Lititz Brewfest (2019)

So, we went.... and it was the first time out of four or five years that I didn't have only good things to say. Obviously, it was pretty brutal from a weather perspective, which I am aware they can't control. Still, that was tough. Nice move on the cooling fans, though.

One other thing related to the weather that they may be able to control is the side of the street that people pour on. Seemed like the side of the pours was in direct sunlight all day.

It felt more crowded than past years, even after they expanded onto the T of the street at one end of Main, near Bulls Head. The name escapes me, but whatever. I'd rather pay ten more dollars and reduce the number of people there.

Also, maybe another thing outside of their control, but this year I noticed a higher level of places that brought bottles and cans to serve from. Just seems silly to do a fest of that size and try and get away with cans that can get warm fairly fast or bottles that are sensitive to being light struck.

It wasn't without positives, especially since it took people that long to find out that Fermentory Form and Crime and Punishment actually make really good beer (and were neighbors, again). I just rocked back and forth between those tents for about an hour.

People were generally cool, save for the two people knocking each other out down by one of the music stages. Craft beer. Serious business.

Next year will be the first year that I question whether or not I buy tickets. Might just enter the homebrew competition again and let that decide for me.

 

This was my first time going(free tickets from one of the homebrew competitors) and it was possibly the most well organized fest I’ve ever attended. Got there early for parking purposes and checked in right at 1 with barely a line, then got some a lunch at a food truck and hung out in the homebrew area with my buddy until pouring started. There were lines basically everywhere(except Hidden River oddly enough) but they moved fast.

 

The organization is fine, but I think people still were confused as to whether you waited in a long line at the "ends" of each lettered group or if you walked to a specific line for each table in a group. I know we waited in what we thought was a line to get into the area behind the fence, only to wonder if we were really just waiting in a long line for Singlecut's table. At that point, we were five people away and just figured we'd wait for that.

I'd be really curious to see if anybody knows if they sold more tickets than last year. Probably won't find that information out, but....