Monday, August 20, 2012

In Case You Haven't Heard...

I haven't written anything about Hopfest because I figure if you don't already know about it, you don't live in New Mexico and have no intention of going. "Hopfest awareness" is all over Facebook and all over town on flyers and those things sticking out of every six-pack in every beer store. Coincidentally, I think I have spotted little elves in tiny Hopfest shirts scuttling in the shadows.
But just in case you somehow aren't familiar with the event, here is a rundown:
The event takes place at the Hard Rock Hotel this Saturday, August 25. General Admission tickets are $25 if you buy online or at Tractor Brewing $30 at the door, and these tickets get you in at 3. If that's not early enough, there is an Extra Hoppy Hour starting at 2, though these tickets are 92% GONE. Get them quick, $35 online or Tractor, $40 at the door.
This will be the biggest NM beer event yet, with 55 breweries pouring 160 beers! This will also mark the first local fest involving new breweries Broken Bottle and Back Alley.
There will also be a drawing where the winner receives Widmer beer for a year. That's a lotta Hefeweizen.
Want to stay around after and party like someone who buys a $250 denim jacket with Hard Rock patches on it? There is a special room rate of $129 if you use the code HOPG2012 on the Hard Rock Hotel website. Come hang out and watch me lose at the blackjack tables like last year. I don't think there are UFC fights going on this year like there were last, so you'll probably see less Tapout and Affliction shirts and more brewery shirts in the Hard Rock crowd.
Finally, eight bands will be at Hopfest to keep the non-problem drinkers entertained. Eight? It's gonna be like Woodstock down there...hopefully without the smellies, though.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

The Untapped Fest (http://untapped-festival.com/) in Dallas has about 20 beers that are nearly impossible to get in New Mexico. Hows about the Hopfest focusing in the future on trying to get some beers at a Festival that you can't already buy at a number of restaurants/bars/liquor stores. It seems a little pointless to pay to drink what you are already familiar with. Other than that, happy carousing.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sloppy said...

I went to something like that in Phoenix (AZ Strong Beer Fest) back in February and had a great time. Hopfest looks like the same sort of thing, and yet.. I don't want to go. Maybe part of the appeal of these things, is going to a different city where most of the beers are different than what you're used to. That Dallas fest might be great for us NMers, but I wonder if the locals and thinking of it the same way we think of Hopfest.

Imagine this: somewhere in Portland, there's probably a guy who is tired of drinking Rogue's beers. ;-)

ABQbeergeek said...

I know there's a guy here who is tired of paying Rogue's prices...

John Beer Posse said...

Went and was disappointed by the VIP ticket. Lastly because Hard Rock started pulling tables at 5:20. The event was in until 6 all because there are was a wedding following. If I was Hopfest iis would be pissed and look for another venue next year. We paid an extra 20 bucks for a pint glass and a spa gift card that most of us won't use. Like Blues and Brews the VIP didn't seem very special. It was a good time overall and realized there are a ton of crappy beers out there. The best beers were at the Southwest Grape and Grain table. Good job Kevin and Paul! My favorite quote of the day when asked what was your highlight "The chocolate that was paired with that beer was amazing!" Have our tastebuds died or have producers gone soft. I will go again because I got to sample rare beers that I won't buy and let others try those same samples. Good job Hopfest! See you again next year.