Home | Meeting Info | Newsletters | Recipes | Articles | Events | Links | Contact Us
Wow, what an event!I was lucky enough to volunteer on Friday and Saturday morning and enjoy the event on Saturday evening. It was truly a marvel to behold. We talk about all the problems that we have with the AHA in communications and getting information. Then an event like this happens and somehow the AHA pulls it all together. There was plenty of room in the hall, access to the light rail for ease in and out of the event. Adequate security to insure a safe and good time for all in attendance. The breweries were set up in a logical order and the booths were visually pleasing. Yes, some items with the event were done wrong or were a real pain in the .... well neck.
What was bad in my opinion? Glad you asked. First the cost of the event at $25 or $30 at the door was not a good idea. Since this was the first event of its type and the first time that it was held here I truly believe that had they reduced the admission to $ 15 a person more people would have shown up. In marketing this event the AHA should have figured go bargain basement this first year. Get plenty of people in and let the word get out what a great event this is. Then follow up with a slight price increase next year since the hook so to speak has been set. In addition the added people present have been talking about the event and wetting the appetite of others who did not attend. I tell you I have definitely been talking to all my coworkers about the event and letting them know what they missed. I heard from several people in line that they had some difficulty with the price since the wine in the woods was selling their tickets for $15 per person.
Competition. Since I have brought up the competition issue the weekend chosen was the same weekend as the Preakness and the Orioles were back in town for the first time in weeks. Hey AHA next year please come back and chose another weekend other than the Preakness weekend! I believe that removal of the Preakness from the mix would add more attendance. The one ounce tasting was a nuisance to all involved from the attendees, brewers, to the beer police. If at all possible the event coordinators should work to remove this limitation. Moving the quantity up to 3 ounces should not be a problem for the event goer and would allow for more enjoyment of the product being served. I do not know if this can be done but any increase in the volume served would be appreciated.
Finally, the event planners could have spent a little more time in coordinating the volunteers. Being involved for several changes of volunteers it was easy to witness that when the new volunteers came in they needed some initial direction as to what to do and where to go to wait for directions. Perhaps had the security team been required to report earlier and given some direction as to informing and directing the other volunteers things might have gone a little better. These were a few of the items that could have been done better for the event. Don’t get me wrong, AHA, this is not complaints but intended to be constructive criticism.
Now for some of the positives! I truly believe that volunteering for the event was the best idea I have had recently. Working security for several events allowed me to meet quite a few brewers and brewers representatives. Some of the reps were pains. Sorry no way to sugar coat this one. They were nice to the dignitaries and a few others but overall not to the average Joe.
Other brewers were great! I met some really great people here. They were interested in brewing and really made the event for me. We could talk weather or their beer. These were guys that you would want to sit down and have a beer with. I really hate to mention any particular brewery as being outstanding but since I am writing this for the club and several days after the event let me mention the ones that still stand out in my mind and probably will for some time to come. The Long Island brewer was a great individual. I enjoyed every conversation that I had with this gentlemen. If at all possible I will get to this brewery and meet this brewer over a glass of beer again. The Beer Works was another favorite. Here I was a little biased since I had met the brewer of their branch in Salem and had a favorable experience with that establishment.
The brewer from the Alaskan Brewing Company took a lot of time talking to me about her brewery and their future plans. This willingness to spend some time talking about this with me left a great impression on me. I also have not been to Ellicott Mills Brewing yet but I will make it there. Once again it was almost like the brewer and I had been friends for some time. Of course Bob of DuClaw whom I consider it a privilege to know was there. In a way its unfair to Bob to seem to place the others in front of him. Luckily you will all get to meet Bob this month and you will see what I mean about him. I feel that Benfield hit a homerun when he got Bob to work at his brewery. Bob, many thanks for being there and being a friend.
Another aspect of working the event was meeting the other volunteers. There were so many that the names escape me now. I met some interesting people from BURP. By the way several of them went out of their way to make it known that any and all members of our club are invited to their camping outing near Rocky Gap State Park this year. The ones that I met were only interested in one thing. Brewing better beer. There was no talk of club boundaries or arguments or how we need to band together to be heard. This was refreshing!
I can also still see the team leaders like Ira running around in his red shirt getting things set up and problems solved so we all could have a better time. Then there was Bear the head of construction always quick with a joke and a smile. There was Don and Sheila from security who both took acts of God to get a smile from. Let me say that Jay and I got them to smile more than once and I’ll bet they remember us! All these and the many other volunteers that made the event were great to meet. We all shared a desire to further the brewing interests and it showed.
The crowd was good no roaring drunks, just people like you and me that enjoyed beer and came to the event to enjoy good beer. And this was the event to come to since we had over 125 different breweries with over 400 beers to taste. So many beers so little time. Every kind of beer you would want to try and the chance to compare several breweries offerings of that style.
Next time don’t just read this column come see for yourself how great this event was. I have included the following exerpts from Jay Delaney on his take of the event. As most of you know Jay is quite honest in his evaluations of beer. Here is his beer wrap up and I find it hard not to agree with his picks.
- Best of show brewery/brewpub: New Glarus, New Glarus WI
Reason: All of their brews were great! Loved the Framboise and Apple Ale
- Best Beer: Sam Adams Triple Bock
Reason: At 1 lb of malt per 8 oz bottle, you know its gotta be darn tasty and it was. Only wish I coulda had more
- Best IPA: Anchor
- Best Barleywine: Bluegrass Brewing
- Best Weisse: DeGroens
Reason: Far and above better than anyone else's
- Best Stout - Long Island - Had the alcohol of a Dopple but the flavor of a cream stout
- Coolest Brewpub: Church Beer Works, Pittsburg
Reason: They built their brewpub in an old church. Really neat pictures of the place!Jay shared an interesting note that he talked to a brewer from a brewpub in Atlantic City was excited about our club coming up there. The brewer mentioned things like - food and beer - discounts, tours, trinkets etc. This might be a road trip worth taking.
Jay and I both saw Trip from Redhook, he remembered and spoke fondly of our club. Trip is such a class act! Jay also spoke to Charlie Papazian. His comment was that "Charlie is real nice and friendly... even to a drunk like myself. " .
If this event comes back next year I recommend that you do not miss it.
