128 replies to this topic

[Sparky]

How sad is it that it's impossible under current laws to have a wine festival, where participants can walk the harbour causeway sipping various $5-8/glass wines from nice acrylic wine glass.

Hot August Nights is a large classic car show held in Reno every year. One of the more delightful events is the wine walk where you buy a commemorative wine glass and stroll from venue to venue along the Truckee river that winds its way through town. Every location that you stop at has a different selection of wine. It takes a couple of hours. It is a nice way to meet fellow car enthusiasts.

One very civilized way to spend the early part of the evening.

[VicHockeyFan]

Craigslist yesterday....

 

[amor de cosmos]

Is that all they have to do to get those tickets? The guy sounds pretty desperate.

[VicHockeyFan]

Is that all they have to do to get those tickets? The guy sounds pretty desperate.

 

I've used google image search to send him over 100 entries now, hope I win.

[Mike K.]

Good idea.

Although I don't think there are any tickets to be won...

[VicHockeyFan]

I sent in a couple pix of hitchBOT fully naked.

[Mike K.]

That's hot.

[dasmo]

Heading out to the Guild tonight for the Beer Fest Feast. My buddies brewery from Van will be there so I'm pluggin it!

"Featuring special brews from Brassneck Brewery, Gigantic Brewing Company, Parallel 49 Brewing Company, Four Winds Brewing Co. & Phillips! The food menu is inspired by beer and will be a collaboration from The Guild Freehouse, Foo, Choux Choux Charcuterie, and Pig BBQ Joint! $50 gets you in and a free pass to explore all the beer and food want along with the brewers in a casual buffet and passed plates setting."

http://www.phillipsb...beer-fest-feast

[Sparky]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E064kb3UnU

[pontcanna]

Time to resurrect the thread for 2015. Is it just me or is the event feeling a little tired? The beer list I saw makes clear that this is really a BC Beer Festival, with few breweries from out of province and none at all from the USA. The website design (http://gcbf.com/) looks a little amateurish, volunteer hours are much longer than previous (they were still looking for people a few weeks ago) and there are still Friday tix available. I'm wondering with more fests on the Mainland and in Washington State, that the GCBF is viewed as not offering value for money.

[VicHockeyFan]

If I'm not mistaken US participation was threatened by some kind of kooky rule. Maybe that has set in.

[pontcanna]

If I'm not mistaken US participation was threatened by some kind of kooky rule. Maybe that has set in.

Yes, some consular international rule that was left up to the whims of the Grand Poohbahs of BC liquor control. I believe US breweries were here before under sufferance. Interesting (and a good thing) that one can find plenty of esoteric US taps at Churchill, Garricks, The Moon and so on.

[spanky123]

It was interesting a few years ago when there was more diversity and you couldn't buy 500 different brands at the local liquor store. I stopped going 2 years ago when it became $50 to get in and $8 a bottle equivalent to drink the same beer that I could buy down the road.

[Mike K.]

I'll be going for the first time. I've never seem the draw before but might as well give it a go. I'll be there on the Friday.

[nagel]

I'll be going for the first time. I've never seem the draw before but might as well give it a go. I'll be there on the Friday.

I've never gone because it seemed like it would cost me at least $80 all-in. Compared to a $10 growler at Phillips that's crazy.  But I do want to try it one time so I'm going Friday too.

[Mike K.]

Great. It would be good to put another face to a name if you're up for that (many posters want to stay anonymous and that's cool, of course) 

[nagel]

Great. It would be good to put another face to a name if you're up for that (many posters want to stay anonymous and that's cool, of course) 

Mine is about as anonymous as yours is.

[Mike K.]

Gotcha. I'll specify my wardrobe beforehand. Beer + beer is a good way to meet people.

[nagel]

I'm wearing a purple bejewelled stormtrooper shirt.

 

[amor de cosmos]

it seems unthinkable to me that they would scale back the gcbf to just bc breweries. what is this insanity?
 

Only eight or nine out-of-province brewers, from as far away as Quebec and Whitehorse, are represented. Hieter says that at some point, the festival may only feature B.C. companies.

http://www.timescolo...n-day-1.2054570

iirc there was a time when the gcbf was in our tiny conference centre & moved out to RAP where it has been held since. have they even tried finding a bigger location, or keeping most of it at RAP & expanding into nearby central park (behind the crystal pool, kitty-corner from RAP). there are much bigger locations that could probably accomodate the breweries on the waitlist. places like landsdowne school, topaz park... they could even have multiple locations, like the beer olympics. bc breweries at RAP, rest of canada somewhere else or whatever. here are some stats from the great american beer fest

Festival Facts

• The festival sold out in 1 hour 17 minutes during the public ticket sale in 2015. In 2007, the festival sold out the week of the event.
• An estimated 3,500+ beers will be poured in the festival hall—the biggest selection of American beers ever served.
• 60,000 attendees (includes ticketed attendees, brewers, judges, volunteers and journalists) are expected in 2015.
• 750+ U.S. breweries will pour in the festival hall in 2015—a new record.
• GABF had a $7 million economic impact on the city of Denver in 2012, according to Visit Denver, the city’s convention and visitors bureau.

https://www.greatame...-facts-figures/

Edited by amor de cosmos, 11 September 2015 - 09:28 AM.