Snallygaster 2017

I went VIP last year. It's absolutely not a cheap/bargain beer event, but there's no denying the strength of the lineup. Be prepared to pay well over $1/oz on anything rare or popular. A lot of the ultra-rare beers will likely kick before VIP is completely over and you can try far more if you divide and conquer lines with a group. There isn't a shortage of hidden gems after a lot of stuff has kicked. You just have to be willing to seek them out.

 

I’ve been going for the past few years. It is expensive. But convenient in having a lot of good beers in one area for you to try, that are usually hard to find or limited in release.
VIP if you really want to try a rare beer. Think last year I was able to get at least 2 pours of rare stuff. And then mid way learned that they had a extra keg of one that they put out, and was able to grab another one.
Crowd wise, it seems like it’s getting more crowded every year.

 

Isn't VIP usually sold out by this point? I think between Zwanze Day, and the Other Half/Veil/Trillium event at The Salt Line, it may be a little less crowded than other years.

 

This will be my third Snallygaster. It's up to you to decide whether VIP is worth the extra cost. My friends and I aren't organized enough prepare must-have beer lists in advance to split up to stand in separate lines to get two pours each of the rarest-of-the-rare beers and rendezvous at a designated location to share. We stand in line together to socialize and manage to get three or four of our bucket list beers before the kegs kick. After that frenzy, there's still plenty of less hyped but still excellent beers left to sample.

Snallygaster wasn't well organized in 2015. I watched in frustration as dozens of people just walked around the entrance as I stood in the VIP line waiting for the event to start. Last year was much better organized all around.

For some reason, my memory is always fuzzy after a Snallygaster. But I remember it's not cheap. Those first thirty tickets will go fast (1 ticket = $1). Full beers (14 ounces) will be priced from 5-9 tickets on average and tasting portions (6 ounces) will be 3-6 tickets on average. And some of those rare beers can be as high as 12 tickets for a 6 ounce pour. Food will be priced individually depending on the item. Come for the beer, stay for the food, entertainment, and thousands of beer geeks doing what they do best... geek out on beer.

 

I'll be there VIP tomorrow. Can't wait. I did download the excel sheet of 404 beers and sorted down to the ones I would be happy drinking, which was still 122 beers. Then I created another section for the top of the 122, which is about 40. Then I highlighted the whales (BA Abraxis, etc.) which left me with a manageable list.

Amazing beer list. The 30 tickets won't last. Bring the wallet. Perfect weather though.

Cheers

 

I think Snallygaster is awesome and VIP is worth it, but manage your expectations. They do oversell VIP and the staff drink half the beer before the gates open, so you'll likely only get a shot at 1 of the top-billed beers. But, there is so much great beer there that it really highlights the fact that the mega-whale often aren't that much better than more accessible beers. I always had a great time there, even when it was raining.

 

Their latest email says VIP sold out.

 

So what did you guys think? The sun definitely drained me.
Was able to get cantillon and smiled as soon as the nectar touched my lips. So good.

 

"It's like Churchkey but even more expensive!"
-some bloke on BA last year

That mindset has always discouraged me from attending (and a smile). Great looking list but sounds chaotic at best. Compared to buying and trading it's still probably a better deal (although obviously you have to knock down everything in one afternoon/evening).

 

This was my second Snallygaster and I have to say I was pretty disappointed. Beer selection wise it is fantastic but beer tickets are $1 each per 7oz pour (usually 5 or 6 in reality) and pours cost 4 to 12 tickets each. 4 to 12 dollars a taste at a beer festival is outrageous. Between my wife and I, we spent $130 for admission, 2 glasses I don't need or want, and 17 pours. I would argue that admission is essentially free, you are paying for the 30 tickets.. my evidence is that I didn't even take my entrance ticket out of my pocket (standard session not VIP) nor didn't anyone else get scanned standing around me. Once you're in you will be buying more tasting tickets, 30 tickets goes fast. Worst than the pricing is the music. The generic DJ only playing crap that doesn't require a royalty at 1000 decibels is almost unbearable. The second lot has, for the second year in a row, a horrible band. Why even bother with the music? You can't even have a conversation with your friends. Lastly, are tents really that expensive? There was almost nowhere to escape the sun. I believe there were only 3 tents for the whole fest, all of which were stuffed with pasty beer geeks trying not to burst in flames or die of heat stroke. I am sure I will forget all this and go next year, especially since everyone else in my party seemed very happy.

