American Craft Beer Fest - Boston MA

Is anyone going to this? This will be their 3rd year and it will be my 3rd year attending. Such a good time. Looks like there will be about 400 beers this year.

http://beeradvocate.com/acbf/

I'll be there. Going to Session 1 on Saturday. WOO!

Same here. Seems like it would be the least crowded of all 3 sessions. Have fun, this event is a definite blast. The Atlantic Beer Garden is right up the street too for a bite to eat afterwards.

I'll be at the early session on Sat. I'm a volunteer and will be working it.

Session 1 Saturday! I just put together my list of beers/breweries that I definitely want to hit up. At least 24 beers, not counting the breweries where I want to try everything...

swankyswede said:

Session 1 Saturday! I just put together my list of beers/breweries that I definitely want to hit up. At least 24 beers, not counting the breweries where I want to try everything...

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haha, see you on the curb.

JohnnyO said:

haha, see you on the curb.

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Haha, well, definitely saw a guy discreetly yak in a rinse bucket last year... I can hold my liquor, dammit! :rockin:

I was just looking at the beer list for this weekend.
...salivating...

JohnnyO said:

I was just looking at the beer list for this weekend.
...salivating...

Click to expand...

Seriously. Here's my short list of things I'm gunning for:

Allagash Brewing Co. (ME)
Booth #519
Fluxus 2010 (Imperial Chocolate Stout / 12%)

Blue Hills Brewery (MA)
Booth #522
Black Hops (India Black Ale / 6.4%)

Brooklyn Brewery (NY)
Booth #516
BLAST! (Double IPA / 8.2%)
Dark Matter (Whiskey Barrel-aged Strong Brown Ale / 7.5%)
Brooklyn Sorachi Ace (Dry-hopped Saison / 7.4%)

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Booth #750
My Antonia (Imperial Pilsner / 7.5%)

Harpoon Brewery (MA)
Booth #536
Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Pott's Landbier (Landbier Lager / 4.8%)
Chocolate IPA (Cask)
Summer Beer w/ Candied Ginger (Cask)

Magic Hat Brewing Co. (VT)
Booth #529
Odd Notion Wild Ginger Gold Ale (5.9%)
HEX (5%)

New England Brewing Co. (CT)
Booth #723
668 Neighbor of the Beast (Belgian Golden / 8.5%)
Wet Willy Scotch Ale (10.5%)

Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project (MA)
Booth #514
Fieldmouse's Farewell (Rustic Golden Ale)

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery (MA)
Booth #741
Cinco de Mayo (Jalapeno Lager / 5%)

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (CA)
Booth #545
Hellraiser (Chocolate Chili Pepper Imperial Stout / 10.2%)
Charlie, Fred and Ken's Bock (Imperial Helles Bock / 8.2%)
Wood-Aged Old Ale (Bourbon-barrel Aged Ale / 9%)

Anything from White Birch and Wormtown Brewery

I'll be serving our beers for the Friday night session. Come visit me at booth 539.

McNeill's Brewery (VT)
Booth #539
McNeill's Tartan (Scotch Ale / 8.5%)
Dead Horse IPA (English IPA / 5.8%)
Warlord DIPA (Double IPA / 8.5%)
Ruby Ale (American Amber / 6%)
McNeill's ESB (5.8%)

I've been the last two years, but can't make it this year since I have to work on Saturday and no one can cover my shift. And, if I go to the Friday session, I know that I'll be in no shape to work the next day.

So, while you all are enjoying many many samples, think of this homebrewer who is stuck at the Reference Desk at a nearby library.

I'll be at the Friday session... I'll be sure to stop by Glibbidy.

Can't wait to try all of the Stone dry hopped CASK IPA!

RJS625 said:

I'll be at the Friday session... I'll be sure to stop by Glibbidy.

Can't wait to try all of the Stone dry hopped CASK IPA!

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Same here. I was really dissapointed though, there were three more single hop casks for Stone, but the distributer mishandled them. Could you imagine nine Stone single hops casks??? I think I just finished...

I'll make it a point to stop by Glibbidy, didn't realize you were pro! (been off the boards lately)

So what was everyone's highlights from the ACBF?

I mean, aside from the random screaming bouts by all the frat boys. I tried to start the wave, but I guess that was just not cool enough.

Hands down, my favorite was Dark Matter by Brooklyn Brewery.
Honorable mention was the Rouge d'Shire (Raspberry Sour) by Smuttynose.

Hellraiser by SN was one of the few dumpers of the day for me. I also wasn't impressed with Harpoon's Summer Wizrd on cask.

Who had the Stone IPAs?

Oh, so you were the one trying to start the wave?

I really liked the Southern Tier offerings - especially Unearthly. I also liked New England Brewery's Gandhi Bot, everything by Bear Republic, and was pleasantly surprised by Wachusett's LARRY IPA.

One of the standouts for me was White Birch - the Wrigan (sp?) was fantastic, as was the berlinerweisse and Aloha. I've seen some of their stuff in the stores, but it's just a little out of my price range at $16+ per bottle, so it was great to try all of their brews. I also liked the CBC Colonel, a sour porter.

I agree on the Golden Wizard from Harpoon - not so hot. My group kept calling it the Wizard Sleeve...

Brooklyn BLAST! was amazing, one of my favorites there.

Bump.

Whose going this year? :cross:

Anyone ever volunteer at this thing?

I've done it at much smaller events and loved it. I'm leery to volunteer because I think it would be a zoo. Also, and not to be a volunteer snob, but I'd prefer to be pouring beers not mopping/sweeping up around attendees. Not sure that I'd get a chance at the taps.

Went last year, trying to get some peeps together to go this year.

Will be at the Friday night session...least crowded IMO.

I went to last year's Sat's first session and doing it again this year. I had a great time but it was a huge crowd. Good thing is it's run in a huge venue. Still liked it. Nothing like having one of the founders of Stone pouring you an IPA with whole hop cones floating in your glass.

Someone mentioned White Birch in this thread. I'm seeing it all over in stores around here. However, if you ever get a chance they do special releases up in NH. Wild yeasts, sours... all kind of interesting things.

Meh...to the White Birch Quad.