Great International Beer Festival (Providence; 11-08-08)

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the_bird

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Wife just called me from a conference in Providence. Huge billboard promoting the Great International Beer Festival in early November, which sounds like it's being held at the conference center she was at. Importantly, the hotel she stayed at connects directly to the conference center, so no need for DD's... :D

Anyone else going to be going? Sounds like we'll go down (early B-day present for me), it'd be pretty sweet to get an HBT group together to do the rounds.

EDIT: Tickets available for sale on September 1st.
 
As I mentioned at Jester's house I have not heard alot of good feedbck about this event from other BA's.

It is what it is. I would recomend going to the early session. Too early for most of the college kids. There are 2 decent brew pubs with in walking distance of the convention center.
 
It is what it is. I would recomend going to the early session. Too early for most of the college kids. There are 2 decent brew pubs with in walking distance of the convention center.

+1 on going to the early session, it's almost like 2 different events between the two sessions. The afternoon is typically folks like us whereas the evening draws a younger crowd and it gets absolutely packed.

If you do head down, the guys from Blackstone Valley Brewing usually have a booth worth checking out, especially if you're a local brewer (I know, I know, I pimp them way too much but Steve is a friend so what am I gonna do).
 
+1 on going to the early session, it's almost like 2 different events between the two sessions. The afternoon is typically folks like us whereas the evening draws a younger crowd and it gets absolutely packed.

If you do head down, the guys from Blackstone Valley Brewing usually have a booth worth checking out, especially if you're a local brewer (I know, I know, I pimp them way too much but Steve is a friend so what am I gonna do).


Nothing wrong with giving props to your lhbs. We've made the trip over a couple of times and it is a good store.
 
We're up in the air about going now. It's a lot harder to get away these days with the_wife going back to school, especially since this would basically kill a whole weekend betweem the driving, the drinking, and the recovery.
 
I am planning to go as I live close to Providence. I'm having my wife buy the tix as a birthday gift! I was thinking about going to the night session but I just saw some of the comments on this thread that the night session is basically a big college drunk fest. Anyone else have any comments? I want to go and enjoy the tasting and don't really want to have to deal with a mob of drunks! :cross:
 
I attended the GIBF this past Saturday and had a great time! There was a really good representation of brewers, although it was a little sparse on the "International" aspect. It was mostly US craft brewers. As would be expected in a Fall festival, there were a lot of winter ales, porters, stouts and other seasonal brews.

I will say that the vast majority of participants were college age kids. Surveying the crowd in the entry line and finding nary a grey hair or bald spot in sight, I prepared myself for a drunk-a-palooza frat party. As I am approaching AARP eligibility myself :D, I felt a little out of place. However as it turned out, the crowd was very well behaved and it was a very enjoyable day. I attended the afternoon session but I understand that the night one does get much more rowdy.

I found that the brewers were very happy to spend time talking to you about their beers, even though there were long lines at almost every booth. All in all I don't think that this is the premier event for beer geeks and home brewers, but it's still a great opportunity to sample some tasty beers and "talk shop". I would return next year, but I would avoid the night session.
 
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