OT: Michigan Summer Beer Festival
Anyone else going to this? I just bought tickets and can't wait for this Friday. Pretty impressive list of beers, especially Bell's.
http://www.mlive.com/kalamabrew/index.ssf/2010/07/2010_michigan_summer_beer_fest.html
I'll be there. One of the best events of the summer
Some friends and I are debating whether to buy tickets. Is it worth the money? Do you only get the 15 beer tickets or do most brewers let you try beers without collecting them?
You need to purchase tickets in order to get in the gate...IIRC. There are a finite number of tickets for sale, and they did sell out last year with about 8,000 in attendance.
It's worth it to me. I'd rather have all the breweries come to me then waste countless hours driving to them only to find out their beer is not to my liking.
It sort of depends on the situation. All places are supposed to collect the tokens. Some are strict about it. Some sort of go on the honor system. Sometimes when it's been busy or my mind is elsewhere I've honestly forgotten and no one said anything.
I usually end up buying a few extra, but certain places give you nicer pours. Near the end of the day other festival goers will often give away tokens for whatever reason. If you go Saturday, pours and token ignoring become more liberal as breweries will try to empty their kegs.
It's a great time. Buy ahead of time for a cheaper rate. Then you've got a little extra to buy more tokens if needed.
I go every year to the summer and winter festivals, and to the World Expo of Beers in Frankenmuth. We are taking a bus from Copper Canyon Brewery in Southfield this year.
I love me some Michigan Brewers Guild. Tip one back for me.
I'll tip back 4 for you
And I'll tip back another 4.
I'm heading over on Friday and I actually got my wife to go (and drive). The list of brewers is impressive - can't wait to sample them and have my wife tell me Saturday morning how much I enjoyed it.
We didn't have any fancy "hefedunkels", "doublecreamcherrystoutbocks", or "ambergoldenpale IPAs". We had just two beers: Bud and Miller. And we liked it!
(With apologies to Dana Carvey).
This is without a doubt, the best event of the summer. I've been going for the past few years and it keeps getting better and better as craft beer becomes more popular. Even the winter festival is a blast.
If you go, be sure to bring water and salty snacks. Food can be purchased, but it can get expensive. The water is not only to keep you hydrated on a blistering summer day, but to rinse out your taster between samples.
Gotta love drunk dials at 6pm on a Saturday afternoon! Have fun all who attend, you'll need to try hard not to. If we've convinced you into going, get your tickets in advance, they WILL sell out.
Great event. But there is no way you should drive afterwards.
Sigh
/NYer
Might go both days. It is an amazing event and those thinking about going should do so -- it's worth it. Michigan has truly world-class beer in abundance
Wish I could make it.
Do me a favor, though and hit up the Keewenaw Brewing Co.'s tent and try the brown and/or blonde (you can avoid the Amber, though). They're a newer brewery up here in the UP, I haven't seen them much in the lower peninsula so I'm doing what I can to spread the word.
I'm going Friday. Went last year and it was a good time.