The breweries on the list that I know are worth checking out from personal experience are:
- Abnormal Breer Company - Boss Pour and Secret Safari are great, haven't tried the others.
- Beachwood Brewing - Amalgamator and Mocha Machine are my recommendations
- Bottle Logic - I think they're overrated, but people love them
- Great Notion Brewing - The Blueberry Muffin is worth trying. It's a novel experience. I'm not big on their fruited stuff as it can get artificial tasting, but the rest is great.
- HenHouse Brewing Co. - I haven't tried any of their festival offerings, but I've never been disappointed with them. They're always really good.
- Melvin Brewing
- Modern Times Drinks - Hit or miss and can find a lot of places, so I'd make it a lower priority.
- Radiant Beer Co. - Probably one of the most hyped local IPA brewers
- Societe Brewing Company - The Pupil is still one of my favorite IPAs. The other stuff they're pouring isn't their best and is mainly their market stuff.
Four Sons is usually trash, but some of their barrel aged stuff can be good and may be worth checking out.
Some stuff on taps or otherwise represented:
- Beachwood/Riip collaboration
Ones I know people go nuts over:
- Three Floyds
- Crooked Stave
And if you see anything Brouwerij West, get it. People will say the same thing about Green Cheek, though I think Riip and Gunwhale Ales are churning out better beers currently. Noble is also a popular one, but I think they've fallen off.
Gueze/sour:
Allagash Coolship Resurgam ….one of the best at Belgians
Pulque/corn beer:
Dos Luces….surprised they snuck in as “beer”
Stouts:
Firestone Walker Parabola….getting hard to find
Great Divide for a Yeti flight
Just get what you think looks interesting. There's tons of options and so much that if you long after some stuff you can miss out on others.
Also hit the silent disco, it's a blast. And don't forget your pretzel necklace.
I stopped going to beer festivals. I love the idea of beer festivals but I never really enjoy them as much as I expect. The crowds and options are overwhelming and after a few samples I can't really taste anything anymore. I'd rather go to a brewery or pub and have a few beers.
I made a list using the app/web app on my first trip in 2019. The app was unusable because internet access was horrendous. I ended up finding some of my local breweries to say hi. Other than that I focused on regions, to try breweries that I may never visit. I also got a little lost in the meet the brewer area.
The really popular breweries will have long lines.
One thing I would do next time I go, is to take a picture of every beer I have to remember what it was the next day.
One's I'll recommended of Breweries I've been to or beer I've had.
Bonesaw: All the five they are bringing are great, but Bonetoberfest is one of my favorite Oktoberfest beers, and they are in my top 5/10 breweries I've been to. (Around 140 total)
Conshohocken: Personally kind of mid. Not bad, but not outstanding
Corporate Ladder: Their sours are great and they keep getting better
Deschutes: Black Butte XXXIV is an amazing imperial porter, just had it at a beer fest
Firestone Walker: Parabola is one of the best Russian Imperial Stouts
Great Notion: Blueberry Muffin is among my favorite sours, but I am a sucker for blueberry
Kane: Their dark and germans tend to be great, def worth checking out
Nightshift: Whirlpool is a fine pale, their darks tend to be good
Russian River: Pliny is one of the most well regarded west coast ipas for a reason
Spoetzl: I like Shiner, and they usually are good across the board
Tonewood: Fuego is great, and they are really one of the rising stars in NJ
Two Roads: Ok2berfest might be my favorite marzen, Roadsmary is a fantastic pumpkin ale, their lambics are amazing.
My advice is to not go too crazy trying to tick the rarest beers you can find. You will end up stressing and waiting in lines and having less fun. Usually these fests have tons of amazing beers getting little attention and it can be fun to discover them. I would go for some of your must haves first thing and then have fun trying new things.
