The Big Grill Festival Festival

Dietsquirt · 14-08-2014 4:32pm #1

Was debating whether to put this in 'After Hours', anyway here we go.

Just saw this advertised on FB, I love craft beer and I love BBQs.

The price for the event is (incl fee) €16.65 per person on Saturday. There will be a some good restaurants and micro-breweries from around the country setting up stalls etc... They will be charging of course, if it's anything like Taste of Dublin it'll be €5 a pint and the plates/servings of food will be between €4-10 each.

I'm not a miser and I don't think i'm tight when it comes to spending money.

Does anyone else think that this is a rip-off?

€16.65 to pay to go and drink beer/food that is virtually the same price outside of the 'festival'.

In my opinion these events should be there to promote their products, particularly the micro-breweries. There are so many great Irish beers and this is a fantastic opportunity for the breweries to showcase them.

Would selling them for €3 a pint not be a better choice.

And don't get me started with the 'Smokin tokens' you have to buy first to use for buying food/drink.

I'd appreciate some of your opinions.

http://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-big-grill-bbq-craft-beer-festival-tickets-11808358117

RasTa · 14-08-2014 4:44pm

Yeah it's a rip off, not going. Will be going to the craft-beer fest in the RDS instead.

Also no Big Green Egg means it's not a proper BBQ festival

The Mig · 14-08-2014 4:57pm

Bought a group ticket(6 adults) for the Saturday a few weeks ago and it's working out at €7.50 per head.

Beers and Ciders will be between 2.5-5 Smokins. Food between 4-10 tokens. Couple of food challenges, food demos, a good few DJ's playing and plenty of eating stalls.

Have to say I'm looking forward to it!

MonkstownHoop · 14-08-2014 5:33pm

I'm looking forward to it myself, bit of an over reaction here, won't be any more expensive than other beer/food festival

dudara · 14-08-2014 5:35pm

I've also seen in an email that Wine Online will have a stand there. Bought a weekend ticket a while ago on the Early Bird deal, looking forward to attending.

BeerNut · 14-08-2014 6:02pm

Dietsquirt wrote: »

I'd appreciate some of your opinions.

The things that you would like are not financially practical, for a variety of reasons. That's why they don't happen in real life. No brewery will be coming away from this or any similar event with money in their pocket.

oblivious · 14-08-2014 9:27pm

RasTa wrote: »

Also no Big Green Egg means it's not a proper BBQ festival

Have you see what some cook on in the US? it can be along way from a green egg but savage BBQ

Dietsquirt · 15-08-2014 9:29am

The Mig wrote: »

Bought a group ticket(6 adults) for the Saturday a few weeks ago and it's working out at €7.50 per head.

Beers and Ciders will be between 2.5-5 Smokins. Food between 4-10 tokens. Couple of food challenges, food demos, a good few DJ's playing and plenty of eating stalls.

Have to say I'm looking forward to it!

If you got an adult ticket for the Saturday for €7.50 then that is very reasonable.

I think you're being very optimistic if you think there'll be pints/long necks of beer/cider on sale for as little as €2.50.

Dietsquirt · 15-08-2014 9:32am

BeerNut wrote: »

The things that you would like are not financially practical, for a variety of reasons. That's why they don't happen in real life. No brewery will be coming away from this or any similar event with money in their pocket.

I'm well aware of that, a friend of mine runs a Garden Centre and breaks - even every time 'Bloom' is on.

I still can't see how a brewery from Kildare can't sell pints for €3, getting the name out there will certainly encourage people to buy their product the next time they're in Tesco.

I'm not denying that the event will be fun, it sounds great. I just primarily have an issue with the €16.65 cover charge

drumswan · 15-08-2014 9:41am

Theres discounts with you Beoir membership.

Was going to wander around on the Sunday but dont think Ill bother at those prices tbh, there wont be a single beer there I havent already tried.

drumswan · 15-08-2014 9:43am

Dietsquirt wrote: »

I still can't see how a brewery from Kildare can't sell pints for €3

Why would they sell beer for €3 when people will happily pay €5 for it? Breweries are running a business, not operating charitable co-ops.

BeerNut · 15-08-2014 9:50am

Dietsquirt wrote: »

I still can't see how a brewery from Kildare can't sell pints for €3, getting the name out there will certainly encourage people to buy their product the next time they're in Tesco.

It's because the money they would lose on the event would not justify the potential rewards from added custom. They've done the maths. They have to.

Dietsquirt wrote: »

I just primarily have an issue with the €16.65 cover charge

That's just how much it costs. There are 51 other weekends available for anyone who wants to set up a cheaper barbecue festival in Herbert Park to undercut this one.

Toto Wolfcastle · 15-08-2014 10:16am

Living Social has Sunday tickets for €10 at the moment and thediningroom.ie has Friday tickets for €7.50 and Sunday tickets for €10.

schemingbohemia · 15-08-2014 10:47am

Pigsback also now have them for €7.50 for Friday and €10 for Sunday

symbolic · 15-08-2014 11:11am

I've no idea on the costs on such an event, but I live beside it and they have been setting up the site since Tuesday.

Fencing. Tents. Toilets etc.

I booked my Friday ticket with the Beoir discount so it was very reasonable.

