Hey guys, I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere so I thought I'd give everyone a head's up...
If you can be in Blacksburg this Saturday, there's a somewhat sizable beer festival taking place at the Holtzman Alumni Center. $25 ($30 if you wait to purchase at the gate) gets you 15 4-oz. tastings and a commemorative glass. I'll post the link so you can have all the information and register if you please.
Now, for things I can personally vouch for. Flying Mouse Brewery is going to be there. They're a somewhat new-ish craft brewery based in Troutville, VA (about 10 minutes outside of Roanoke). Their "#8" is my current favorite beer in the world. Even if you don't go to this festival, if you find yourself up around Roanoke on a weekend, look this place up. It's worth t he trip.
The festival will also have a few food vendors there. There's a "Primo Wood Fired Pizza" going to be on location, and I have to be honest I'd almost pay the entry fee just to go have some of their pizza. There looks to be something for everyone though, so check it out and see what tickles your fancy. The festival will go on, rain or shine.
Comments
I've never been upset about going on vacation until now. Wish I could be there.
Also, just in general, everyone should go spend a day in/around Roanoke and just hop through the breweries. Roanoke Railhouse, Parkway Brewing, Flying Mouse, Soaring Ridge, Chaos Mountain, and soon to be open Big Lick Brewing.... there's a LOT of good craft beer in that area right now.
Where was this when I was a student?!
This actually makes 2 beer festivals in Blacksburg per year. Brew Do is in October this year (the Saturday after the Miami game on Thursday night!) and it's a bigger festival. Something like 40 breweries show up to that one. It's a great time.
I'll be pouring from 2-5!
No offense to anyone working this or anything but they did a terrible job of advertising this event.
This is the first I've heard of it. I've been hearing about the Brew Do for months already and that's in Oct. Hope its successful!
This is true. There's some small signs up around town, but I actually learned about it from the fine people at Flying Mouse a couple weekends ago. Otherwise I might not have known.
Part of the problem with advertizing beer festivals is that there are now so many of them.
Every weekend in the summer in VA alone, there are many.
For instance, this Saturday there are 4.
VT
Smith Mountain Lake, Norfolk and I forget the 4th, In Goochland I think.
Anyway, mI was trying to keep track at work and had the thread earlier where I posted the festivals for VA I was going to keep updated and add in MD and NC and a couple of the good ones in WV.
I found it impossible to do, too many additions that we couldn't even keep track at work for us to attend.
I apologize for not keeping it updated but, we found it absolutely not possible to do even for ourselves.
No worries man! Glad to hear about it. Hope its goes well and
continues for yrs to come.
Here's the link to the post. You'll note I did it early May.
http://www.thekeyplay.com/content/2014/may/2/tailgating-tech-virginia-be...
2 weeks later the tide started rolling in and I got caught in the rip.
Just keeping track of VA got out of hand fast.
FWIW: I did post a comment on that feed about the VT Alumni Association's beer fest and a link to it....
I somehow missed that. But thanks! haha. I would have known earlier if I'd have been paying attention.
Yea, I wish I could make the trip down for it - maybe next year if they hold it again.
Yup, you did. It's there.
Hey your website says you're moving your taproom? Where abouts would that be?
We're just moving down the road to a storefront type place. The current one is too hard to find.
We are actually moving today.
It's on Franklin 3038 I think is the address. small red and white building across from Piccadilly Sq shopping center. Momma Mia's restaurant across the street and next to Sound Decision.
We expect to have license and permit completion end of August. Have Federal Brewer's Permit in hand so, I'll be working on small batches in 2 weeks.
Thanks for asking.
Awesome! I'll stop by once you're set up. I was in your old place for the first time about a month ago. It was a little difficult. But worth finding, we enjoyed the beer for sure. Hopefully the move helps!
Do you get emails from the Alumni Association? I got the first one for this event around March and have received multiple follow up emails.
I don't but I likely will now... since I had to fill out my alumni-based information to register for the festival.
Anybody going to this, stop be and introduce yourself.
I'll be at the Roanoke Railhouse booth, the big guy with the long hair.
You don't look like this?
These avatars and really confusing.
The squinty eyes and dumbfounded look.
It's an old photo.
Think more like Jeff Bridges now.
So what you're saying is...
More like
I'm picturing this in my head every time you post from now on....
Ok now, to they guys that I met this weekend.
Excepting for the fact that it was hot and sweaty, how far off was this concept for recognition.
Noon to 5
I'll be at the Cellar tomorrow night. Might not make it in until a bit later on though, but hopefully by 9-ish. If I don't see you there I'll look for you at the booth Saturday.
K I'll still be there until after 10 Friday night.
