Comments on: Top Ten Tuesday: Top 10 Festival Pet Peeves

By: Bier ist best | DC Beer - Washington DC, Beers in DC, Beer, Bars, Craft beer, homebrewing, happy hours, beer tastings

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 14:18:21 +0000

[...] there would have been a difference if all Oktoberfest goers would read Jay Brooks’ article on his top 10 festival pet peeves . I happened to spot, a few times throughout the day, attendees escorted to the exit by event [...]

By: Karen

Karen — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:54:06 +0000

I have a new pet peeve, having just last weekend been a volunteer pourer at a beer fest. It’s maybe a variation on the bad drunk? It’s the guy who hands me his glass to fill, and then has no token or ticket. Now what do I do? Take it back? Pour it out? Law requires I take a ticket for each sample. Then there was the guy with the Designated Driver armband that got mad because I wouldn’t pour him a drink, so he turned the armband inside out so you couldn’t tell it was a DD armband and went to the next booth. He had tokens and a glass, though…he must have been sharing so he could get in cheaper. Maybe that’s why the other guy ran out of tickets? Grrrrrr…

By: Larry Bennett

Larry Bennett — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 20:30:16 +0000

A whole new setof festival pet peeves. Was in Louisville KY last weekend and they had a Top of the Hops fest. Apparently run by a for-profit organization out of Alabama. The better beers ran out in an hour, even though the place was not remotely crowded. The servers, all volunteers, knew nothing about the beers. They had in total a 1/2 page piece of paper about the brewery and beers. Finally, my son-in-law signed up for a “Win a Caribbean Vacation” drawing. He was called two days later, was told he won, and they just needed his credit card for “processing fees.” My guess is everyone who signed up “won.” When he wouldn’t give a CC number over the phone they wouldn’t tell him any more and dropped him. Clearly a scam, and my guess is the Alabama company had a hand in it. Lesson: Avoid for profit beer fests at all costs.

By: Jen McDaniel

Jen McDaniel — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:00:23 +0000

11. Male Chauvinists

So while most of the men I encounter at beer festivals either don’t register my gender or appreciate my gender, there are a number of men who basically dismiss me because I am a woman. At the Celebrator party, there were some beer servers who directed all of their comments (some of which were in response to MY questions) only to my husband. Hello? I introduced my husband to the world of craft beer. I’m the one who reads the blogs, I’m the one who promotes our site, I’m the one who bought the tickets and made the reservations! But even if I was a complete newbie who was just discovering craft beer for the first time, there is absolutely no reason to make assumptions about my knowledge or interest because I have breasts. Dude, you don’t know me. Don’t judge me based on your preconceived notions of what a woman at a beer festival is like.

By: DiamondBearJoe

DiamondBearJoe — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:51:09 +0000

This will be my first year for a beer festival, after reading this list I felt like I was seeing it first hand. I am going to print this out for my fellows here in Arkansas for GABF this year.

Cheers,
Joe

By: Jim Olson (Bostonbeerman)

Jim Olson (Bostonbeerman) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 03:11:19 +0000

Great list Jay. I think to help with #5, I would appreciate it if brewers had a little bit more info about their offerings. This would cut down on the questions. The info is often listed in the distributed beer program, but having to look the beer up can also throw a kink in the line (I am sometimes guilty of this), especially as the night gets later as I try to avoid high abv beers. If I don’t see it from the line, I have to either ask or look it up. I realize they can’t list everything, but knowing the abv or the IBU of an IPA is helpful…I don’t necessarily have to know the hop varieties used, etc…although it the line is slow I will surely ask.

By: Smitty

Smitty — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:29:34 +0000

Number 1 and the lack of bathrooms are the main reasons reasons I rarely attend festivals anymore. Especially the small regional ones. When it’s hot, you drink lots of water with the beer to stay hydrated, and that means several trips to the restroom. The last time I went to the festival here in Nashville, I spent more time in line to use the restroom than waiting for beer. The wait was 35 minutes on each visit. There were bad drunks everywhere, who came simply to get smashed. Near the end of the day, there were several fights- most of which were over someone’s girlfriend who was scantilly clad. Most festivals are just drunkfests. Not my thing

By: michael Reinhardt

michael Reinhardt — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:10:42 +0000

I think Peter is right on about saving the imperial Stout thing and beer appreciation. This one hits home very personally for me. Here I am, living in Indiana, waiting on Dark Lord Day to come at Three Floyds. I’m in complete suspense about what their going to do about the festival this year. Are they or aren’t they going to do a lottery system? Am I going to be able to get in? I want to go with the intention of buying a few Dark Lords. I’ll drink a couple, share a couple, and cellar a couple. But I know that in the past people have bought some in the front of the line and sold them at the back of the line for a profit. Just as bad, people will buy the beer with intention of selling it on the net for a huge profit. So, one that I would add is: Getting a hold of a limited release bottle of beer X or Y at a beer festival with no intention of drinking it and using it as a means of profit. All the while, people that really want to have the beers are missing out or paying way too much because of some douche bags.

I also agree about the kid thing and responsibility. However, no matter how responsibly you behave, the other 10 reason type people leave a much more negative impression. I just wonder whether or not those people will abrogate the positive influence that the parent might have. That’s probably why I would avoid taking my kids…other idiots can really ruin it. I also suppose that this is somewhat age dependent and, therefore, a discretionary decision.

By: Zak Davis

Zak Davis — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:54:36 +0000

Wow. You hit the nail right on the head. Consider your pint already bought.

By: Michael Kiesling

Michael Kiesling — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 06:07:42 +0000

“Shut up, get out of the way.”

My number one. When I’ve poured, I like to see how long I can leave the tap open and grab glass after glass. The opposite of the chatter who likes to stand at the tap after getting a pour.

By: Peter

Peter — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:49:28 +0000

Ditto on the kids at festivals, I love to bring my daughter to the fests but it isn’t always an option. My only other pet peeve (eventually) falls into the bad drunk category. People who ask me for my strongest beer. Not best selling, hoppiest, maltiest, etc.sc I love to give them a best bitter or other low abv beer with a big smile and save the Imperial Stout for those who really appreciate it.

By: johnfoster

johnfoster — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:50:52 +0000

Not there to appreciate (which is #9 inverted). I’ve volunteered to pour beer on occasion and I still surprised by the comment “I’ll have your strongest beer.” meaning pour whatever has the most ABV. that is, the person doesn’t care anything about the beer. not the style, that it won something or that it’s rare. you could literally pour from spill bucket and those bozos would be happy.

By: Mitch

Mitch — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:08:39 +0000

Jay: What a great list, I agree 100%.
Only two other things I can think of that drive me crazy at beer festivals:
1. Lack of restrooms
2. The people who feel the need to tell you how to improve your beer…I am usually very open to constructive feedback, but at crowded beer festival with lots of people waiting for samples, not so much.

By: jen Garris

jen Garris — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 23:44:40 +0000

BRILLIANT! This should be posted and mandatory for all to read prior to entering!