All Ireland Craft Beer Fest 7-10th September

KJ

The All Ireland Craft Beer Festival will be taking place in RDS, Dublin between 7th and 10th of September. They are looking for peoples suggestion on how to improve it over on their Facebook page.

johnnyskeleton

Do they really need a facebook page to tell them that people want, in no particular order:

cheaper entry/drinks
more special event Beers ie once offs
off sales of special beers
keep the individual stalls as opposed to a single bar
more choice in food
perhaps more whiskey
did I mention cheaper/free stuff?

CiaranC

Its not going to be cheap or free, lets not start this again.

Lets compare it to NZs major craft beer fest - entry is 40 dollars for four hours with 8 dollars worth of beer vouchers and a glass, beers run 6-8 dollars each (thats approx 4-6 euro) for 250ml.

http://beervana.co.nz/

Irish craft beer is cheap already, a 500ml bottle of 8 Wired, EPIC or Renaissance beer here is 12 dollars in the supermarket and 18 dollars in a bar. Too many people in Ireland think its fair to compare craft with Tescos trays of Budweiser offers as if that is normal. I cannot wait to go home and drink cheap craft beer again.

bamboozle

individual stalls is the key. Didnt enjoy the festival in the IFSC purely as it was one long bar. Individual stalls gives you facetime with the people behind the brews.

johnnyskeleton

CiaranC wrote: »

Its not going to be cheap or free, lets not start this again.

Right. So feedback is wanted but not the type of feedback they don't like?

CiaranC wrote: »

Lets compare it to NZs major craft beer fest - entry is 40 dollars for four hours with 8 dollars worth of beer vouchers and a glass, beers run 6-8 dollars each (thats approx 4-6 euro) for 250ml.

http://beervana.co.nz/

Crikey.

CiaranC wrote: »

Irish craft beer is cheap already, a 500ml bottle of 8 Wired, EPIC or Renaissance beer here is 12 dollars in the supermarket and 18 dollars in a bar.

I don't think you are comparing like for like. Looking at drinkstore.ie and beerstore.co.nz, a bottle of 5am saint in Ireland is €2.50. It is $5NZ which equates to about €3.25. About the same, factoring the transport costs from Scotland to New Zealand.

In the reverse, I can't find a like for like match, but Harrington's Big John Reserve is €5.99 for a 500ml bottle in drinkstore and is $4.03 for a 330ml bottle in beerstore. If we say that a 500ml is an extra 50% on a 330ml (and that's being generous) then it is $6 equivalent in NZ, or €3.89. So the only NZ beers that I can see sold here are more expensive than they are in NZ (makes sense what with import costs).

The three beers you mentioned start from $7.95, $4 (330ml) and $8.49 respectively. It may also be that in NZ you pay a premium for 500ml bottles while in Ireland it would be a more standard serving (other than porterhouse and 8 degrees). Still expensive, mind you, but not as outrageous as you are trying to suggest.

CiaranC wrote: »

Too many people in Ireland think its fair to compare craft with Tescos trays of Budweiser offers as if that is normal. I cannot wait to go home and drink cheap craft beer again.

No one is suggesting that they compete with Tescos or Budweiser, and this is trotted out as though it is somehow an answer to anyone questioning the cost of these things. You are not comparing like for like but I am.

So the hurdle that the beer festivals have to get over is not competing with drinking cheap fizz in a field, it is competing with the L Mulligan Grocers, FXB, Against the Grain, Messers Maguire and Porterhouse groups of pubs. I would pay a premium to drink craft beer in a beer festival vs drinking in an ordinary pub, but the difficulty I have is paying a premium over these great pubs.

In any event, this is all to miss the point. Why are we made to feel like beggars or that we are trying to do down Irish industry because we want better value for money? If any other service industry asks for feedback and price is the main factor, they will either respond or lose business. Why is the suggestion that craft brewers try to work on price anathema?

Particularly since my point isn't just "I want cheaper beer at the festival" but "A festival is a good time to get new customers, so why not use it as a loss leader to gain future sales?"

BaZmO*

I'll be at this with knobs on! Last years' was head and shoulders above the one in the IFSC. I know it's not comparing like for like but they were miles apart in set up.

They should pretty much keep it as it was last year but with more food options. It'd be nice to encourage the brewers to have more specials, but then again, most of them did last year so I don't think it's a problem.

