My wife and I decide to get to our Holiday Inn express early, and we were able to check in early. We asked the lady at the front desk how we can get to the beer fest and she said the best way was by subway. So, off to the subway we go. We had a hard time finding where the actually entrance to the subway was, but after asking a few people and following signs, we made our way. So getting on and off various trains and shuttle buses, we arrived at the destination. At first we started going the wrong direction to a different convention center, so we turned around. I saw a stone building with "seaport world trade center" on it. So we go inside, and there is a few dozen people with orange and red shirts that say staff telling us what to do all at the same time. After getting through the cluster and getting our wristbands, it was time to head downstairs to the event. On the way downstairs, you can smell the beer hitting you letting you know you're going the right way! Once in, you are handed a disposable beer sample cup. After getting a nice program that shows you a map and a list of all the beers under the roof, it was time to do what we came for! The strategy for the event was to find brewers that we have never tried or heard of and stick to the shorter lines. Basically drifting around the place in no real order. After stopping a half a dozen or so booths, it was time to get some food and water to help us with the alcohol. I got an ice cold water and 2 giant soft pretzels that really hit the spot. My wife got a chicken sandwich which looked pretty good. So now we are good to go again. I wanted to try troeggs, goose island and even though I have had almost every one of their beers I wanted to go to see my favorite, dogfish head. However, the lines were ridiculously long so we kept to the original plan. So I've had a decent amount at this point and need another break. Time to go to the T-shirt booth and get some shirts! They were nice shirts and only $10 a piece so I picked up 3. They were all sold out of the Beer geek shirts so I got "American craft beer fest" "extreme beer" and "respect beer". Very happy to get some nice shirts to take on home with me. So the beer drinking continues. Around this time my wife decides she's had enough, so she ends up coming in line with her cup so I can try 2 at each booth! I do this 3 times and then decide I have had enough too. It wasn't my intention to get drunk, just a little buzzed, have a great time and sample a lot of different beer I've never had. So, very satisfied, happy, and slightly buzzed, the fest was ending. So yes, I had a great time, only complaint was like most beer fests, it went by way too fast and I didn't get to try a lot of different beers that I wanted. Either way, I had a blast. But what beers did I try? What beers were my favorites? Well I saved the best for last, decided to write a quick list of all the beers I tried and then I rated the top 5 there. Here it goes....
Amherst Brewing Co - Incinerator doppelbock, Atwater Block Brewery- Teufel Bock & Uber Ursa Pils, Barrier Brewing Co.- Oil City, Baxter Brewing Co. - Stowaway I.P.A., Cape Ann Brewing Co. - Sunrise Saison & Strawberry Rhubarb Saison, Cape cod Beer- Cape cod red, Cisco Brewers Inc. - Sankaty light & Summer of lager, Franklin's Restaurant,Brewery, General store - The Hatchet Job, Jackie O's pub and brewery - Dark apparition, Kennebec river pub and brewery - whitewater wheat , Ithaca Beer Co - flower power I.P.A & apricot wheat, Offshore Ale co - Islander Double IPA & brown ale, Paper city brewing co - fogbuster coffee house ale, Peak Organic Brewing Co - Weiss Principal, Wormtown Brewing Co - Blonde cougar,
If you noticed, I have quite the mix of styles, at beer fests I try to mix it up as much as possible and try bold beers and as many different styles as I can, that way I'm not just try IPAs and stouts all day.
My Top 5 beers of the American Craft beer fest:
Atwater Block Brewery - Teufel Bock- weizenbock- 10.9% abv- 5/5
Barrier Brewing Co. - Oil City - American Black Ale - 6% abv - 4.5/5
Cape Ann Brewing Co. - Sunrise Saison - 4.5/5
Ithaca Beer Co. - Flower Power IPA - 7.5% abv - 5/5
Jackie O's Pub&Brewery - Dark Apparition- Russian Imp.Stout- 10.5% abv - 5/5
What an awesome time! I will be tracking some of these beers down for future enjoyment! I look forward to this event next year and the other beer fests I attend in the mean time! cheers!
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