Snallygaster 2015 (9/12 @ Yards Park, DC)

Yes! Hopefully it doesnt rain this year

 

To people that ended up going last year, or the year before, how much did you end up spending over the course of the day?

Thanks.

 

And a few degrees warmer wouldn't upset me either! Scary when you're pounding 14% beers to get warm and help you ignore the rain! :-)

 

At most, it's $1/oz (6 tix for 6 oz pour). I thought we'd blow through tix but gave at least 20-30 away. I think we ended up around $100 each (with VIP ticket).

 

So based on last year's thread, it looks like a VIP ticket really only gets you one pour of your choice of one of the most sought-after beers? I'm not sure if that's worth the extra money. I went with a regular ticket last year and thought the beer selection was great.

 

I usually spend 60 or 70 bucks, which is a great deal to try so much in one place. Some of the tasters aren't such a great value, 12 tickets for I think 7 ounces of things that have been around town on tap for $10 full pour. Still, a great event, as long as it doesn't rain buckets.

 

I should have said , only a few weren't a great value, most were, and there were many uncommon and very good beers.

 

Disagree, can be a lot more expensive than that. Two years ago, the top end was a huge rip off...4oz pours for $9. Some of the items that fell in this range were Oude Tart (outrageous), Avery Uncle Jacob's stout, Parabajava, etc.

 

I agree. There's lots of great beer at Snallygaster, but it's hardly a great value.

Also, last year, it seemed like most stations were no longer pouring by like 3pm. I felt sorry for the people who were still showing up at that time; I could barely find anything palatable to use up the rest of my tickets.

 

I purchased about $200 in extra tickets (for two of us) the day before at Blue Jacket and ended up not using them all. I think I sold off $50-60 worth before we even got in. So total cost for 2 of us was around $280, $130 for entrance and fees plus about $150 in extra tickets. Sounds like a lot but the tickets went FAST. The first 6 or 7 beers we got were either 10 tickets or 12 tickets for a full pour. I remember handing over at least a full sheet for each of the first few stops and then all of sudden, feeling kind of light on tickets. If you're not doing VIP, you probably won't need that many extra tickets since the average ticket prices were more like 4 to 6 tickets a pop but the beers available during VIP were much higher.

 

were you first in line? ill wait and see what beers are listed before buying one

 

So a VIP ticket and hundred bucks should be good for one guy? Sounds about right

 

I really wish more places would follow Huna Day and do a flat fee... No money exchange, no worrying about tickets, etc. Just pay $200, all the beer you want (and 4 bottles of Huna).

To pay an entrance fee, then have to buy tickets to exchange for beer just seems backwards for all the reasons everyone is listing.

 

Are you seriously asking me that? LOL!

You may not have the luxury of waiting. The roll out of the beer list was slow, something like 5 or 10 at a time a few weeks before the festival. I think the VIP tix were sold out before we knew the entire list but not 100% sure.

They have had pretty awesome stuff every year. I think the best strategy is to tear it up for the first hour and a half and then leave shortly after the GA gets in. It was way too crowded once they let everyone in. Lines for most beers (though for some reason, Mega Stout never had a line the entire time).

It's definitely not a great value. Kinda like going to Churchkey but even more expensive.

 

I just dug back in my archive to find my review of Snallygaster 2013 from that year's BA thread, which I've pasted below. I didn't go last year as we'd moved away before the 2014 event (plus I wouldn't have gone anyway), but Snallygaster was easily the biggest rip off clusterf*** of a beer fest I've ever been to. Maybe the new venue helped.

"Wife and I thought it was a huge CF. Unbelievably long lines, tons of cutting, not enough bathrooms. Were just WAY too many people. Was like standing in a mosh pit the whole time. My guess, there was no limit on the number of people allowed in. The more desirable beers were mostly gone with 2 hrs still remaining. Prices...9 tickets ($) for short pours (4oz) is insane. $9 for 4oz of Oude tart...I had it on Friday at meridian pint, $9 for a full pour. Of all the fests I've been to, would definitely rate this near the bottom...prices for rarer beers mixed with the lines were killer. Was at Extreme beer fest in Boston earlier this year, that was a well run fest. Quick lines, unlimited pours, room to breathe, non prohibitive pricing...

You know it's a shit show when the most common statements you're hearing are about how drunk people are and a bunch of hammered "beer geeks" are on a euro butter dance floor making fools of themselves. Was a cool venue, good food options, metro accessible, but wouldn't go back next year. More for everyone else I guess.

I know we weren't alone in our feelings; talked to people who had the early entry tickets, they were thankful to have had those given the conditions by 2pm and were headed out. Heard others saying "this is awful, let's just use our tickets on beers with short lines and leave." Waited for 30 min for a beer more than once. Just very disappointing."

 

This all makes the $135 I paid for SAVOR a decent value. 152 beers to choose from, take home bottle of beer, food.

 

Value really depends on your goals and perspective here. Last year I went with a regular ticket and between my girlfriend and I we spent $20 on extra tickets. We drank beers like BA Pt5, Silva Stout, GBS, BA Arrogant Bastard, etc., and had a great time (despite the rain). So $40 each. Pours of the beers I mentioned were typically $6 each. If you're only going to drink as many mega whales as you can, then you're gonna pay a lot, but the "average" beers at the festival are great in my opinion, not too expensive (you're paying for the convenience of having them all in one place), and they didn't run out while I was there.

 

This has been my experience all 3 years that I've been. Doing GA and just hanging out with friends ticking some new not super rare beers has always been a good time. I also usually buy 20-25 extra tickets and am good to go. This year I might do VIP just to try and catch a rare beer or two and enjoy some time without the crowds. If you go with the intention of only drinking all the rare beers, you'll probably be let down and burn through a lot of tickets.