Ballarat Beer Festival 2014 - SAVE THE DATE

[zeggie]

SergeMarx I have to disagree with nearly everything you said.

There was heaps of free water taps, next to the Eureka tent, which was also hosting brewers talks and events all day (which you *also* seem to not have been able to find)

Events are not your babysitters. Hat, sunscreen is your responsibility. There were umbrellas with tables scattered around and a huge Marquee tent in the centre of the oval you seem to have not been able to find.
"they aren't actively walking around offering water".... you being serious or trolling? GABS, BDO, Soundwave, none walk around and hand you free water.... you get given a map with the location of NUMEROUS free water fountains.

Not to mention an IGA and a pharmacy a footy kick away across the road that sell hats, water and sunscreen as well.

The tickets were $45, not 50.

SEVEN bands, plus venue, plus security, plus toilets and facilities cost money

A festival is always going to have queues. Don't want a queue? Stay on the couch.

Your posts have irritated the hell out of me because it was a great day out, a lot of great brewers turned up with great beer, entertainment was great, the weather was great and the crowd was well behaved.

 

[SergeMarx]

OK, fair points all zeggie - as Yob points out, it was my experience not his, or yours and obviously some bad planning on my part stuffed it a bit for me. Glad to hear there was indeed brewer's talks - and I did hit the marquee often. Change one or two factors in my control, I probably would have had a rockin' day. I had a great time last year after all. And I DID get some amazing beers. There was a 3% Berliner Weiss that blew my mind, Boatrocker had some awesome drops as always and the Kooinda Porter I can just keep going back to,

I was being serious about the water though - maybe not about walking around handing it out, but at a drinking event on a hot day it could have been a bit more obvious than a tap behind a tent on the boundary on the oval. Other events I've been to supply tankers of spring water - always seemed a good considerate idea to me.

Anyway clearly I'm being a bit of sook. I put it down to drinking more wine than beer this summer.

 

[jimi]

My wife and I went along for the first time and really enjoyed it. Although she is not a big fan of beer, she loves the chocolate beers that were on hand. We both thought that the boatrocker summer berry stout was the best beer we tried, with the Moo Brew triple just behind. Boatrocker suggested they might not do it again, I hope that won't be true, it was awesome. The line ups were long initially but by the afternoon (about 2:30) I thought they were very short and reasonable. I used the taps by the entrance to the stadium for water during the day, but it did run dry by the end of the day. I'm glad I didn't take the kids (there's a line I never use ). My wife is insisting we do it again next year, and I can't think of much higher praise than that.

 

[SergeMarx]

That summer berry stout was freakin' amazing!