The Bar Towel

Noticed mention of this on Insta, so thought I'd post details here:

https://www.evergreen.ca/evergreen-bric ... rfest2024/

2024 Craft Beer Fest

Join us in Toronto for our first ever event celebrating a love of craft beer and a commitment to caring for our planet.

Date: Sunday July 14
Time: Doors open at 12pm & event ends at 8pm
Cost: Early Bird $35 (Each ticket includes one (1) branded tasting cup, and two (2) four ounce tokens.)
$15 Designate Drivers ticket at the door.

Seminars (tickets can be purchased as an add on during your main ticket checkout)

-- Cultivating Sustainability & Terroir in Local Beer with GoodLot Farmstead Brewing 2-2:30pm
-- From Grain to Glass: New Technologies in Brewing with Longslice 3:30-4pm

This is an all ages event, but only 19+ will be allowed to drink (valid gov’t ID needed).Guests under 19 can enter for free but will not be able to purchase samples.

Pouring beer from: GoodLot Farmstead Brewing Co, Blood Brothers Brewing, Longslice Brewery Inc., Red Tape Brewery, Miski Brewing Company Corp., Willibald Farm Distillery & Brewery, Libra Beverage Co., Royal City Brewing Co., Amsterdam Brewing Co., Rally Beer Co, and more.

Also featuring Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers, Liko’s Hawaiian BBQ, WuBa Eats Baos, Bashy Patties, and Born2Eat.

I have to say I'm tired of spending money to get into an event to shop/consume. I get that these things take money to stage, but still. Like car/boat/whatever shows. Show me some real value. Perhaps if they didn't upcharge for the seminars the entrance fee to buy more would be more palatable.

Yeah, I haven't been to any big events recently so I can't say how it compares but I definitely saw the $35 admission and immediately balked. Given that most of the breweries are in Toronto I can just go spend that at one of the breweries.

Maybe that's just what stuff costs these days? But ouch.

When I was first getting into craft beer I absolutely loved the festivals. I didn't mind paying more to get access to a bunch of breweries and to try a bunch of stuff all in one fun evening. Over time they've become less and less appealing to me, but I think that's saying more about me and where I am with craft beer than it is about the festivals themselves.

JerCraigs wrote: ↑Sat May 25, 2024 11:13 am Yeah, I haven't been to any big events recently so I can't say how it compares

Great Lakes is hosting a Brewed For You Craft Beer Festival in August; depending upon session, ticket prices for an event with 20-ish breweries/cideries is either $30 or $45.

Maybe that's just what stuff costs these days? But ouch.

I hear you; would be a tad easier to swallow if ticket prices included food, like the Hart House fests of old.

skaghevn wrote: ↑Sat May 25, 2024 5:16 pm Great Lakes is hosting a Brewed For You Craft Beer Festival in August; depending upon session, ticket prices for an event with 20-ish breweries/cideries is either $30 or $45.

I was excited for that when first announced but then I found the lack of additional details provided so far a bit frustrating. I might still go if tickets are still available when I eventually make up my mind, but that's mostly because I like Great Lakes.

As with all such events, please Event Owners/Organizers, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS BEING SERVED BEFORE I COMMIT MONEY! I do not want to find out that all of what is being served is the breweries regular staples which are available at the LCBO, ordered directly from them or at bars around town. And ideally I'd like to know what food will be available too.

I know dealing with all the different breweries and vendors is like herding cats but if you want my money then you need to provide the info. Yes, lineups can change and that Wicked Awesome beer got fucked up and is undrinkable, oh well, c'est la vie.

Craig wrote: ↑Sat May 25, 2024 11:30 am When I was first getting into craft beer I absolutely loved the festivals. I didn't mind paying more to get access to a bunch of breweries and to try a bunch of stuff all in one fun evening. Over time they've become less and less appealing to me, but I think that's saying more about me and where I am with craft beer than it is about the festivals themselves.

That's pretty much I feel these days. Now I mostly keep the fridge full with cases of whatever's a good deal (i.e. GLB Lager) and stop in at a couple nearby breweries every once in a while to have something different. Gone are the days of chasing releases, trying as much as I can, and especially, going to festivals.

I reckon it's gotta be hard to run festivals nowadays - rising costs across the board and changing consumer tastes as evidenced in this thread. I think most of us are on the same page with how we feel about festivals, but we haven't been replaced by the younger generation. I wonder who the audience is for this kind of thing...I suppose it could attract some east side families as it's technically all-ages, but that entry fee is a bit of a turn off for sure.

Also, a bit disingenuous to say that this is the "first ever Craft Beer Fest at Evergreen Brick Works".

Hah, wow I missed that last bit. I guess cask ale doesn't count as craft? lol

Or even just Brewer's Backyard. Those are the events I miss the most.

Napalm Frog wrote: ↑Tue May 28, 2024 12:18 pm Or even just Brewer's Backyard. Those are the events I miss the most.

February 2018 Brewer's Backyard at Brickworks was the first official date with the better half. We also did the 2019 one too as a first anniversary. Then the world stopped for a while. Anyways, we're getting married in a couple of weeks!

lister wrote: ↑Wed May 29, 2024 3:14 pm

Napalm Frog wrote: ↑Tue May 28, 2024 12:18 pm Or even just Brewer's Backyard. Those are the events I miss the most.

February 2018 Brewer's Backyard at Brickworks was the first official date with the better half. We also did the 2019 one too as a first anniversary. Then the world stopped for a while. Anyways, we're getting married in a couple of weeks!

Hey, that's amazing! I knew of another couple who had their first date at a Golden Tap Awards at Beerbistro many years ago and got married and now have a family. Always nice to know about these good news stories.

Congrats on the upcoming wedding!