down way smoother than the 10% ABV they averaged. I discovered not one but two port-aged brews that blew me away (Sixpoint Dubbel Take, my personal Best in Show, and BHZ's Santo Arnaldo Do Porto) -- a style of beer in which I've never previously found joy. Cigar City crushed it with a panoply of flavors, with their Special Release version of Good Gourd Almighty (my friend's Best in Show) making me wish they had brought their crowler machine along. Beer-wise, this festival left nothing to be desired -- except for the time and bloodstream to go back for more.

I would rather see a single, much longer session than two sessions in the same day for a festival like this. Honestly, I felt rushed, as 3.5 hours was not nearly enough time to sample and savor the many special beers at the show. I targeted 40 (and managed to taste 38), but would have preferred to spread those out over a longer period of time. And at my age, I can't do the evening beer festivals any more. But starting the midday festival at Noon was downright cruel when combined with the short timing. I'm faced with either sacrificing part of the festival to eat, or eating earlier than normal so that I'm not drinking on an empty stomach. A 1:00 PM start would have been nice. Ideal would be a setup like the TAP Beer Festival (still the best beer festival I've ever attended), where it is a two-day festival, 5.5 hours each day. That may not be practical, however.

Great job, BA, and I can't wait until the next one!