Zwanze Day 2016

Same owner.

 

I understand now. You are talking about LHB, was unclear from your comment, I thought you were talking about Trillium.

 

In the end ... it is just a beer. There is good beer everywhere, I've tried it some years and other years I missed it. I felt no difference in my life. ;-)

The best Zwanze Day was back in 2009 before all of the hoopla, hanging out in Brussels at Moeder Lambic with new and old friends. It always about the hanging out ... good beer always flows.

 

Greenfield!? Good lord.

 

Bizzzare in 2016

 

Well dang it, guess I'll miss out this year.

 

Booked a room at the Westin for that weekend. It's really more of an excuse to go to Portland than anything else, because if I miss out on tickets, then...oh no, I'm stuck in Portland.

Below is a post from last year's New England Zwanze thread, and a couple of posts from 2014 before it. It seems like you'll be ok with a kid (although I'd drop them off anyways ). Keep in mind the exponential growth in popularity of all things craft beer these days.

2014

2015

 

Good stuff, yea it looks like fun. We're in Portsmouth so it's only about a 45 minute drive for us.

 

I'd definitely recommend it. Missed last year's event, but plan on hitting it up this time. It's just past tourist season too which is a plus.

 

Armsby Abbey used to be the low key option for those that didn't want to deal with the Lord Hobo nonsense. Then it blew up last year and they weren't fully prepared for it. I know a few people that ended up with sunburns from waiting for the "brunch" crowd to leave. I wouldn't assume the same level of ease this year as in year's past for Novare.

 

Agreed, Portland's tourist season is just ending at that point. We're a bit luckier that it drops off dramatically for us in Portsmouth just after Labor day.

 

There is no "brunch" at Novare. Opens at 12 for drinking Cantillon only. Its that simple. The only barrier is the 2-3 hour drive depending on where you are coming from in Mass. Armsby and Trillium are much closer.

The only way I see things getting crazy is if MBC decides to do a Dinner release that day or if Bissell does Swish.

 

My point was, assuming it will be the same as last year when this event has become more popular every year might set you up for disappointment.

 

Maine isn't Massachusetts. Our beer culture is drink local and drink local only.

The only times things get crazy is when all you out-of-towners come up for a visit.

 

Drink local, unless it's a super rare, one-day only release of a Belgian import.

 

Except for Zwanze Day, in which Cantillon is anything but local.

Which is for big events and releases like Zwanze....and Dinner, Swish...etc.

I'm just being an ass though, I get your point. And Maine appears much more laid back. The Novare Res experiences seem laid back too, compared to the rapid increase in craziness at Lord Hobo and then Armsby.

 

No. Doesn't happen here. Most beer drinkers up here could hardly give 2 craps about sours. Novare's sour fest is minimally attended. They can (and have) thrown a keg of any Cantillon on it will last the entire day. Our beer culture in Maine is seriously drink local. KBS sits on tap here for days. CBS almost made it a whole week.

 

I think you're both saying the same thing on a certain level. Locals don't care about rare beers (that aren't local at least), and beer geeks from other states show up in packs to buy rare beers (Dinner, Swish...etc.).

Regardless, it doesn't appear Novare Res garners as much attention as the other bars so far. Even with a small increase in attendance I can't see it becoming as crowded as Lord Hobo was eventually, and then Armsby Abby last year.

As a MA resident though, I was kind of surprised when I went up to Portland a few weeks ago and Bissell sold out of their flagship, it wasn't even a special release, by 2 pm on a Friday. I assume that's a function of volume though. Their MA equivalent in my eyes, Nightshift, would NEVER sell out the day of a regular release (of anything from their regular line-up). But, they also distribute to multiple locations and I'm assuming they produce a lot more beer.

 

You really want us to know how "local" your scene is huh? We get it. But I also don't really think it's that much different than many many other locations in the northeast.

Bad example too..KBS/CBS was on in various Boston bars for days/weeks as well

Everybody drinks local these days in the northeast, Maine is not special in that regard