Austin beer fest= ripoff, waste of time

[pulpwoody]

So me, Amanda, her sister and parents went out to the Austin Beer Fest.
I'll spare you the details, but it sucked ass, and this is from a beer lover.

For those who didn't go, awesome, you just saved several valuable hours of your life. For those thinking of going next year: don't.

[lost27]

Sounds like you didn't get enough beer

[unclemeat]

what were they serving up at least?
bet you paid a boat load of cash for that dismal experience too...

[nando]

Somehow, I had a sense this would be the case. I bought Lagunitas IPA instead.

[FiX'D]

There was free (tips were given) Independence Austin Ale at the Franken Bike today - sounded like FnB was the place to be bikes, parts, and beer

[lucky_skunk]

Woody, you ever do first Sat. open house at Independence Brew?

[tillerman]

So me, Amanda, her sister and parents went out to the Austin Beer Fest.
I'll spare you the details, but it sucked ass, and this is from a beer lover.

For those who didn't go, awesome, you just saved several valuable hours of your life. For those thinking of going next year: don't.

now he tolds me.

but saying it sucked ass is being kind.

[pulpwoody]

Woody, you ever do first Sat. open house at Independence Brew?

I gave up that that quite a while ago after it became the madhouse it is now. Too many people.

now he tolds me.

but saying it sucked ass is being kind.

So I guess you tried it too, huh?

[J]

Tell us exactly how it sucked.

[nawreally]

i knew this was gonna be the case when i checked out the website. 25 bucks just to get the chance to buy 500 different beers. oh, and never mind trying to find out if any of the 500 are something other than one of the myriad budweiser incarnations. and all the bands were from houston. and it was in BFE. i spent about 30 seconds seriously considering going.

i miss the old beerfest- 4th and colorado. shut down the street and it was, like, who? waterloo, copper tank, celis, balcones, lovejoy's, maybe st. arnold. and it was free.

[lucky_skunk]

I gave up that that quite a while ago after it became the madhouse it is now. Too many people.

True. However back around '06-07 it was hella fun. The wife and I last went about 2 years ago and yeah it was a madhouse. However, at least it was cheap, right?

[tillerman]

Woody:
Being a beer lover probably made the experience worse. It was definitely not about the beer.

i knew this was gonna be the case when i checked out the website. 25 bucks just to get the chance to buy 500 different beers. oh, and never mind trying to find out if any of the 500 are something other than one of the myriad budweiser incarnations. and all the bands were from houston. and it was in BFE. i spent about 30 seconds seriously considering going.

i miss the old beerfest- 4th and colorado. shut down the street and it was, like, who? waterloo, copper tank, celis, balcones, lovejoy's, maybe st. arnold. and it was free.

pretty much spot-on description of how it actually ran, and I too miss the old downtown version. although I remember at the last one down there I was already drunk off my ass from a game watching part just the other side of the river before I even got there, so my nostalgia is perhaps somewhat rose-colored.

but I digress.

I may have been driving, but I was not driving the bus. we were committed weeks ago when my wife's friend, who's primary hobby appears to be attending festivals, goaded her into getting the 1/2 price Groupon tickets. the whack-a-mole parking gate plan was enough of a hint of the incompetence inside to make me want to bail before we'd even passed through the fence; but again, there were $35 whole dollars already invested in this goat fuck, not to mention the $35 to be recovered from selling the extra Groupon my wife accidentally bought (or they accidentally sold her, or something).

we got inside around 5pm, and several vendors were already out of beer. the dorks at 512 may know something about the brewing process, but they absolutely fucking suck at the rocket science of running a festival booth. they had one girl in there actually working. props to her. everyone else just stood around in a daze eating foot-long fried donkey dicks or whatever, congratulating themselves on being so awesome for finding some big-titted blonde to stand around looking equally stupid, right along with them.

and then there was the "music".

the short version:
long lines to drink very expensive, piss-warm beer, with an open-mike for background noise.

but we had some laughs hanging out with friends, and I scored a pair of free Sam Adams glasses. so that was nice.

[J]

well looks like I got my answer!

[olddbrider]

... and I scored a pair of free Sam Adams glasses.

I believe those are referred to as "beer goggles".

[Dawn]

I also had the 2fer groupon - 2 tickest for $35. We got there about 3pm. No gates on the Decker Ln side were open. Only gate open was on Loyola. Traffic backed up in all directions. Drove past Loyola and took the back way in via Hog Eye. $10 to park!

Parked were we damn well wanted to. See 2 gals leaving. they said it was fun and that the 'groupon line' was shorter. Walked over to gate (WTF-only one gate open taking tickets), found the groupon line and started walking to the end. It was at least 100yards long! F that! Went to Draught House and had beer and free brats.

That event had the worse planning ever! They should have had at least on gate on Decker open and the big main gate on Loyola opened. And at least 2 ticket collecting areas.

Austin Beer Festival 2012 = FAIL!

[sugarNspice]

Yeah, I didn't think they could do it like Portland (we saw that with the transportation issues)! Now, if you wanna go to a real brewfest, go to Portland's. It's pretty awesome.

[TAF]

You can complain to them directly on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theaustinbeerfest

[TAF]

All sorts of comments on Yelp alluding to it being a scam, plus the email address of the promoter. Many people name the fellow from Houston who organized it.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/austin-beer-...%20beer%20fest

[pulpwoody]

All sorts of comments on Yelp alluding to it being a scam, plus the email address of the promoter. Many people name the fellow from Houston who organized it.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/austin-beer-...%20beer%20fest

done and done.

[Anita Handle]

Mr. Tillerman,
I don't know if there is an award for "Best Description of a Festival Clusterfuck", but if Bikemojo.com has one this year, you are clearly the favorite to take home the prize.

I mean foot long donkey dicks? Love it.

Woody:
Being a beer lover probably made the experience worse. It was definitely not about the beer.



pretty much spot-on description of how it actually ran, and I too miss the old downtown version. although I remember at the last one down there I was already drunk off my ass from a game watching part just the other side of the river before I even got there, so my nostalgia is perhaps somewhat rose-colored.

but I digress.

I may have been driving, but I was not driving the bus. we were committed weeks ago when my wife's friend, who's primary hobby appears to be attending festivals, goaded her into getting the 1/2 price Groupon tickets. the whack-a-mole parking gate plan was enough of a hint of the incompetence inside to make me want to bail before we'd even passed through the fence; but again, there were $35 whole dollars already invested in this goat fuck, not to mention the $35 to be recovered from selling the extra Groupon my wife accidentally bought (or they accidentally sold her, or something).

we got inside around 5pm, and several vendors were already out of beer. the dorks at 512 may know something about the brewing process, but they absolutely fucking suck at the rocket science of running a festival booth. they had one girl in there actually working. props to her. everyone else just stood around in a daze eating foot-long fried donkey dicks or whatever, congratulating themselves on being so awesome for finding some big-titted blonde to stand around looking equally stupid, right along with them.

and then there was the "music".

the short version:
long lines to drink very expensive, piss-warm beer, with an open-mike for background noise.

but we had some laughs hanging out with friends, and I scored a pair of free Sam Adams glasses. so that was nice.