Map here:
http://www.alumni.vt.edu/beerfestival/festivallayout.pdf
Kids 12 & under are free!!
Talked to the organizer last night.
Ticket sales were very good and they cut off presales because a large number were purchased by people from out of town in order to make sure that locals had the opportunity to buy at the gate.
Enough sales so that they were scrounging to make sure they have enough glasses. Get there early if you want to come out, maybe bring a pint glass in your car to make sure in case they run out.
VIP access opens at 11:00. They had to cutoff VIP because the interest was much higher than they expected.
General admission starts at noon. Goes 12-5.
Getting there early was the key to this event. I worked the New Belgium booth and we ran out of Snapshot with an hour left in the event and many people were left disappointed that they didn't get to try it.
Seeing and getting to pour a beer for Dr. Sands and his wife was a breath of fresh air, because I doubt you would have ever seen Steger at one of these events.
Definitely looking forward to Brew Do even more now.
Went to the festival yesterday and had a good time. I wouldn't have known about if not for this thread, so thanks for sharing the info. It was nice meeting Egbert at the Roanoke Railhouse booth. I have to say, I really liked the Broken Knuckle IPA, and I picked up a six pack of Track 1 at Kroger on the way home. Good stuff!
Well, I will say I think this event was pretty good. Most places didn't run out of beer until about the last half hour or so, and since I managed to get in 45 minutes early even without a VIP pass, I was pretty much done by then too.
I talked to Egbert at the Roanoke Railhouse booth, which was very cool. I did get a little burnt but that's alright.
This was a nice event, particularly for the inaugural event.
Talked to Gwen, the Alumni Association organizer, Friday night at The Cellar.
That was nice, they had all craft downstairs. A bunch of brewers there but I'm not sure we were imaginative enough to identify ourselves but, did see many people there. There was sufficient crowd there that by 9:30 the 1/2 bbl of some of the beers that made an appearance that day, were getting kicked.
At the Fest, there were a good number of people, not too many and had JUST enough beer to sellout at last call 4:45. I argued to allow us to tap our last 1/6 bbl keg at 4:35 because many places were out and we ran out completely by 4:42. That's right 7 minutes we kicked a 1/6 bbl of beer and had people in line waiting. (5.13 gallons in 1/6 bbl).
The day was humid but not too hot and an occasional welcome breeze, the sun out and behind clouds, alternately all day.
No problems with over -intoxication but one or 2 with dehydration. I was getting quite dry by the end of the day, talking at length for 5 hours and I did not bring enough non-alcoholic to keep away really dry mouth.
Great to meet some people from TKP yesterday, I think 6 in total and I did not know one of our own was working at the New Belgium booth, about 100 ft away or I would have stopped by.
Overall, a good event with very good and happy, considerate crowd. If you don't like the loud heavy drinking crowd you can find at some of the larger festivals, try this one next year. LOTS of alumni from out of town at this.
We stayed in town Saturday night and made it to Cabo Taco and Sharkeys in patio seats. Nice day in toto.
Hey, Joe.
A fundraiser idea.
TKP cozies the proper size to fit a pint glass. Everybodies cozies are the wrong size for pint glasses. Or, a stainless steel pint glass. kinda like this http://www.kleankanteen.com/products/cups-tumblers/steel-pint-cup.php
I'll explain why.
Of course the cozie keeps the beer cold but, sunlight will quickly destroy the hop oils in beer, making that familiar stinky funky smell from beer out on the patio. It's called skunked beer.
1) A cozie and/or stainless pint glass is several things, including light impervious. Now, you can still get sunlight in the top but, at least it doesn't get through the side. You can buy lids for them also, available as insulated pints but, a little more on the pricey side. But they work excellently.
2) both the cozy and the stainless pint are much easier to keep a grip on when wet. Preventing that glass from slipping and shattering amongst the bare or sandled feet.
3) Reuse capability for those environmentally inclined.
4) they're not particularly expensive, you can get imprinted SS pints from quality guys like Kleen Kanteen for the $10 range.
5) Beach and poolside friendly.
Thought I would share another local New River Valley Beer Festival on Saturday, July 5th since many in this thread hasn't heard about the VT one this Saturday and like to attend local festivals.
On July 5th, Nesselrod Bed & Breakfast will be having their Beer, Cider & Whiskey Festival in Radford, VA. There is both a VIP option and a regular admittance option
Link: http://www.newriverbrewfest.com/home.html
And, a small plug for a site I help out with, if you're looking for events and specials happening in the New River Valley, check out NextThreeDays.com. We helped promote both the VT Summer Beer Festival, the Beer, Cider & Whiskey Festival, Brew Do and the list goes on and on for fun events you can find in the NRV.
Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/featuredevents.cfm (Bigger Events in the area)