For those of you who don't know what QGBF is, the general idea is paying $35 for an all-you-can-drink 5-hour slop-fest underneath a tent with live music. Put another way: it is undeniably the single thing that I will miss most when my time in Madison is up (also I will miss the New Glarus beer availability). So, in late-June each year a few thousand people shell out $35 per ticket (wifey and I included) and therefore buy themselves the right to enjoy an amazing experience in the future.
Mike and Amanda made it with us last year, so we made plans again and included Marc and Carol (and Marc's parents, who were in town as well). Mike, being crafty with his woodwork and tools, crafted us baller paddles to carry multiple glasses (so only one person had to run into the tent to get the beer). In other words, we were much more prepared than last year...when we brought absolutely nothing and huddled around inside the tent.The only down-side to our plans were realized while Mike and I were watching the Phillies lose a playoff game the night before the wonderful beer-filled holiday. Mike receives a text from Amanda asking where their tickets were and saying that she couldn't find them. Gut punch to the stomach. Mike and Amanda moved in the summer and apparently lost their tickets, so they were unable to attend the beerfest :-(.
All in all, we had a great time, and I am going to list out the beers that I sampled and the grades that I gave them (just quick ratings, and my palate was so abused by the end of the day that some of them may be meaningless). I will also include a listing of brewers who were in attendance.
My Beers:
- Hennepin Saison (Brewery Ommegang): B+/A-
- Ommegang Wit (Brewery Ommegang): B-
- Red's Rye IPA (Founder's Brewing Company): B
- Little Sumpin' Wild (Lagunitas): A+
- Satisfaction Jacksin (Ale Asylum): B+
- Bell's Oktoberfest (Bell's Brewing): B
- Bell's Lager (Bell's Brewing): B
- Autumnal Fire Doppelbock (Capital Brewery): B
- Hop Cream Ale (Capital Brewery): A-
- Local Acre Wet Hop Lager (Lakefront Brewery): B+
- Pumpkin Lager (Lakefront Brewery): B-
- Oktoberfest (Sprecher Brewing Co.): B
- Point 2012 Black Ale (Stevens Point Brewery): B+
- Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale (Stevens Point Brewery): B+
- Matilda (Goose Island): B+
- SOS Weizen (Abita Brewing Co.): B
- Rusty Red Ale (Oso Brewing Co.): C+
- Belgian Style Wheat (Upland Brewing Co.): B+
- Wavehopper Kolsch (Big Bay Brewing): D
- Long Weekend IPA (Big Bay Brewing): C+
- Hoptoberfest (Milwaukee Brewing Co.): C
- Staghorn Octoberfest (New Glarus Brewing Co.): B+
- Painted Ladies Pumpkin Spice (Tyranena Brewing): B+
- Full House Pale Ale (House of Brews): C-
- Noble Trappist Ale (Grumpy Troll Brew Pub): C
- Norski Nut Brown (Grumpy Troll Brew Pub): C+
The full list of brewers is:
- Brewery Ommegang
- Crispin Cider Company
- Founder's Brewing Co.
- Lagunitas
- Ale Asylum
- August Schell Brewing Co.
- Bell's Brewing
- Capital Brewing Co.
- Great Lakes Brewing
- Lakefront Brewery
- Minhas/Rheinlander Brewing
- Pearl Street Brewery
- Sprecher Brewing Co.
- Stevens Point Brewery
- Goose Island Brewing Co.
- Magic Hat
- New Belgium Brewing
- Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co.
- Vintage Brewing
- Abita Brewing Co.
- Oso Brewing Co.
- Pangaea Brewing
- Potosi
- Upland Brewing Co.
- Big Bay Brewing
- Central Waters Brewing
- Cross Plains Brewing Co.
- Furthermore Brewing
- Jacob Leinenkugel / Blue Moon
- Lake Louie Brewing
- Lithia Brewing
- Milwaukee Brewing Co.
- New Glarus Brewing Co.
- Summit Brewing Co.
- Tyranena Brewing
- House of Brews
- Grumpy Troll Brew Pub
If you ever have a chance to go you should definitely try to attend. It's well worth the $35 bucks. Next year we're going to be even more prepared, with bottled water, pretzel necklaces, "order" menus, etc. It's going to be epic...so epic that I'm looking forward to it 10.5 months in advance!
Cheers,
Hurls
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