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Final weekend, I used to be thrilled to (lastly) attend Firestone Walker Brewing’s fabled Invitational Beer Fest on the mothership in Paso Robles, California. No, I wasn’t chosen by the high-quality of us at Firestone Walker to pour our beer, I used to be in attendance as a visitor. I’ve spent the final dozen or so years listening to how the parents at this legendary Central California brewery placed on essentially the most wonderful beer fest on planet. As well as, I’ve heard many inquiries like, “Why haven’t you gone?” and “Why doesn’t Alesong pour beer there? “
Effectively, the primary is straightforward. Busy with life, household, and working a fledgling brewing firm are simply the begin to my justifications. To not point out it sells out in minutes. The latter query was very a lot answered this previous Saturday once I reveled within the glory of Firestone Walker’s beer fest, from a surprisingly unfamiliar perspective, the client facet of the faucets.
For the previous 5 or so years, my spouse’s former co-worker and nice good friend who moved from Eugene to the Central California Coast, has been asking us to go to and attend this fest of their “again yard”. They’ve constantly provided the tickets and lodging and all we needed to do was arrive. But my highschool aged youngsters appeared to take precedence, together with all the opposite issues that occur firstly of June, specifically Eugene Beer week and our personal Anniversary social gathering at Alesong.
Now, I knew how good this brewery’s fest have been, having been invited to the 2019 Terroir Challenge Beer Competition in Buellton, CA and the encircling space. In reality, we hosted this fest at Alesong in 2022 because it turned a revolving host for his or her Wine/Beer hybrid fest. And I knew first-hand how exhausting it’s to host each the brewers and the company for the fest in any type of method much like Firestone Walker.
Alas, the children are actually off to varsity, we pushed again our brewery party at Alesong and my spouse and I dedicated to go test it out first hand. The opposite bonus is that I might take a day or two to work within the Bay as a result of I’m at the moment serving because the World Gross sales Supervisor for my brewery. Go to some accounts, drink some beer, do a faucet takeover, then go to a kick-ass fest. The plan was set!
Now, I can provide you a play by play of all of the wonderful issues I did, and the breweries I visited (you haven’t stopped off on the multi-award-winning brewery Wild Fields in Atascadero but? Do your self a favor….), however I’ll lose half of you earlier than I get via Friday. As an alternative, I’m going to inform you 6 explanation why I believe the Firestone Walker Beer Competition is one in every of, if not THE, greatest beer fest on this planet throughout a time when fest-going is shedding steam and beer festivals are being cancelled and amended left and proper.
#1 It’s Extra Than A Single Day Fest, It’s A Weeklong Celebration. and The Neighborhood Will get Concerned.
I obtain the Firestone Walker publication, and I observed the practically weeklong ‘bar crawl’ they have been doing in the course of the lead as much as the occasion, constructing pleasure for the group. Then there may be the block social gathering on Friday with dwell music, a BBQ, and excursions of the brewery. And that is only for of us in most people, media, and the Barrel Aged Beer Membership members, the Brewmaster’s Collective. Whereas I didn’t get to expertise the brewer’s life, I knew they have been lounging on the water park, having fun with pre-fest actions on the campground, and touring the spectacular brewery that now kicks out practically a half of 1,000,000 barrels. There may be extra right here than only a beer fest.
#2 The Possession, Administration, And Faces Of The Brewery Are All Proper There, Giving Excursions, Pouring Beer, Shaking Arms And If There Had been Infants, They Would Kiss Them!!
I used to be fortunate to hitch the media tour and we got a first-class tutorial by founder David Walker. My spouse couldn’t cease mentioning how excellent he was to be the voice of his personal brewery. I believe it was the hair!
But it surely was extra than simply a few excursions. The at all times affable Brewmaster, Matt Brynildson, was most likely internet hosting the brewers and brewery homeowners all week. As well as, each he, David Walker, and in addition co-founder Adam Firestone’s son Nick, have been seen pouring beers on the fest, shaking arms and smiling from ear to ear. You can inform that they honestly loved internet hosting and welcoming everybody to their wonderful brewery. They’re a part of the Firestone model they usually have been entrance and heart.
#3 World Class Friends Serving World Class Beers.
This may occasionally have been the worst a part of the fest! Hear me out right here…..
There was TOO a lot superior beer and TOO many superior breweries. A fest-goer might by no means attempt all of the wonderful beers that have been there. As an Oregon brewer, I had many pals who have been pouring libations on the fest, and I couldn’t even think about making an attempt to talk with all of them. It was all I might do to attempt the tons of of beers that I had picked out to attempt. Why oh why didn’t I make time to swing by Russian River. Epic Fail!!!
#4. Seamless Logistics.
From parking (I left the automobile in a single day) to shuttles to fast transferring strains on the door and within the fest, there was no have to get grumpy. Wayfinding indicators have been large they usually had an app. An app!
I might have used extra water stations, however hey, this isn’t a water fest, it’s a beer fest. I’ll get world class water elsewhere.
And there have been tons of volunteers. Since this fest serves as a fundraiser for the communities’ Pioneer Days, there was not a scarcity of parents serving to to make every company go to actually stellar.
#5. Just about a Lineless VIP/Early Entry Ticket
Goodness gracious. I really feel like they might promote extra VIP tickets. There was a lot room on this place to maneuver round and there have been only a few strains, however the place there have been strains, they moved quick. You are able to do a variety of injury within the opening hour from 11:00am – Midday.
Get the VIP ticket earlier than they promote out.
#6. Music, Training, and Meals!
Again to level primary. That is greater than only a beer fest with good meals. A few music acts, together with The White Buffalo, performed all through the day. A few brewer panels spoke in the course of the day. And native eating places offered bites. Good hearty native meals bites. It was nice. In reality, one vendor even walked the strains with samples attractive us to come back to their sales space. And this was all a complimentary a part of the ticket value. Good contact!
Oh, and in the event you want extra meals, you’re allowed to convey some in.
I’m guessing they might get meals carts lined up outdoors for a bit put up fest noshing, however that could be a problem with the variety of fest goers.
All in all, I used to be blown away by the 2024 Firestone Walker Invitation beer fest.
It simply appeared so nicely put collectively from the minute I arrived in Paso Robles. From the beers to the management, and from all of the logistics to drag off one thing like this to the hospitality provided by Firestone Walker, this was actually a world-class expertise.
We’re at the moment dwelling in a craft beer world the place you don’t must go to a beer fest to get pleasure from a incredible mixture of beers from everywhere in the world. It appears that evidently each group has that and we’re very lucky to dwell in that world. However if you’d like a top-notch expertise ingesting beers that you’ll by no means discover in a single place at one time, poured and hosted by the nicest of us within the trade, get on all the way down to Paso subsequent 12 months, or anytime actually.You gained’t be sorry you made the hassle.
Now if solely that they had yet one more barrel targeted brewery within the lineup…. kidding/not kidding! I’ll see you all down in Paso Robles subsequent June regardless. Hopefully, nevertheless, I can transfer over to the opposite facet of the faucets and pour you a beer or six.
Cheers!
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