Michigan Winter Beer Festival 2016

[user 306926]

11th Annual Winter Beer Festival
Fifth Third Ball Park, Comstock Park (just north of Grand Rapids)
Friday, February 26, 2016 (3pm to 7pm) Enthusiast Hour begins at 2pm
& Saturday, February 27, 2016 (1pm to 6pm) Enthusiast Hour begins at noon

BUY TICKETS NOW!
Saturday session: SOLD OUT
Friday session: $45 in advance, $50 at gate if available

About the Event:
The 2016 Winter Beer Festival will feature more than 100 Michigan breweries and brewpubs. Each guest ticket comes with 15 tasting tokens which guests can exchange for 3 oz. samples of almost 1000 different craft beers (note that some specialty beers will require 2 tokens per 3 oz. sample). Guests will also enjoy fine music from local bands, other entertainment, ice sculpture demonstrations, and fire pits to warm up by. A selection of tasty food will be available for purchase at the festival.

Enthusiast Members with a valid membership ID card are invited to enter an hour early (@ 2pm on Friday / noon on Saturday) to enjoy VIP early entry an hour prior to General Admission.

 

[user 306926]

So, who's going? Which session?

I'll be there on Saturday. Staying at the Courtyard downtown. Hope to see a few TB ****heads there.

 

[abawol01]

Winners know Friday is the best day. Plan on seeing no one because I am a winner.

 

[zieglemt]

In for Saturday as well. Missed out on the Courtyard but staying at the Hampton Inn 'downtown.' Gonna keep trying to look for an opening at the Courtyard.

 

[user 306926]

Winners know Friday is the best day. Plan on seeing no one because I am a winner.

 

[Michigander1]

Winners know Friday is the best day. Plan on seeing no one because I am a winner.

You carpooling with anyone or what?

 

[abawol01]

You carpooling with anyone or what?

Just the wife and I currently. We are staying at the Courtyard that night. Would be down for travel partner(s).

 

[thewimperoo]

Program is up http://www.mibeer.com/winter-festival

What breweries I should be on the lookout for beyond the big names?

I'll be at the Friday session. Looking forward to being able to try lower abv beer this year rather than only barrel aged stout slushies like last year.

 

[abawol01]

Program is up http://www.mibeer.com/winter-festival

What breweries I should be on the lookout for beyond the big names?

I'll be at the Friday session. Looking forward to being able to try lower abv beer this year rather than only barrel aged stout slushies like last year.

Stormclould
Brewery Ferment
GRBC
Tapistry

 

[user 306926]

No Kuhnhenn'd this time around. Makes sense with new taproom opening Monday.

 

[mborden1]

Program is up http://www.mibeer.com/winter-festival

What breweries I should be on the lookout for beyond the big names?

I'll be at the Friday session. Looking forward to being able to try lower abv beer this year rather than only barrel aged stout slushies like last year.

Niiiice. I'm driving out from Syracuse on Friday for the Saturday session. My wife has some friends from college who live in Kalamazoo and we're going with them. We went a couple years back and it was a blast. I'm really looking forward to it.

 

[zieglemt]

Niiiice. I'm driving out from Syracuse on Friday for the Saturday session. My wife has some friends from college who live in Kalamazoo and we're going with them. We went a couple years back and it was a blast. I'm really looking forward to it.

bring grimms?? or are those all infected?

 

[mborden1]

bring grimms?? or are those all infected?

Ha! Unfortunately I'm still 4.5 hours from Brooklyn here in Syracuse. I've seen some Grimm stuff on the shelves every now and then but nothing on the regular. I'll check the shelves if I get a chance before I head out on Friday though. Maybe I'll get lucky.

 

[user 305963]

Stormclould
Brewery Ferment
GRBC
Tapistry

Love Stromcloud. Was there in November and everything on tap was great. Loved Ferment at WBF last year, but hated it when we visited in November. Will give them another try on Saturday.

 

[user 305963]

Program is up http://www.mibeer.com/winter-festival

What breweries I should be on the lookout for beyond the big names?

I'll be at the Friday session. Looking forward to being able to try lower abv beer this year rather than only barrel aged stout slushies like last year.

I'm a fan of Gravel Bottom, Pike 51, White Flame, Livery, Blackrocks. Cedar Springs is all german styles and I've heard nothing but praise about their beers.

 

[MarcatGSB1]

Program is up http://www.mibeer.com/winter-festival

What breweries I should be on the lookout for beyond the big names?

I'll be at the Friday session. Looking forward to being able to try lower abv beer this year rather than only barrel aged stout slushies like last year.

Blackrocks Gnomas is a really solid BW.
Everything that Ore Dock is bringing is pretty damn great. Paulding White is a really nice white IPA, bright, fresh, citrus forward.
All of their wine barrel aged sours I've had from them have been great... The Saison d'Hiver is a really interesting black Saison, not sure if the version they are bringing is wine barrel aged or they're serving it on cask, hard to tell from the program. Seems weird to serve cask Ale at a winter fest, but that's me.

 

[MarcatGSB1]

Love Stromcloud. Was there in November and everything on tap was great. Loved Ferment at WBF last year, but hated it when we visited in November. Will give them another try on Saturday.

Have to agree. Visiting Ferment is really disappointing IMO. Got a weird dude-bro vibe, and the rap room seemed unwelcoming. I'd give them another shot obviously tho.

 

[user 305963]

Blackrocks Gnomas is a really solid BW.
Everything that Ore Dock is bringing is pretty damn great. Paulding White is a really nice white IPA, bright, fresh, citrus forward.
All of their wine barrel aged sours I've had from them have been great... The Saison d'Hiver is a really interesting black Saison, not sure if the version they are bringing is wine barrel aged or they're serving it on cask, hard to tell from the program. Seems weird to serve cask Ale at a winter fest, but that's me.

Yeah, I have that black saison checked off on my list, not that I ever end up following a plan.

 

[SecretSquirrel]

Im in last minute for tomorrow session, anyone aware of shuttles from downtown? GR Hopper is sold out. Staying at Amway grand and waiting to her from them if the have a specific shuttle but assuming they may tell me to call GR Hopper.

 

[SecretSquirrel]

Looks like no thread for this year was created, but if anyone is looking for a Friday tix I have one for sale will to let it go for 1/2 price. Can't make it up next weekend due to work.