Have a VIP ticket but can't get up there. Was coming up from St. Pete but too much going on. Hoping just to get cost back. Not trying to make anything. Checked with Moderators but no one responded. At one point, there was a Forum for Festival Tix but can't find it. If anyone is interested or knows anyone interested... let me know. [email protected] Mods, if you see this and it's not allowed... obviously delete this. Thanks!
The lines for beer were not bad with the GA ticket-- got to try most everything I wanted to. Tons of good beer, but the four that stood out most for me were Schilling's Häfte (Helles collab with Other Half), the Maybe I Will Find Another Dream DIPA from Burial (they seem to keep getting better, despite expanding), the dry-hopped persimmon farmhouse from Scratch, and the whole cone Märzen from Halfway Crooks. How was everyone else's Snallygaster?
The first beer I had at the event, Vanilla Villain Reserve from The Bruery, was far and away the best in show for me. That was a tough act for my next beer, Monkish's TXXTH, to follow. Despite both having sorta similar descriptions and stratospherically high rating, I didn't think they belonged in the same league. The beer I wanted to try most was North Park's NPBC6 VIP Edition. I did not get a single drop. Rumor has it they only brought one measly magnum for the entire festival. If true, that's a pretty crummy move by the brewery. Flower Crush from Mindful Ales was the highest rated beer at the event as of 11:59 AM yesterday. It suffered a ratings crush once the masses got to try it. It was a thoroughly enjoyable brew, but it was incredibly overrated, at least to my tastes. Some day, I'm going to learn not to waste so much time waiting in long lines for hazies. Outside of Fidens, Monkish, and Floodland, everything else seemed very manageable. No line for Sante Adairius? Yes, please. This was my first festival since Snally 2019 (damn you, COVID), and I had a good time, but I can't help but feel it wasn't their strongest year.
One more thought to add: According to the Beerscovery app, Phase Three's Eunoche was supposed to be pouring. Discovering that that was false was not my favorite surprise of the day.
Was curious about that one. It was one of the few that was kicked by the time I got in. I imagine the exclusivity has something to do with the rating-- looks like their beers are not for sale to the general public.
It only had 11 Untappd check-ins pre-festival, and I suspect those 11 people gravitate toward the style moreso than the general public, so it was destined to fall once it reached a wider audience.