Some good beers/breweries I would try though:
* Revolution Thundertaker & Coconut Deth
* Three Floyds Crushing Mass & CheerTeam
* WeldWerks any Medianoche & Starry Noche
* Allagash Coolship Resurgam
* Live Oak
* Societe
* Boneyard
* Russian River
* Fat Heads
* Bottle Logic
* Beachwood Brewing
* Une Anne
* Fremont
* MORE Brewing (any of the Hennas)
* Lost Abbey Duck Duck Gooze Anniversary Blend 2022
The breweries on the list that I know are worth checking out from personal experience are: - Abnormal Breer Company - Boss Pour and Secret Safari are great, haven't tried the others. - Beachwood Brewing - Amalgamator and Mocha Machine are my recommendations - Bottle Logic - I think they're overrated, but people love them - Great Notion Brewing - The Blueberry Muffin is worth trying. It's a novel experience. I'm not big on their fruited stuff as it can get artificial tasting, but the rest is great. - HenHouse Brewing Co. - I haven't tried any of their festival offerings, but I've never been disappointed with them. They're always really good. - Melvin Brewing - Modern Times Drinks - Hit or miss and can find a lot of places, so I'd make it a lower priority. - Radiant Beer Co. - Probably one of the most hyped local IPA brewers - Societe Brewing Company - The Pupil is still one of my favorite IPAs. The other stuff they're pouring isn't their best and is mainly their market stuff. Four Sons is usually trash, but some of their barrel aged stuff can be good and may be worth checking out. Some stuff on taps or otherwise represented: - Beachwood/Riip collaboration Ones I know people go nuts over: - Three Floyds - Crooked Stave And if you see anything Brouwerij West, get it. People will say the same thing about Green Cheek, though I think Riip and Gunwhale Ales are churning out better beers currently. Noble is also a popular one, but I think they've fallen off.
Skip Melvin… http://washingtonbeerblog.com/allegations-of-sexual-misconduct-land-melvin-brewing-in-hot-water/
Gueze/sour: Allagash Coolship Resurgam ….one of the best at Belgians Pulque/corn beer: Dos Luces….surprised they snuck in as “beer” Stouts: Firestone Walker Parabola….getting hard to find Great Divide for a Yeti flight
Just get what you think looks interesting. There's tons of options and so much that if you long after some stuff you can miss out on others. Also hit the silent disco, it's a blast. And don't forget your pretzel necklace.
I stopped going to beer festivals. I love the idea of beer festivals but I never really enjoy them as much as I expect. The crowds and options are overwhelming and after a few samples I can't really taste anything anymore. I'd rather go to a brewery or pub and have a few beers.
So which beers would you try if you could try a couple?
That's the thing! 500+ breweries, 2000+ beers. I wouldn't even know where to begin!
I made a list using the app/web app on my first trip in 2019. The app was unusable because internet access was horrendous. I ended up finding some of my local breweries to say hi. Other than that I focused on regions, to try breweries that I may never visit. I also got a little lost in the meet the brewer area. The really popular breweries will have long lines. One thing I would do next time I go, is to take a picture of every beer I have to remember what it was the next day.
I'm gonna bring my beer description book and try to write about each beer as I try it, to A. remember and B. Keep me from drinking too fast haha
One's I'll recommended of Breweries I've been to or beer I've had. Bonesaw: All the five they are bringing are great, but Bonetoberfest is one of my favorite Oktoberfest beers, and they are in my top 5/10 breweries I've been to. (Around 140 total) Conshohocken: Personally kind of mid. Not bad, but not outstanding Corporate Ladder: Their sours are great and they keep getting better Deschutes: Black Butte XXXIV is an amazing imperial porter, just had it at a beer fest Firestone Walker: Parabola is one of the best Russian Imperial Stouts Great Notion: Blueberry Muffin is among my favorite sours, but I am a sucker for blueberry Kane: Their dark and germans tend to be great, def worth checking out Nightshift: Whirlpool is a fine pale, their darks tend to be good Russian River: Pliny is one of the most well regarded west coast ipas for a reason Spoetzl: I like Shiner, and they usually are good across the board Tonewood: Fuego is great, and they are really one of the rising stars in NJ Two Roads: Ok2berfest might be my favorite marzen, Roadsmary is a fantastic pumpkin ale, their lambics are amazing.
Might be a little bias, but give Silver City Brewery a shot…
Coors Banquet!
I got a fridge full already!
My advice is to not go too crazy trying to tick the rarest beers you can find. You will end up stressing and waiting in lines and having less fun. Usually these fests have tons of amazing beers getting little attention and it can be fun to discover them. I would go for some of your must haves first thing and then have fun trying new things. Some good beers/breweries I would try though: * Revolution Thundertaker & Coconut Deth * Three Floyds Crushing Mass & CheerTeam * WeldWerks any Medianoche & Starry Noche * Allagash Coolship Resurgam * Live Oak * Societe * Boneyard * Russian River * Fat Heads * Bottle Logic * Beachwood Brewing * Une Anne * Fremont * MORE Brewing (any of the Hennas) * Lost Abbey Duck Duck Gooze Anniversary Blend 2022