Anyone going this year? I went last year and it was decent. It was quite a few flagships which I've come to expect with things that Chop Liver puts on. Also, 90%ish of the beers at Rochester Beer Fest that they also put on were in bottles which I also heard is what they prefer as well. I don't remember a lot of the last hour or two of St. Paul last year though. Regardless, I will be there pounding 2 oz beers, because for 40 bucks and a nice outdoor setting you can't really complain.
http://www.stpaulsummerbeerfest.com/breweries Breweries were released a week or two ago as well here.
I'll be there with a few less-beer intensive friends. Sure, it's not Winterfest, but it's beer drinking outside with friends. Hard to go wrong with that.
Chop Liver puts on Northern Lights Rare Beer Fest. I would not agree that Chop Liver events are known for featuring flagship beers. Also, don't be that guy that gets so drunk he can't remember the last 2 hours of the festival. You are missing out of remembering the different beers you sampled and those around you don't really appreciate it. You can get wasted many other ways for $40.
Relax guy, I wasn't being serious. I got plowed after the thing was over at The Gnome later that night.
FYI - Heritage Liquor has VIP tickets. Ironically I won a set of regular ones today. If anyone wants to buy 2 regular tickets, I will sell them for face value so I can upgrade to the VIP tickets!
Great beer fest, I have always had a great time. No go for me this year, poorsville, so I will be possibly brewing or at least drinking on the back deck with a nice cigar.
The program has been posted. http://www.stpaulsummerbeerfest.com/media/4949/stsbf-2014-web.pdf Decent list, a few special bits here and there. Didn't see anything regarding the "VIP only" brews.
For anyone going and if you are a VIP - If you get a sec - will you report what unique offerings they had?
VIP area had: 2011 Brooklyn Chocolate Stout Stone Matt's Burning Rosids Goose Island Sofie Central Waters BBA La Petite Mort It was on a ticket system which they were not strongly enforcing towards the end. I didn't see any timed releases aimed at VIPs from any of the breweries. Lots of breweries this year but very little in the way of one offs or more rare beers.