As for the entrance fee, I don't mind paying in a small amount as long as it's not extortionate. They had a special 2 for 1 promotion in some newspapers last year which made for a good deal.

Heroditas

More food and some craft brewing master classes would be great.
Ideally some more festival beers would be nice but that might not be feasible for some breweries.

I thought last year's was fantastic value - free glass and a pint for the €10 entry fee, I.e. a nice branded glass for a fiver.

Can't wait for this to roll around again, particularly after how bad an experience I had at the one in the IFSC.

Krusty_Clown

Heroditas wrote: »

More food and some craft brewing master classes would be great.

+1. Would love if they roped in someone like Beernut to do some live demonstrations, and talk about the differences between kit, extract and All grain brewing (or I suppose I could just sign up for one of the pre-existing classes. Lazy me. :rolleyes:), but I guess it's not a Home-brewing type event.

Would be a good opportunity for Beoir to have a stand and do something like blind beer-tasting (for a fee). Be nice to get an opportunity to taste similarly-style Irish beers side by side. Beoir could even line-up some of the macros against the craft beers, and try and recruit some new craft beer enthusiasts!

I also really enjoyed last year's event and will be back this year if I can make it. I thought the price-point was fine (for a once a year event) but if the prices went up, or it began to resemble the IFSC event, I'd have to think long and hard.

alleyjoe

Thats cool give discount and promote more by making and sharing pages

BaZmO*

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Be nice to get an opportunity to taste similarly-style Irish beers side by side.

You can do that anyway. Just ask for a sample from the Brewer and compare it. Or just get a 3rd of a pint and compare it with a mate's beer. But even that aside, you can just ask the Brewer to explain to you what are the flavour profiles in each of the beers that you're tasting. As long as it's not mad busy, all the Brewers will gladly yap away to you.

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

..and try and recruit some new craft beer enthusiasts!

Would the fact you're actually at a Craft Beer Festival not mean that you're already a Craft Beer enthusiast?

bamboozle

BaZmO* wrote: »

You can do that anyway. Just ask for a sample from the Brewer and compare it. Or just get a 3rd of a pint and compare it with a mate's beer. But even that aside, you can just ask the Brewer to explain to you what are the flavour profiles in each of the beers that you're tasting. As long as it's not mad busy, all the Brewers will gladly yap away to you.



Would the fact you're actually at a Craft Beer Festival not mean that you're already a Craft Beer enthusiast?

i brought a few friends to the festival in the ifsc hoping to turn them into fans. Dont think they'd be considered converts afterwards.

hope to drag them along to the RDS as it should be a much better event.

BaZmO*

bamboozle wrote: »

i brought a few friends to the festival in the ifsc hoping to turn them into fans. Dont think they'd be considered converts afterwards.

hope to drag them along to the RDS as it should be a much better event.

In fairness though, the one in the IFSC would turn converts the other way!! The one in the RDS is a million miles better, and also (Irish) weather proof!

Krusty_Clown

BaZmO* wrote: »

You can do that anyway. Just ask for a sample from the Brewer and compare it. Or just get a 3rd of a pint and compare it with a mate's beer. But even that aside, you can just ask the Brewer to explain to you what are the flavour profiles in each of the beers that you're tasting. As long as it's not mad busy, all the Brewers will gladly yap away to you.

You can go to any pub and order a glass of Heineken and a glass of Carlsberg and compare the differences. What I was suggesting was an opportunity for Beoir to encourage punters to look at the finer differences/finer points between Irish beers of a similar style, and differentiate them, rather than tasting a sip of your mate's beer and saying 'yup, it's different'. It's not something that your typical beer drinker would do at home, as we tend to go for the 'one bottle at a time', so to taste beers side by side would be a bit of a novelty. It's also an opportunity to get punters to rate various beers according to style, and choose a beer of the festival. Anyway, it's a suggestion. May not appeal to you (and perhaps would just appeal to me!).

BaZmO* wrote: »

Would the fact you're actually at a Craft Beer Festival not mean that you're already a Craft Beer enthusiast?

As a previous poster has said, there's a lot of 'dragging friends/partners/etc.' to these things, as well as corporate sports and social outings. When you taste craft beers in isolation? Might change their habits for the night. Taste them alongside macro beers? Might change the habit of a lifetime.

