Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival 2019

Anyone know when the beer lineup is typically released?

 

Last year they announced it about 10 days out, so maybe next week?

 

Still holding out hope that someone’s plans with change & we can score 2 tix for a more reasonable price than I’m seeing on third party sites.

In past years, I’ve seen folks in line selling their friends ticket etc, maybe I’ll get lucky there- has anyone done this?

 

I bought one, but it was outside my hotel room on the way to stand in line. =P This was probably about 4 years ago (maybe 3). Bought for cost. Easy transaction. Sent paypal, and was sent an email with the eventbrite ticket with my name now on it.

 

2019 App is updated

 

Ah, fantastic. It wasn't popping up on my automatic updates for Android. Had to force update manually.

Also I noticed that it is flagged as updated May 6th. Took quite a while for the google play store to approve it I guess.

 

Soooo many good beers and a really good mix of stouts, wild ales, ipas, and lagers. My body is ready

 

I was surprised to see all the beers listed in the app. I don’t think they announced it as such.

 

Agreed, with a minor change...I hope my body is ready.

 

So, in the App in the Tasting Journal, some of the beers are marked "Rare Beer". What does this mean for the festival (I.e. standard pours, scheduled, other)? Is it as simple as not a beer that is regularly available? Thanks in advance!

 

In past festivals it has meant basically all of those things. Sorry to not really help answer your question, but I don't think there is a good answer. When I see that "rare beer" tag on specific offerings, I just assume there will be a stupidly long line, so I tend to avoid those booths at the beginning.

 

I may have some extra tickets if anyone is looking for some

 

It looks like each brewery has one ‘Rare Beer’ except for Barrelworks, which has two. I’m not familiar with how FWIBF works, but does every brewery usually have a timed pour? There are a decent amount of breweries on the list that only have two beers total, and I would guess that they wouldn’t only bring one beer for the event besides a timed pour.

 

A few of the breweries will do timed pours, but overall not too many - most of the 'Rare Beers' are available from the beginning. Those that do timed pours usually have a sign up showing what time things will go on, while some others will just put new stuff on as soon as another keg runs out. Also keep in mind that some of the breweries bring more than what is listed in the app.

 

Cigar City not bringing Hunahpu's?

 

XQUIC is a version of Huna that they’re bringing

 

Side Project tends to have like 10+ beers and they put something new on when one of the kegs kicks. I tend to spend a good chunk of the event rotating the line at Side Project lol. Hard not to when they've got stuff like Derivation and BA CSV. Sad to miss out this year.

 

If you're having trouble viewing the beers on the app, I've made a spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...SmvLAVNT9etSsdlS9cfU5Zl1Z4OuyiLal8MEf/pubhtml

I'll be including the beer scores for each beer in the next 24 hours. If you see something missing, let me know!

 

Just cancelled a reservation for a room w/ 2 queen beds @ The Adelaide for Friday-Sunday if anyone is looking. Give them a call instead of trying to book online. Will still try to come through for the bottle share one of the nights, though.

 

Major thank you for doing this. I really appreciate it.

This list has me super hyped.

 

Tap list looks sweet! 7 more days until I leave the still frozen tundra that is Wisconsin.

 

The official list is out:

https://www.firestonebeer.com/files/FWIBF Beer Lineup 2019.pdf

 

What a great list this year! Only a few people who mailed it in (looking at your Bagby and Boulevard) but overall I am getting super excited. What is everyone’s guess for longest lines at the fest? I think it is a toss-up between Derivation, Rye Medianoche, Monster Tones, BA Macaroon and Marshmellow Handjee.

What are the sleeper beers on the list? That Xquic looks really interesting as does the Revolution Cuvee de Gruce

 

I think you nailed most of the long lines.

I'm not anticipating a huge line from Alvarado or Creature Comforts and everything on their list sounds great.

For sleeper I wouldn't be surprised if the Monkish BA Stout is one of them, especially if it's BBA Little Twin Stars or Coco Solera. Half Acre has always been a favorite and Double Barrel Benthic sounds amazing.

 

Please let me know all about breweries mailing it in, and specifically Bagby Yvanquila.

 

Good list. I don't know if they are sleepers, but I'm also interested in Pappy Old Conundrum, XIV Anniversary, Mutiny on the Baltic, Matt, and Criminal Commission.

In the disappointment category (which frankly isn't much), I would add Trillium with only two beers. One of the reasons that I got excited for this year was because of them being on the list of breweries.

 

Everyone always sleeps on Revolution VSOJ.

 

I've updated the spreadsheet to include the beer scores. Here's the short link: http://bit.ly/2Ul3SRm

Top level findings:

• 61 breweries
• 224 beers
• 40 beers with no scores (only included if names weren't a perfect match)
• Average Beer Rating - 4.02
  
• Best rated beer - 3 Floyds Marshmallow Handjee (4.8)
  
• Lowest rated beer - Great Leap Honey Ma Ipa (3.3)
• Highest rated brewery based on beers - Side Project (4.7)
• Lowest rated brewery based on beers - Tie - Bagby and Sierra Nevada (3.4)

See you all at the bottle shares and festival. Save one for me.

 

Im spending all my time alternating vsoj and cuvee de gruce

 

Weldwerks line was very short last year, i wouldn't be surprised if it was the same this year (unless people didn't know about them last year).

 

I believe Trillium only had two beers the last two years, but everything they've brought has been really good. They got some crap for not bringing haze in 2017, but BA stout and sour were both awesome. I know they had at least one hazy IPA last year.

 

WeldWerks was my favorite spot last year. I just kept getting back in the short line. They brought more than advertised.

 

Let them continue to do so. I am perfectly fine with walking up to that booth with 1-3ppl in line to keep getting pours of vsoj.

 

I'm disappointed with the Boulevard offerings too. I was hoping they would bring some of their really special brewery only releases. Oh well.

 

What is generally the longest that someone will wait in line for a beer next weekend? I’ll be going with my girlfriend so the plan is to have one of us wait in line for a rare beer while the other grabs tasters to bring back, but if it’s usually an hour wait to get 3oz of Derivation I’m trying to decide if it will be worth the time.

 

Dam. This was my plan! I haven't had Revolution beer in six years. I was planning to spend time going back and forth between VSOJ and Cuvee De Gruce.

 

Then you will be the person that someone always ends up in that line in front of me.