The Craft Beer Festival Experience – Snallygaster 2013

, The Craft Beer Festival Experience – Snallygaster 2013

The craft beer industry has grown enormously over the last decade. There are currently more breweries in the United States than at any point in this nation’s history. But the growth of new breweries only tells one part of the craft beer story. There’s also been a tremendous increase in craft beer events and entertainment…and most significantly, in craft beer festivals.

There was a time when craft beer festivals were few and far between and limited to specific regions of the country. But not anymore – now they are taking place everywhere and fast becoming as popular as music festivals, drawing not just craft beer traditionalists but also the young and plugged-in who of course are there for the beer as well as the vibe.

, The Craft Beer Festival Experience – Snallygaster 2013We get invited to cover a lot of craft beer events at ACB, and we’re thankful for those opportunities. And while covering these events is part of our job (hey, no one’s complaining), we’ve watched this arm of the industry grow dramatically and become an increasingly important part of today’s craft beer business. We’ve attended many events that were both creatively conceived and brilliantly managed, but we’ve also been to some real disasters. And what we’ve learned in our journeys is that certain things at beer festivals can matter greatly – and Snallygaster 2013 (which was held last weekend in Washington, DC) is a case in point.

The Beer

One of Snallygaster’s undeniable draws was the incredible beer that they chose to showcase. Credit the Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s “beer wunderkind,” Greg Engert, for assembling an awesome array of American craft beers, seldom-seen seasonal imports, and a rarities list that read like “beer porn.” The beers offered at any craft beer event serve to define it. And make no mistake – the beers offered up at Snallygaster were almost SAVOR level in the scope and scale.

, The Craft Beer Festival Experience – Snallygaster 2013The Vision

Again, this goes to Greg’s curation. Snallygaster’s preponderance of early fall offerings perfectly captured the time of year. Seasonal transition beers, from fresh hop IPAs to unique German Oktoberfests, were highlighted alongside unlikely pumpkin ales, sours, and stouts. Snallygaster was almost like Greg’s take on what an Oktoberfest event might look like if it had originated in the states rather than in Germany and offered 212 different draft and cask beers!


The Vibe

As musicians and concertgoers know so well, a venue and the people working it can make or break an event – and the same thing goes for craft beer festivals. And it doesn’t hurt to have a cool iconic branding name like Snallygaster (a mythical dragon-like creature said to have once terrorized the mid-Atlantic region at the turn of the century) either. Last year’s Snallygaster took place outdoors in a park near DC’s Nationals Park. This year, it moved to a different setting outside the city’s trendy new Southeast Union Market development. Although slightly more confining than last year’s location, this year’s venue gave off a contemporary urban “Biergarden” feel that was visceral and fun. And the enormous three-story Snallygaster mural that dominated an adjoining building’s wall and towered over the festive masses added to the vibe.

, The Craft Beer Festival Experience – Snallygaster 2013The Production

Thanks to a finely tuned staff that was always available to answer questions and steer fans toward their destination, things moved smoothly. The crowds, though large, were never daunting and the efficiency of the servers kept lines for even the most desired beers manageable.

Bottom Line

Snallygaster 2013 aimed high to begin with and delivered. It’s a wonderfully curated and beautifully staged event that has in just two short years redefined the landscape of what craft beer festivals can and should be.

 

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