One of my US buddies says he can't drink craft beer, because it gives him an awful hangover. What he is failing to realize is that it is the amount of craft beer that he is drinking, that is giving him an awful hangover. So I'm suggesting that it's an opportunity for Beoir to promote the association of craft beer with taste, rather than strength.

Geuze

http://www.bierpassieweekend.be/en/www_en.html

Antwerp beer festival.

Free entry.

Glass plus programme = 3 or 4 euro.

Beer = 2 euro for 20cl.

BeerNut

Geuze wrote: »

http://www.bierpassieweekend.be/en/www_en.html

Antwerp beer festival.

Free entry.

Glass plus programme = 3 or 4 euro.

Beer = 2 euro for 20cl.

Pretty much all big breweries there.

Heroditas

BeerNut wrote: »

Pretty much all big breweries there.

Pricing is almost the exact same as the RDS last year, if not more expensive!

ciaran76

I hope Vanilla beer turns up again from Breweyed.

Heroditas

ciaran76 wrote: »

I hope Vanilla beer turns up again from Breweyed.

I thought the initial taste was nice but got tired of it about halfway through. Half a pint was enough for me.

ciaran76

Heroditas wrote: »

I thought the initial taste was nice but got tired of it about halfway through. Half a pint was enough for me.

Funnily before I drank the beer I was thinking this is wrong and should not be nice but was very surprised. Then dropping over to get the whiskey aged Clothworthy Dobbin then back for a Vanilla it was a great range of varying flavours.

Tube

CiaranC wrote: »

Its not going to be cheap or free, lets not start this again.

If pints are €5, someone is doing well, and it's probably not the brewer.

There is no defending rip-off craft beer prices in Ireland as a keg of craft beer costs no more from the brewer than a keg of Guinness or a keg of Carlsberg.

BaZmO*

Tube wrote: »

.....as a keg of craft beer costs no more from the brewer than a keg of Guinness or a keg of Carlsberg.

Really?

BaZmO*

Just noticed on their website that there's a couple of "guest breweries" this year.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. & Lexington Brewing Company

Seaneh

Is this the one being run by O'Hara's?

If so, I was told a few weeks back by a brewer that they were seriously pissed off because O'Hara's were allowing Diago to have a stall to pimp Smitchwicks Pale and Guinness Black Lager, don't know how true this is though...

BaZmO*

I seriously doubt that's true

Random_Person

For anyone who has gone to this before, could you post about the prices inside and what goes on apart from the beers? Price of a beer, samples, demonstrations, types of food available, events etc.. thanks.

Seaneh

BaZmO* wrote: »

I seriously doubt that's true

Just what I was told, some breweries were considering boycotting.

oblivious

Seaneh wrote: »

Is this the one being run by O'Hara's?

If so, I was told a few weeks back by a brewer that they were seriously pissed off because O'Hara's were allowing Diago to have a stall to pimp Smitchwicks Pale and Guinness Black Lager, don't know how true this is though...

I think that there was a rumour that Diago would pay for the RDS rental for the event if allowed to set up a stand.

not sure if its true, but the event did make a loss last year

bamboozle

oblivious wrote: »

I think that there was a rumour that Diago would pay for the RDS rental for the event if allowed to set up a stand.

not sure if its true, but the event did make a loss last year

it can hardly be considered a craft beer festival if Diagio are footing the bill.

if they're involved i'd say they'll be flogging their 'craft' beers for next to nothing.

spectacular own goal if this were to happen.

Heroditas

I don't know about everyone else, but I'm getting awfully excited about this, particularly now that there will be quite a few food stands present!

BaZmO*

Heroditas wrote: »

I don't know about everyone else, but I'm getting awfully excited about this, particularly now that there will be quite a few food stands present!

Some of the food stands look fantastic. Spit roast pig?!! Yum yum!

irish_goat

Random_Person wrote: »

For anyone who has gone to this before, could you post about the prices inside and what goes on apart from the beers? Price of a beer, samples, demonstrations, types of food available, events etc.. thanks.

Prices last year were €5 a pint, €2.50 for a half. (stick to half pints and you can taste more of them). You're welcome to ask the brewer for a quick sample before you commit to buy as well. You'd pay the same if not a lot more for a pint of craft beer in a pub and like it's been said, the event operates at a loss at the minute so you can't complain about price.

