I think I’ve got Toronto’s Festival of Beer sussed, and I can best illustrate my theory by juxtaposing the event, taking place this weekend, with the inaugural edition of the Buffalo Brewers Festival I attended on July 19, to wit:
The Buffalo Brewers Festival is an event people attend to sample new and exciting beers. Some will get drunk.
Toronto’s Festival of Beer is an event people attend to get drunk. Some will sample new and exciting beers.
That said, there are new and exciting beers available for the tasting at the TFOB, notably the following:
- Barn Door Brewing – Avoid the diacetyl-ish Long Weekend Lager, but try the Summer Storm Lager and tasty but oddly out-of-season Spring Bock.
- Liberty Village Brewing – A not-salty-enough Gose. (I know, “not-salty-enough” is an odd criticism of a beer, but it makes sense in this case. Trust me.)
- Kilannan Brewing – Imagine! A new brewery launching with a kölsch and an altbier. And not an IPA in sight.
- Brimstone Brewing – Hail Mary Ale.
- Sidelaunch Brewing – Now firing on all cylinders, it would appear. Try ‘em all.
and…
- Bud Light Platinum! (Just kidding, but it does come with a full “Brand Experience”!)
The amazing thing is how good the Kilannan Alt is. Guys are good brewers.
That is disappointing to hear, but probably true about the TO festival attendees. What festivals would you recommend that you have been to? I am making a beer festival bucket list for the coming year.