[Heroditas]

Is anyone else REALLY excited about this festival?
I absolutely can't wait!

[BeerNut]

Originally Posted by BaZmO*

I think it gets away from the point of the festival

I think you might be inventing a point for the festival.

If I were organising something like this, my main aim would be to get out of it with my shirt. If corporate entertainment is one way to help secure the possibility of running it again, then I'm all for the suits subsidising the rest of us.

[johnnyskeleton]

Originally Posted by BaZmO*

Yeah I saw that today. I'm all for making money, but I think it gets away from the point of the festival, or maybe I'm wrong.

If anything, these things should be aimed at increasing the popularilty of microbrews and fostering competition among them. Fans of micro brews often pay more in pubs so they will pay more in a festival. But johnny six pack won't bother unless it is the same price or cheaper than an ordinary pub.

Moreover, what chance does one microbrew drinker have of bringing his/her buddies along if it is more expensive with what the buddies percieved as an unknown, possibly inferior product.

[BaZmO*]

Originally Posted by BeerNut

I think you might be inventing a point for the festival.

If I were organising something like this, my main aim would be to get out of it with my shirt. If corporate entertainment is one way to help secure the possibility of running it again, then I'm all for the suits subsidising the rest of us.

True enough. But it'll irk me to think that most of the seats would be used up for corporate tables (assumption here) at the expensive of the type of person that supports the microbreweries. But maybe that's the price to pay for having these events put on by the organisers.

[BeerNut]

Originally Posted by johnnyskeleton

If anything, these things should be aimed at

But again, here you're up against the hard financial realities of running these sorts of events. If the sole aim was product promotion there are much less stressful ways to spend money.

Bear in mind that this event isn't a combined effort among the microbreweries to collectively promote their product. It's one person's business idea.

It's very easy to sit on the sidelines setting aims and objectives, devising market strategies and identifying target audiences. But the bills for staffing, insurance and infrastructure have to be paid or else there's no festival.

[BeerNut]

Originally Posted by BaZmO*

But it'll irk me to think that most of the seats would be used up for corporate tables (assumption here) at the expensive of the type of person that supports the microbreweries. But maybe that's the price to pay for having these events put on by the organisers.

I think it is. However they're only advertising the corporate element now so I very much doubt it'll be booked out.

One of the horrible things about Oktoberfest in Munich (and there are a few ) is how corporate it is and how hard it can be to get a table once the big business bookings come in. Get in early and get out early is my preferred tactic.

[Krusty_Clown]

Originally Posted by BeerNut

They work a deposit system for that, I think. The organisers of this thing actually want people to take the glasses away.

Perhaps we could bring our own glasses along with us? Not sure if that would comply with the terms of the insurance for the event? I still have a couple of All-Ireland Craft Beerfest glasses that now sadly spend most of their time filled with water. It's about time they got put to proper use once more!

Really hoping to get out to the festival, but once again, my timing is stupendously bad. Off the beer/alcohol for 5 weeks in the lead-up to a sporting event, but once again, I'll give myself a special dispensation for this one.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by johnnyskeleton

If anything, these things should be aimed at increasing the popularilty of microbrews and fostering competition among them. Fans of micro brews often pay more in pubs so they will pay more in a festival. But johnny six pack won't bother unless it is the same price or cheaper than an ordinary pub.

Moreover, what chance does one microbrew drinker have of bringing his/her buddies along if it is more expensive with what the buddies percieved as an unknown, possibly inferior product.

In fairness, renting the IFSC over st patricks weekend is going to cost the organiser beaucoup readies I'd say.

[Ronan cork]

I would have thought if they sold you a souvenir ( a glass) but provided plastic glasses it would be hard to stop people using their souvenir instead as they paid for it. The guards would have picked up on the fact that everyone is given a glass on entry and that they leave with it but a stand selling t-shirts, hats and souvenir "mugs" would have gone under the radar!!
Probably just a price you have to pay for holding an even that weekend but I'd say there are a few thousand beerfest 2012 glasses that will never see the light of day!

[BeerNut]

Originally Posted by Ronan cork

I'd say there are a few thousand beerfest 2012 glasses that will never see the light of day!

They got them printed last year and were smart enough not to put a date on them. They'll keep until September, unless they're banned from that festival too.

[Ronan cork]

Yeah I hope it doesn't become the norm.
The high grade plastic glasses arnt too bad but they do need a good rinse before use and arnt really disposable as they're not cheap. As long as they're not using the really cheap ones you get with water coolers id say it'll be ok.
The lads on the €250 table might feel differently though!

[johnnyskeleton]

Originally Posted by BeerNut

But again, here you're up against the hard financial realities of running these sorts of events. If the sole aim was product promotion there are much less stressful ways to spend money.

Bear in mind that this event isn't a combined effort among the microbreweries to collectively promote their product. It's one person's business idea.

It's very easy to sit on the sidelines setting aims and objectives, devising market strategies and identifying target audiences. But the bills for staffing, insurance and infrastructure have to be paid or else there's no festival.

Ok, but you are at worst facing the same overheads as a pub or similar event that don't charge as much. Plus, even though whoever is organising it isn't interested in promoting the beers, I'm sure the breweries are. So the breweries might provide staff at no cost to the event organisers, and they might also offer their beers at a reduced cost or even free.

To be honest, the greatest benefit of the festival might be that seats in the black sheep, bull and castle and l mulligans are more widely available.

Bear in mind we are already paying a lot for drink in pubs, and this festival wants us to pay above the odds. No thanks.

[johnnyskeleton]

Originally Posted by Bambi

In fairness, renting the IFSC over st patricks weekend is going to cost the organiser beaucoup readies I'd say.

That's fine if they want to benefit from the central location and busy weekend.

But it once again points to this being all about a big profit for thr organisers - which if it is successful they are entititled to. But if it were a more beer-centric event they could have it out in some field at a random weekend at half the price.

[Mr Simpson]

Really looking forward to going this weekend, should be great craic. I assume it will be in a marquee on the pontoon like other events in George's Dock?

[BeerNut]

Originally Posted by johnnyskeleton

Ok, but you are at worst facing the same overheads as a pub or similar event that don't charge as much.

I don't think you can compare them. A pub is a long-term business. Many pubs don't break even for years. The festival has to make all its money in just five days.

Originally Posted by johnnyskeleton

So the breweries might provide staff at no cost to the event organisers

On Friday last I was talking to Ronan from Galway Hooker at the Against the Grain Meet The Brewer event. I asked if he'd be in Dublin for the festival. He said he'd be around for one of the days and his business partner would do another. He said he was glad they didn't have to come up for the full five days, plus a day's set-up and a day's take-down, as it would be mean paying for accommodation and would also mean no beer being brewed back at the brewery.

What you're suggesting wouldn't be practical for them, and they're one of the better-established Irish micros.

Originally Posted by johnnyskeleton

they might also offer their beers at a reduced cost or even free.

Remember that the duty still has to be paid on free beer. A few kegs at a pub promotion or to brewery visitors is manageable. Five day's worth of serving would amount to too much free, or cheap, beer for the short-term publicity it would garner. Drank beer is soon forgotten, as the fella says.

Originally Posted by johnnyskeleton

No thanks.

And that's a perfectly fair response: if you don't want it, don't buy it. If enough people do the same, one of two things will happen: either they'll drop the price for future events or they won't hold any event at all.