In the end, there were lines. Lines that were probably longer than last year.
But the lines moved fairly quick, and as anyone there can tell you, standing in line is half the party.
And there was guest beer, with a lineup that looked like this:
Pizza Port Carlsbad's Poorman's Double IPA
Stone Levitation
Rock Bottom Chicago Bourbon Imperial Stout
Three Floyds/Dogfish Popskull
Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
Flossmoor Station White Lady Imperial Wit
2008 Brandy Barrel Aged Double Bastard
Pizza Port Carlsbad Trigger Hoppy
Synobynkoff Porter
Dogfish Palo Santo
Three Floyds Oak Aged Behemoth
Flossmoor Station X-IPA
R.I.S. 2007
Pizza Port Solana Booya Stoez
J.W. Lee's Harvest Ale
Dogfish Fort
Three Floyds Oak Aged Behemoth w/ Cherries
Victory Golden Monkey
Old Guardian Barleywine Aged in Red Whine Barrels
Pizza Port Faceplant
Gordon Biersch Bollingbrook
Three Floyds Oak Aged Dark Lord
Three Floyds Oak Aged Alpha Klaus
Bell's Hopslam
Stone Smoked Porter
Pizza Port Solana Parable Pale
Firestone Walker Abacus
Struise Black Albert
Stone IPA
Pizza Port San Clemente Infamous Chocolate Imperial Stout
Stone Bourbon Barrel Arrogant Bastard
Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout
Stone Vertical Epic
Surly Teabagged Furious Cask
Founders Dry-hopped IPA Cask
(somebody's) 10th Anniversary
Stone Old Guardian Barleywine
As for bottles per ticket? The number was four. So if you bought your full allotment of tickets, you could have gone home with 8 bottles this year, which was actually 2 more than you were allowed last year.
In the end, there was very little drama to the day, other than some random rainshowers and the one arrest I witnessed. The crowd seemed controlled but lively, the rare beer flowed, and everyone seemed to go home happy.
Props to the folks at Three Floyds, who listened to last year's post-event (perhaps undeserved) complaints and put together an even better event this year. In addition, they raised a ton of money for a local animal shelter. Just another example of how craft beer can really benefit a community. Congrats to the staff at Floyds for their excellent work, and their deserved success.
My only complaint? I know you all saw our shirts... Say hello! We were giving away beer, for chrissakes. We'll see you next year. Don't be shy.
Lastly, here's a video of the photos I took - so if you couldn't be there, this may be the next best thing. And if you were there, let us know how it went on your end.
Most Interesting thing I sampled: Shenandoah Chocolate Donut Beer
ReplyDeleteMost delicious thing I sampled: Vanilla Bean Dark Lord
Other notable things included Canadian Breakfast Stout, Cherry-aged Behemoth, Lost Abbey Temptation .
I can't believe I remember even that much.
Hey, that's one sweet trunk pic...
ReplyDeleteNot so much fun to unload, but it was pretty sweet when I inventoried my haul today!
DLD was hands down better this year. I waited until later in the day to get my bottles, and didn't have to wait in line. Now if only I could have retained my sense of taste/smell. I guess drinking all week at Shorts wasn't the best idea. Well, at least right before DLD, other wise it's highly recommended.
Nice write-up. We also had a great time at the event, first time we'd been there coming down from the Twin Cities. Everything seemed well-organized, people were happy, and the beer flowed. We ended up sticking around until after 6 pm when they allowed anyone to just buy leftover Dark Lord bottles, and we walked out with at least a dozen each.
ReplyDeleteLucky!!
ReplyDeleteDid anyone try the Popskull? I forgot to even think about it! Were they selling it? Same price?
ReplyDeleteDidn't try the popskull yet. They were $12 each.
ReplyDeleteWe have two bottles of Popskull - still haven't cracked them yet. We still have Black Sun that we need to drink before opening the Popskull.
ReplyDeleteblack sun is some good stuff.
ReplyDeletedid anyone else pass not soon after sunset that day? man, i was worn out!
Front of the line too. Do you remember trying or seeing some people with Pisgah beers. That was us. A girl wearing a bright pink rain coat literally first in line.
ReplyDeleteWe weren't actually front of line - but I kinda know the feeling from last year.
ReplyDeleteWhat time did you arrive to be first in line?