Hopefully they get some good weather and it all runs well for them.

blueshed · 15-08-2014 2:47pm

the Central Bar Navan are having a beer festival this Saturday, its €20 entry and you get 5 "samples" and bbq.

tempted to go but would hope the samples are half pints and not shot size.

Lainey_b01 · 16-08-2014 9:46am

Made plans to head meet mates ere but just found out Saturday is sold out! Boo

Creamy Goodness · 16-08-2014 10:02am

blueshed wrote: »

the Central Bar Navan are having a beer festival this Saturday, its €20 entry and you get 5 "samples" and bbq.

tempted to go but would hope the samples are half pints and not shot size.

Since when have samples ever been half pints? Do the math.

Let's say a half pint is €2.50 I'm sure they're more expensive depending on the beer.

Samples 2.50 * 5 = 12.50
BBQ 10 * 1 = 10.00

That's 22.50 and the ticket price is 20. I've seen photos and the samples aren't shot glasses but they're the normal tasting glasses you get on paddles.

I think that's good value and also hoping the pub make a bit on that as they are operating a business and don't have to put on events like these.

JJ · 16-08-2014 10:59am

Has anybody here been yet? What's it like? Is anybody offering growlers? I'm going on Sunday.

symbolic · 16-08-2014 12:04pm

JJ wrote: »

Has anybody here been yet? What's it like? Is anybody offering growlers? I'm going on Sunday.

I went it was grrrrrrand... Early Friday evening so wasn't crazy busy.

Had some Brown Paper Bag, the Trouble Brewing black IPA and the Saison. Enjoyed them. Watched some cooking demonstrations, had some hot dogs and diep.

Queues at certain foodstalls were getting quite long.. Imagine it could be annoying at capacity.

Bodytonic have a stage with some djs on.

Be interested to hear reports from sold out Saturday.

ckencleary · 16-08-2014 2:30pm

Does anyone have tickets they would be willing to sell for Saturday? We plan to go this evening, but it is already sold out.

Toto Wolfcastle · 16-08-2014 6:17pm

Looks incredibly busy from the photo Diep at Home posted on Facebook.

sammyb · 17-08-2014 7:24pm

I have just come back from the big grill and craft beer fest.
Enjiyable evening. Nice crowd. Handy location. Some good variety of stalls.
Though - paid €22.0 for 2 tickets in.
Then you have to buy "tokens' to get good, etc.
to buy a burger or a pulled pork food it was €10. Queues were mad long.
Then was waiting for the competition there - still waiting for it 40 mins after it was due to start.. They didn't communicate with the crowd. Which they should have. Great idea. Just they need to build on the amount of competitions. Like to see how it develops.

solomafioso · 17-08-2014 7:28pm

I'd actually suggest something. Ban kids / buggies.

Went on the Saturday, long queues and overpriced food but the atmosphere was good and it seemed to be well run.

MonkstownHoop · 17-08-2014 7:44pm

solomafioso wrote: »

I'd actually suggest something. Ban kids / buggies.

Went on the Saturday, long queues and overpriced food but the atmosphere was good and it seemed to be well run.

Ha, i thought when i seen a kids area they'd be caged in there :pac:
Also alot of the beer at the international bar ran out, seeing as saturday was sold out they could have forecast that.

Good day out though and i can see it lasting

solomafioso · 17-08-2014 7:59pm

MonkstownHoop wrote: »

Ha, i thought when i seen a kids area they'd be caged in there :pac:
Also alot of the beer at the international bar ran out, seeing as saturday was sold out they could have forecast that.

Good day out though and i can see it lasting

Yeah, the 8 degrees bar was closed for a few hours on Saturday too! (I think they ran out / went to get more kegs). Also 5e for cans was a little over board, I stuck with a couple of pints.

Found it false advertising on the Porterhouse's part that they had a placard up of all their beers and when I got up to the bar they were only selling three! Suppose with the length of queues / pull-time, they couldn't feasibly sell their stouts.

Place was chock full of hipsters too. :pac:

nmg_ire · 19-08-2014 2:02pm

Got 6 tickets on groupon which worked out at €7:50 each for Sunday, 2 pulled out but we sold them within 20seconds of landing on Sunday. About 20 people standing outside as it was sold out. Totally what i expected, family day out with loads of kids. But saying that we had a great time (2 couples). Great food and good selection of drinks to try and a great atmosphere about. Yes it was a bit pricey but i expected nothing less. It being its first year I would say it'll only get better. Congrats to all involved.

The Nal · 15-07-2015 3:59pm

Anyone planning to go this year. Lasted about 3 hours last year until myself and the missus went through about 100 euro and decided we were being thoroughly ripped off.

Are prices the same this year? What was it? 5-6 quid for a tiny glass of wine?

Also I cant see Pitt Bros anywhere? Which is a good thing.

BeerNut · 15-07-2015 6:19pm

The Nal wrote: »

Anyone planning to go this year.

Yeah, I got a couple of freebies so will be going along.

If you don't think it's worth it, just don't go.

Hootanany · 15-07-2015 8:11pm

BeerNut wrote: »

Yeah, I got a couple of freebies so will be going along.

If you don't think it's worth it, just don't go.

Shame it such a rip offðŸ˜

toffeeshel · 15-07-2015 9:33pm

Living Social have Thurs and Fri tickets for 7 euro.

The Big Grill Festival Festival

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