 

I actually had a pretty nice experience this year, especially since I knew what I was in for and wasn't really surprised by anything:

Arrived ~11:10 and got in what was already a very long line, gates for VIP opened just before 11:30 and I was in by 11:40 (they were moving impressively quickly). I went right to the Westbrook stuff and got in line while my friend jumped in the J. Wakefield line next to me, and we shared the 4 beers, all of which were excellent. First thing I saw kick was the BA Abraxas, and the Westbrook stouts, Hunahpu, and Fou'Foune all kicked early too. Got some Other Half IPAs, plus stuff from Casey, Suarez Family, Great Raft, Hill Farmstead and Finback after spending another $60 to buy more drink tickets, just about all of which were great. The heat was pretty rough though, and I was out of gas by 3, so I hit the road.

Sure it was expensive, but I knew it would be going in. I thought the beer selection was wonderful and considerably deeper than it's been in the past. They brought in a lot of great breweries and only a few things kicked really early (I was particularly shocked to find the HF Florence still available after 2). They probably should've had some more shade though, as it was unseasonably hot and the sun really wore us down. Oh well, I had fun!

 

My experience was almost identical. Look forward to next year!

 

I would've never thought a Pale Ale would be a highlight beer for me, but the Charles Towne Fermentory DDH Mars Express was fire. Possibly the best pale ale I've ever had.

I also thought The Answer stouts were better than most of the hyped up stouts that people were literally sprinting to when the gates opened.

 

Totally agree with you on The Answer stouts. A few tickets cheaper per pour than the big boys as well.

 

We walked up around 2p after hitting Sovereign, and still found Grey Monday pouring at nearly 215p. Also got Casey Bing, Answer BA stout (name?), Foolery (no line!?), and a couple other rarities that I wasn't expecting. I had suspected this could happen given that there were sooo many great choices, but I was also pleasantly surprised. We stuck around for a couple hours, made a lap to see what was left, then left around 4p with minimal damage to the wallet/liver.

 

I got there around 1130, and the line to get in was unbelievable and never ending. It moved quickly but by the time we got in a few beers had already kicked which was disappointing but not shocking.

Outside of that the rest of the day was great. With the heat I wasn't touching any of the ba stouts and mainly went for sours. Ended up trying most of what I'd wanted and more if you count the beers from Churchkey the night before. It was a great surprise to find while visiting the area.

Also to each their own, but I can't understand the groups with ten+ cups of 7oz pours baking in the sun/heat just to try everything you could. Kudos to having the organization my group didn't, but with the weather it didn't seem like the best way to enjoy the pours.

 

The highlights for me were Hardywood Foolery, Great Lake BA Barleywine and Great Raft Old Mad Joy in Pappy barrels. There were still lots of Aslin and Burial IPAs etc available to regular ticket holders. I wouldn't know what the rarest beers I had were but those were my favorites.

 

Our group's experience was very similar. We must have been very close in the pre-opening line since we arrived about the same time. The gates opened promptly at 11:30 and it was amusing to watch the people who were at the head of the line race to get their first beers. I should have recorded The Amazing Beer Race and sold it to CBS. I don't know, I guess I'm too old to consider running in that kind of heat, even for Cantillon.

We moved quickly through the checkpoints and strolled to the Cigar City station, which had a reasonably short line, to sample the Hunahpu's Imperial Stout. The Westbrook 2015 Bourbon Barrel Mexican Cake imperial stout was a nice experience at only 8 tickets. I didn't stand in the Hill Farmstead line for a saison since there were so many other choices available. There was no line for the Holy Mountain Crystal City foeder-aged saison and it was great. I was surprised to see The Veil, Aslin, Triple Crossing, Singlecut, and other breweries so popular with the Brewerati had modest lines.

More canopies would have been much appreciated. But with all the cave dwellers hiding in the available shade, it was easy to locate my friends to compare beers. I ended up buying another $40 in tickets and couldn't look another imperial anything in the face by 3 pm. That sun and heat was brutal. Can't believe I miss rainy Snally. Will I buy another VIP pass next year? Probably. I've helped organize similar events and the folks running Snallygaster are doing a great job putting this beast together. In a few days, this sunburn will fade and by next year, I will be chanting my mantra, "It's for a good cause, it's for good cause."