Winterfest 2015

Anyone else volunteering ?

 

If you didn't see both Friday and Saturday are up

http://www.mncraftbrew.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Winterfest-2015-Friday-Program.pdf
http://www.mncraftbrew.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Winterfest-2015-Saturday-Program.pdf

 

I'm headed there to volunteer tomorrow afternoon. First time volunteering at any sort of beer festival.

 

Im taking tickets Saturday night (5-8), pretty sweet gig as you get to enjoy the fest the rest of the night , I think they did a free ticket for future use at one of the MBG events as well, hopefully, its the same!

 

Nice. I'm doing the 2-5 brewer check-in and set-up tomorrow. And I'm attending on Saturday night so I'll probably see you. I didn't know they did anything like that with free admission/tickets. I hope they do the same this year as well!

 

In the most recent e-mail, it says, "when your shift/role is complete, you can enjoy the event." I know last year my brother got a free ticket to ABR or APN, but it might have changed this year. Anyhow, still a sweet deal to be able to have access when your shift is done

 

This makes me feel better about not getting tickets

 

$75 for half the breweries as last year. I think we've hit the price limit on beer festivals around here.

 

I had the opposite reaction. Both days look stacked with potentially great beers. I'm still leaning against going because I don't like the venue, and, yes, the price point is high, but those programs are very impressive to me.

For the record, there were 41 breweries at the festival in 2014 and 38 in 2013. In 2015, there will be 34 on Friday and 35 on Saturday.

 

You don't like the venue? You have been to other beer fests at Union Depot?

 

I'm excited for this fest. The beer list looks plenty good to me. It was definitely crazy crowded last year which is my only complaint. I'm Hoping they sold less tickets this year for each night since it is split up into the two nights. And my cousin lives in the lofts at the union depot which is a huge bonus.

 

Nothing other than last year's Winterfest. I found the place to be loud, crowded, boring, ugly, and depressing. Almost a quarter billion dollars of public funds were spent to renovate a place that upon re-opening looked in need of, well, a quarter billion dollar renovation. It's by far my least favorite venue for any beer festival I've attended and, for me, a massive downgrade from the awesome Minnesota History Center. Just my humble opinion.

Added: ... And now I feel bad for knocking the building in which Jeffrey2310's cousin lives. Oh well. Different strokes for different folks.

 

Ha! I think the place looks amazing. Everyone sees things differently. So don't beat yourself up.

 

Two nights in a row, this fest is great. Way less crowded than last year both nights.
I was never more than five people deep in a line and for the most part never a line. Double shot double black is unbelievable.

 

A terrific time was had. No overcrowding. Plenty of great beers. Free and delicious food.

 

A lot of you may have balked due to the cost and splitting up the breweries into two different nights but I think this year's event was my favorite of all the years I've gone. I think the longest line I waited in was 3-5 people deep and that was even if there was a line at all. Bent Paddle's Cherry Vanilla Double Black was worth the price of the ticket for me and I enjoyed discovering the Peach Treat from LynLake. Even the food with it's bite sized portions, spread out, and readily available made it perfect to keep the drinking in balance.

Oh, and here's an extra little gem I learned for those of you that passed up going. Steel Toe's Sticker Fight is coming back in May. You're welcome America.

 

I have only been once, a couple years ago, and don't remember there being many lines at all. That was the year Surly had Vanilla Darkness and a couple other special one-offs. There was a group of us hanging out there getting pour after pour without wait.

Every year will be fantastic, just very interesting that tickets did not sell out this year.