There's going to be a homebrew demonstration stand run by Beoir and you can of course ask the brewer's themselves any questions.

Can't remember exactly what food is going to be there but off the top of my head;
Cheese stall
Organic Pizza
A decent burger van
The Pie Man
Spit Roast Pig
+ more.

Heroditas

irish_goat wrote: »

There's going to be a homebrew demonstration stand run by Beoir and you can of course ask the brewer's themselves any questions.

I assume BeerNut is going to be doing that! I was at one of his classes three weeks ago

irish_goat wrote: »

Can't remember exactly what food is going to be there but off the top of my head;
Cheese stall
Organic Pizza
A decent burger van
The Pie Man
Spit Roast Pig
+ more.

Burren Smokehouse will be there too.

BeerNut

Heroditas wrote: »

I assume BeerNut is going to be doing that!

Ha! No, people who know far more about brewing than I do will be doing it. If you want to get to the real substance of brewing rather than just piddling about with kits, this will be the place to go.

johnnyskeleton

oblivious wrote: »

not sure if its true, but the event did make a loss last year

Do you have a source for this? A set of accounts or general costing? It's not that I don't believe you, it's just that I am highly skeptical of whoever told you that it made a loss.

the beer revolu

irish_goat wrote: »

the event operates at a loss at the minute so you can't complain about price.

I think you'll find that people can and will complain about the price.

matrim

irish_goat wrote: »

There's going to be a homebrew demonstration stand run by Beoir and you can of course ask the brewer's themselves any questions.

Do you know when this will be? I'd like to see it but will only be able to go on Friday or (maybe and) Sunday.

Heroditas

the beer revolu wrote: »

irish_goat wrote: »

the event operates at a loss at the minute so you can't complain about price.

I think you'll find that people can and will complain about the price.

Ssssssssh! Don't encourage him!

BeerNut

matrim wrote: »

Do you know when this will be?

The homebrew demo stand is scheduled to be running every day up to 9pm. Rule of thumb, though, is if you want to talk to anyone about anything at the festival, get there early.

emco

the beer revolu wrote: »

I think you'll find that people can and will complain about the price.

I think the pricing is reasonable, beer is always more expensive at organized events (not held in pubs), and its also normally slop served by untrained bar staff in plastic glasses.

Also I think you'll find that people who choose to go into the craft beer industry aren't exactly motivated by big profits!

One question I have though, will there be a free glass and drink with the admission again? I couldn't fond mention of it on the site or facebuke, except for the one on Doolin.

Seaneh

emco wrote: »

I think the pricing is reasonable, beer is always more expensive at organized events (not held in pubs), and its also normally slop served by untrained bar staff in plastic glasses.

I bloody love the myth that there is some sort of skill to pulling a pint.

There isn't.

None, at all. you pull the level and change the angle of the glass as it fills, that's all, it's not magic.

one of my first jobs was in a bar, I worked in abrs on and off until I finished college (even bwteen chef jobs/placements) and I'd laugh in auld lads faces when they'd say "so and so can't pull a pint". People get the stupidest ideas in their heads.

The only "skill" is maybe having to change the gas flow if it's pouring too high or if the head on the ales and lagers is acting up.


As for cask, it's even easier, if you have a two pull engine it's literally two slow pulls of the handle, nothing that needs training.

noby

Whether the event is operating at a profit or loss shouldn't be any concern to the paying punter - I think it's more important to voice your grievances to the organisers, as well as letting them know what they're doing right. One example is the food; most people agreed this was an area that should be improved upon, and I'm glad to see it's looking a lot better this time.

As for the skill in pouring a pint - most of the pints will be pulled by brewers, and not bar staff. I'm a brewer, not a barman, but I'll be doing my best to ensure our beer is being served in top condition - just like all the other brewers there.

emco

Seaneh wrote: »

I bloody love the myth that there is some sort of skill to pulling a pint.

Fair enough I'll bow to your superior knowledge. But I think my general point that €5 is good value for a pint at this event holds true, when compared to most events; like concerts, shows, festivals, sporting events etc, where pints usually cost more and the only thing on offer is a bland lager and sometimes Guinness. And €10 for an entry fee is great value if it comes with a free drink and pint glass.

emco

noby wrote: »

As for the skill in pouring a pint - most of the pints will be pulled by brewers, and not bar staff. I'm a brewer, not a barman, but I'll be doing my best to ensure our beer is being served in top condition - just like all the other brewers there.

