http://allaboutbeer.com/gather-for-beer/world-beer-festival/raleigh-nc/

Tickets went on pre-sale Thursday, go on sale for everybody Monday. Anybody else planning on going? Also, this will be my first year attending while not living in Raleigh, any recommendations for a good, festival adjacent hotel?

If anybody wants the password for buying tickets early, PM me

3/5/2011 12:20:41 PM

Already bought my ticket! This is like an April tradition for me

3/5/2011 12:32:42 PM

yeah, me too. Ever since I've been 21 anyway, so this is my 3rd year

3/5/2011 12:34:08 PM

Quote :

"VIP tickets are limited, sold only online, and cost $75. The ticket includes a World Beer Festival commemorative glass, an upscale food buffet, a private hospitality area, and a bonus of extra special beers not available at the brewers’ tables. "

That would be awesome if I had $75

3/5/2011 4:26:30 PM

I was thinking about getting VIP tickets this year, but the group I generally go with isn't quite financially ready to make the jump yet. Maybe next year

3/5/2011 6:18:31 PM

Man I want to go so bad but I'm broke until after May

3/6/2011 3:58:34 PM

i have still NEVER been

maybe this year is my year

3/6/2011 4:08:10 PM

this year is most definitely your year.

i have purchased a ticket for the afternoon session.

3/6/2011 4:30:41 PM

tickets done been purchased!

3/6/2011 4:34:05 PM

tickets bought!

3/7/2011 8:03:57 AM

tickets bought!

3/7/2011 8:04:42 AM

afternoon session ftw

3/7/2011 7:33:12 PM

got tickets for tschudi / tommy wiseau and myself today!!!!!!!!!!

i've never been ever omg excited

i want to go every year but then never do. watch it downpour this year or something!

but we are doing the 6-10pm time. so stoked.

tips? pointers?

i kinda wanted to get VIP but then just got the regular. oh well, still excited anyways!

[Edited on March 7, 2011 at 8:48 PM. Reason : .]

3/7/2011 8:48:04 PM

this makes me mad...cause I REALLY wanted to go to the one last fall, but was told "nooooo too expensive" and this one falls on my bday weekend...

...when I'm knocked up

fwp

3/7/2011 9:20:55 PM

unlike Hopscotch, VIP for Beerfest is not worth it

3/7/2011 9:21:52 PM

^ hehe. gotta get on the hopscotch vip again this year

^^ i was also told too expensive, but i just paid for both tickets myself I AM SUCH AN AWESOME GIRLFRIEND *pats self on back*

not that you aren't awesome, cause you totally are, duh. but i was either going to just buy 1 ticket for myself or 2...1 for the whiner, so i got 2. i felt generous.

i ALSO took a public opinion survey today. i have done my good deeds for the month

[Edited on March 7, 2011 at 9:40 PM. Reason : .]

3/7/2011 9:37:18 PM

except for that whole ruining his ankle thing

SUCH AN AWESOME GIRLFRIEND, BOYFRIEND BEATER

3/7/2011 9:41:19 PM

^^hahahahaha; yeah I'm gonna do that for the one in the fall...just do it, not ask first this time, and if he doesn't wanna go I know I'll be able to find another date

3/7/2011 9:50:36 PM

got my tickets yesterday so pumped

3/8/2011 10:47:14 AM

got mine for the 12-4

3/8/2011 11:32:42 AM

I was somehow unaware of this.

The following weekend is Hickory Hops, if you're further south. It's good times, regional though. You aren't limited to 4 hours; last year we were able to try most of the brewers.
http://www.hickoryhops.com/

3/8/2011 11:50:34 AM

Afternoon session ticket purchased!

3/8/2011 4:31:55 PM

I'm going to wait until the one in October in Durham. Hopefully will have more money by then

3/8/2011 4:33:32 PM

i don't like the durham one for the simple fact that it is smack dab in the middle of football season

3/8/2011 4:34:29 PM

does anyone know why the moved it up so much? it used to be at the end of april

3/8/2011 4:36:00 PM

I'm wondering the same thing

I didn't realize it was so early this year until I bought my ticket

3/8/2011 7:00:08 PM

I've never been but thinking about it this year. Is it worth the $40?

