NERAX 2017

I've only been going to NERAX for maybe 5 or 6 years and finally went to NERAX North last year in Salem. It is the only festival I go to any more and I absolutely love it. I will probably be there Thursday or Friday.

One question, is it just me or are there a disproportionately large number of Welsh breweries every year? There are almost 1000 breweries in England in the BA database and only 57 in Wales, but there are at least 4 or 5 Welsh breweries in this list. Does anyone know why this is?

 

Ahhh memories of the Dilboy. It had a certain unforgetable ambiance...and Commander Dilboy was always watching over the NERAX punters....

 

A favorite NERAX memory...the year Aeronaut hosted -- Hill Farmstead had a Citra Pale Ale pouring -- which was incredible. Personally - I love the combination of traditional cask and American Craft - in this case the original NE IPA. Just a great combo -- the mellow carb and soft/dry/juicy beer w/an unmistakable cask character -- maybe a little sulfur. I know many traditionalist scoff at the idea of crossing new and old -- but that's what I love about NERAX -- it's got something for everyone. Anybody got some favorite memories of NERAX years gone by?

 

I've been going to these since 2009. Only missed last year as I was living in Oregon. The Aeronaut year was interesting, and I'm grateful that they saved the day, but man, those bathrooms were insufficient given the crowd size.

I'll echo what everyone else has said, great atmosphere at this festival. I worked in the beer industry for 9 years, and really got sick of all festivals. Except this one. I'd pay my own hard earned money, every year, to go to Nerax. I'll be hitting up the Friday session this time, changing it up from my usual Saturday day session. I'll be the guy with red hair and a hop cone t-shirt.

 

Another NERAX vibe photo from years gone by....Scottish friends Bill and John catching up over a cask ale at the Dilboy.....a little more than 48 hrs to go folks.

 

My first NERAX was either the second or third NERAX ever. It was already at the Dilboy, but it was so relatively sparsely attended that they had circular tables set up throughout the entire floor. Since then I have attended at least one session of every NERAX, "Classic" and North, except for 2001 when I was in the wedding of one of my best friends that weekend and was therefore too busy to attend. I have never quite forgiven him for the impudence of scheduling a wedding during NERAX weekend!

I remember the years when the Dilboy was so packed that people without advance tickets waited for hours to get in, and, as others mentioned above, when upon purchasing an ale you'd immediately get back in line and be done with it before reaching the front. Thankfully these sessions no longer tend to be so crowded. It's much more comfortable now.

NERAX is a truly special festival. To echo others' sentiments, it is not your typical frat-party ambience beer fest, but rather a gathering of people who love beer, and especially cask ale. As a friend of mine once put it long ago, NERAX is essentially a Star Trek convention for beer nerds. And I mean that in the best possible way. And there is nothing on earth like British cask ales. Until you've tasted them you don't know what this means, but they have qualities that are impossible to duplicate anywhere else, and NERAX is the only fest in the U.S. where you can taste so many under one roof.

Simply put: if you love cask ale, the feeling of walking into the NERAX hall for your first session and looking up at the boards to see what's being served is the closest that an adult can ever come to what it felt like to be a kid on Christmas morning.

Bring on NERAX!!!!!

 

I've been going for around ten years now, maybe more? Yikes! Been volunteering for the last few now, working set up and pouring beers as well. Looks like a great selection again this year, with the usual 50/50 split between UK & US beers. Broader range of styles represented too this year; I love that the UK beers are generally more traditional, while the US folks push the boundaries a bit (doesn't always work, but hey, it's fun to experiment).
Easily my favorite beer event around. In all my years of going (usually to at least one session per) I've only seen a couple bad eggs in the crowd. The pay as you go model is fantastic, and it really allows you to try as much or as little as you like.
In terms of recs, talk to either the bartenders or the other staff milling around in the crowd, or even hit up other attendees! Can't really go too wrong either, which is nice.

 

Not a memory but a quick question. The advanced tickets are will call, but my buddy can't go. Can one of my other friends pick up his ticket that day?

 

The NERAX kickoff party last night at Redbones featured a gravity cask of Brecon Three Beacons, a 3.0% APA from Wales, and a cask of Element Brewing Refraction, a 7% white IPA, on the beer engine. I didn't taste the Element but my pint of Brecon was tasting great for such a low ABV - lively, bready, citrusy and bitter.

 

I think so, if the purchaser emails them to give them a heads up. It's such a low key affair I can't imagine they'd have any issues w that. They just have a printed list of ticketed customers. Maybe have the buyer also print the confirmation email to bring along, just in case.

 

Ha, so the party featured just the beer from Brecon. I believe Refraction was on cask all weekend, or at least Sunday.

Ok sounds good, printing out the confirmation is likely a good bet. From memory I believe you just tell them your name, I think they check IDs at the door before will call.

 

Been going forever it seems. One year went on a Saturday, someone dropped a full pint on the floor to much cat calls. Turned and look to see it was one on my corporate clients. Nice. Bought her a pint after that. And one year everything was drained by 9 pm or so on a Saturday night. Not one drop left. As it should be. Crowds migrated over to under bones.

 

Don't over think it. Go with a group. Everyone get a different beer every time. Get a program book and take notes you won't remember the next day. 2 color codes for beer signs. US blue and UK red? Maybe? And you will never know what has dropped and what is pouring that session. Many times what is in the guide is not what the brewery sends. At all. And some last minute stuff, sometimes local, just shows up. Sweet. Drink water, repeat as needed. And how could you pass up something like " Moordew Wookey Ticket? Or however it is spelled.

 

I'm a moron and didnt get tickets ahead of time (now theyre only available at the door). Is this going to be a major problem if I show up at open? is any day better than any other in this particular regard?

sorry if this was answered already, did a quick scan and didnt see anything


Thanks!

 

I can only speak for the Saturday day session, but I don't recall my friends/brother ever having an issue buying tickets the day of. Even showing up an hour late if I recall correctly.

I think this was in recent years at the Lithuanian Club location too. I can't imagine Wed/Thurs. are an issue either. Maybe Friday/Saturday night could be? I'm sure someone else will chime in.

This isn't the Extreme Beerfest...us cask ale lovers (especially UK session ales) are a rare breed...

Yeah that'd be awesome, thanks! I expect a full report on the beer as well!

They have pitchers in front of each bartender for tipping. I don't know if the volunteers get the money, but I'm fairly certain I remember them being appreciative of tips.

Personally I tip a dollar per drink, regardless of pour size. Maybe if I chat with the bartender for awhile and/or get a solid recommendation I'll throw in an extra buck. It's a cheap event compared to drinking in Boston, so why not?

 

I'll be going Wed and Fri ... always look forward to trying some real English cask ale.

 

There are tip jars on the bar. As a past volunteer (like to again, but with an almost 2-year old, I can't spend the time right now) I can tell you that the bartenders don't get anything. I presume it goes into the general fund, or used for the snacks and such for volunteers.

 

The bartenders do not receive any tip money directly. However, for each session you volunteer at you receive two free pints of ale and a food voucher, plus sometimes NERAX hosts (or at least used to host; I haven't volunteered in a few years) special events where there's a gravity cask at some bar and volunteers get a pint or two for free, so I've always thought of the tip money as going towards those volunteer perks.