Apologies noby if it sounded like I was having a go at how the quality of drink served might be at this event I wasn't. I was comparing/ contrasting (or at least trying to!) the price and quality of beers at this event to others such as matches and concerts. Of course I expect only great things from the Irish Craft Beer Fest!

oblivious

Seaneh wrote: »

As for cask, it's even easier, if you have a two pull engine it's literally two slow pulls of the handle, nothing that needs training.

yea until some decides to vent and serve the same day

noby

oblivious wrote: »

Seaneh wrote: »

As for cask, it's even easier, if you have a two pull engine it's literally two slow pulls of the handle, nothing that needs training.

yea until some decides to vent and serve the same day

Most of the skill with cask is in the cellarmanship.

CianRyan

I've just won tickets to this from Publin.ie. I was always going to head in anyway but this makes it that much sweeter.
Seriously looking forward to this.

oblivious

noby wrote: »

oblivious wrote: »

Seaneh wrote: »

As for cask, it's even easier, if you have a two pull engine it's literally two slow pulls of the handle, nothing that needs training.

yea until some decides to vent and serve the same day

Most of the skill with cask is in the cellarmanship.

I was pointing tat out, but it all can come done if som decide to. move, vent, serve and expect a clear. pint

Tube

Seaneh wrote: »

As for cask, it's even easier, if you have a two pull engine it's literally two slow pulls of the handle, nothing that needs training.

That's pulling it, but there's far more to cask that pulling a handle.

Every single bad pint I've had in the last 3 years in this country has been from cask, nearly always because the people on the other side of the bar don't understand what they're doing.

BaZmO*

Any news on 2 for 1 offers in the papers?

BaZmO*

List of new/seasonal beers available at this year's event. Lots of lovely Cask goodness by the looks of things. Really looking forward to this now.

• Franciscan Well Brewery will showcase a limited edition alpha dwag IPA on cask, a double hopped rebel red (which will only be available at the festival) and will feature their “coming soon” product, an Irish whiskey barrel aged stout.

• Metalman have done something different in their casks… It's all about the casks! What do you suppose they have put in them? Come along and find out.

• Trouble brewing will no doubt be causing trouble with their seasonal brew, Pumpkin Ór and some special casks!

• Whitewater will complement their usual range of kegs with McHughs 300, a trial brew using malt from Northern Ireland which will be in cask version. This is a special commission for Botanic Inns to celebrate McHughs Bar 300th birthday.

• Dungarvan’s head brewer, Cormac O’Dwyer, has put together a selection of small specials which will include Rye-PA (which was debuted at the Brewer’s on the Bay festival in Galway this year), dry hopped versions of our Helvick Gold and Copper Coast, plus a few other surprises which will be announced as they are tapped at the RDS.

• Eight Degrees will launch their Ocht-oberfest beer, a Märzen-style lager ABV 6.4%. Chat to Cam and Scott to understand why this lager has been brewed eight degrees west of Greenwich on the eighth month of the year - and served at precisely eight degrees Celsius.

• Breweyed brewery will be launching a new company brand and a new beer at the RDS festival. Their new company name is 'Bo Bristle' and the new beer is 'Bo Bristle IPA' 5% abv.

• Hilden will be bringing down its Twisted Hop Pale Ale in draught for the first time to see what the RDS crowd make of it. It will also have “Barney’s Brew” available in “Cask” - unfiltered and naturally carbonated. Originally brewed to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Barney Hughes, famous Belfast baker and Philanthropist. Brewed with the addition of Cardamom Coriander and Black Pepper and lots of Wheat for a unique taste!

• O’Hara’s will be launching a number of new products at the festival including: Oak Aged Leann Folláin (whiskey barrel aged, in cask), O’Hara’s Winter Star (cinnamon, fresh orange peel and coconut spice up this juicy Amber Ale) and O’Hara’s Natural Blonde (the best of Irish malts combined with a single hop to make this thirst quenching blonde beer).

Donadea Leo

Wow really looking forward to this - all that choice looks fantastic how on earth am I going to try all those drinks and not wind up in A&E - any advice?