3/9/2011 3:25:16 PM

yes

if you were to spend 4 hours at a bar drinking beer this good, your tab would be WAY more than $40

3/9/2011 3:28:33 PM

Agreed. Got my tix to evening session.

3/9/2011 5:03:42 PM

last time I went I blacked out and threw up on Peter. Or that is what he says at least. I told him I'd buy him another ticket to repay him, maybe he'll finally go again this year with petejames.

3/9/2011 5:42:12 PM

lol o lawd that sounds like something i would do

3/9/2011 5:48:31 PM

I've been to the Hickory Hops thing, I wasn't really a fan. I greatly prefer this one.

^^I didn't even think to ask ya'll! My bad! I'll call in a bit

3/9/2011 6:26:35 PM

^ I'm throwing a bachelorette party on the 9th so I can't go I might try it again one day. If I do then I will pace myself and eat a well balanced meal beforehand. I am trying to get Peter to go though.

3/9/2011 6:33:56 PM

anyone that thinks this shit is too expensive should be ignored

it's actually a great value for the experience

afternoon session, sons and daughters

3/9/2011 6:35:00 PM

It really is a great value. You could go to Flying Saucer and try 5 different beers and rack up a $40 tab. I'm a fan of the 12-4 session though

3/9/2011 8:38:33 PM

aye, 12-4 session FTW

3/9/2011 8:48:30 PM

this will be my 5th year of 6-10

it's all I know and I know that I love it

3/9/2011 9:00:37 PM

some people are just night session people

that's ok, i still love you

but it's not brotherly love, more like cousinly

3/10/2011 12:19:00 AM

this will be my first time attending

i got the night session because I will be watching the Masters that afternoon

3/10/2011 4:22:58 AM

^ good idea...watching golf and drinking beer is a solid recipe for an afternoon nap

3/10/2011 7:09:26 AM

I'm excited... i skipped last years because I had a busy schedule with finishing up the masters degree, but i'm going this time... i usually end up fucking hammered by the end of it, although that's not my goal. (my goal is to sample and enjoy as many good beers as I can)

I have two conflicting ideas...

A. Drink a lot of water beforehand to stay hydrated and what not.
B. Drink nothing beforehand so I can drink more between bathroom breaks (because those lines for the port-a-potties are brutal)

3/10/2011 7:23:31 AM

Go with A, then hit the bars at 10 when beerfest is over.

3/10/2011 3:16:13 PM

^^ they added a second section of port-o-potties last year which helped a bunch

last time I went to a couple of bars after beerfest I remembered absolutely zero about being there

3/10/2011 3:45:40 PM

The lines were still brutal in my opinion.

Went to the beer festival in Gboro a few years ago and the bathroom situation was much much better... not to mention being inside and air conditioned

3/10/2011 4:19:08 PM

Yeah, it was nice in Durham when it was at the ballpark with real bathrooms, but the Raleigh one wasn't too bad last year except near the very end.

3/10/2011 5:22:43 PM

I booked rooms at Clarion Hotel State Capital, looks pretty shitty but it was cheap and within walking distance. Hopefully it won't be too bad.

3/13/2011 9:59:11 PM

^ the interior is surprisingly nice.

3/13/2011 11:46:08 PM

Looks like the bachelorette party is postponed so I'm going to have to go. We got a room at red roof inn so we can keep our puppy. Got it for $102 for 2 nights

[Edited on March 16, 2011 at 11:37 AM. Reason : petejames: hope you dont mind a girl joining your man event and no im not going to flash anyone.]

3/16/2011 11:35:28 AM

oh lawd

3/16/2011 11:53:41 AM

I think this time I'm going to go thru and pick out what I want to try beforehand.

3/16/2011 12:21:32 PM