Southwest Festival of Beers - Scottsdale

I've been hearing about it, but haven't thought much of going. Looking at the breweries list, it does seem promising. Would not be a bad thing at all.

 

Looks like it's part of the Scottsdale Culinary Festival. From what I've heard that whole event can be sort of a cluster****; I don't know much about the Festival of Beers part of it, but the lack of discussion in the beer community tells me it's probably not very interesting. If I had an afternoon to kill in that general area, I'd head a 1/2 mile west to Craft 64 for a delicious pizza and sample a few of their 36 all-AZ taps (and maybe a beer on the patio at Cornish Pasty around the corner).

 

The fest used to be a good time, now its just a lot of Scottsdale hipsters and drunk barely legal kids stumbling over themselves. If the weather is good (which it will be) it still isn't a bad way to spend the day. You won't find any rare or hard to find beers there. Everyone just brings their everyday beers. Sitting on the patio at Four Peaks or OHSO can be every bit just as enjoyable and a lot cheaper.

 

I have attended the last few years and had a great time. The lady was with friends, and I was with the boys. You won't find rare or special beers, but that's not why I go. Great weather, good food, and I did find 5-7 beers i had not tried before, and I've had plenty. The cost has gone up though, remember it being $25 a couple years ago.