Who else would've loved to have different beer available...?

[NCTRNL]

I would've killed for some Bud Light or something else. I can not understand why they would only sell two types of beer except for monetary and sponsor purposes. Just sell NORMAL beer...not everyone likes to drink that New Belgium crap...

[kcsnedden]

Plenty of drink options in the camp sites!!!!

[NCTRNL]

Yeah, great point there. But you kinda got handcuffed when you went to the shows...

I am guessing this festival may not have happened if not for the sponsorship of New Belgium and Fat Tire. Do you really want a Bud Light Music Fest? Maybe Van Halen could headline?

[GoodTymes]

If you wanted BudLight. . .you could have just brought in your sealed bottle of water. . .same difference. oooooooooooh. Na, maybe next year they will have the funds to get different beers.

I loved it. At most normal festivals they only have pisswater, nice to have some beer to drink for flavor for once

[Metalhead]

it's not my favorite beer, but it was still ok... the worst part was everyone's crap looked the same in the porta-potties (I was trying not to look)!

LOL - I was GRATEFUL for good beer inside the festival grounds. We were obeying the 'no glass' rule that most seemed to ignore so ended up with bud light at our campsite (the liquor store we stopped at didn't have anything better in cans.)

[papaj]

Variety is the spice of life, but I personnally love Fat Tire and can't get it in Iowa,yet. But choice for others would've been nice.

[Rob K]

I greatly enjoyed the Fat Tire Amber and the Sunshine Wheat by New Belgium. They came through Lawrence last year with the Tour de Fat bicycle carnival, which was really fun.

If anything, I'd have preferred a third selection. Their Blue Paddle pilsner style is kick-ass -- best pils outside of Czech and Germany.

http://www.newbelgium.com/graphics/beers.jpg

[TomThumbs]

I personally loved it and got it free all weekend but I see how some could be pissed about it, especailly the females who don't like thick beer.

[jodaddy]

A lighter option is way better for the heat. I know all of the beer snobs won't agree. I heard a lot of people wishing for lighter beer options. They could even be a micro-brew so people can be trendy.

[greenween]

all in all aside from the music the fest wasnt much about choice. It was take it or leave it, beer, food, rain, beasters.

[ku409]

My thought is that its better to have a cup of New Belgium for $3.75 than Bud Light at the same price. We did get a ton of requests for 1554 at the General Store.

With anything like this, though, too much variety can cause problems. If you had a chance to take a look at the menus of stuff we had available at the store, you could understand how having just two kinds of beer made things a lot easier for workers. Lines were not so much a problem this year (at least at the store) but next year it would slow things down considerably.

Mike

[alva]

Wasn't the \"Sunshine Wheat\" light enough? It pretty much tasted like sparkling water to me.

I was bummed that they didn't have a more interesting beer choice. In my neck of the woods (Seattle) Fat Tire IS the standard light-weight \"chick beer\". Boy, it would have been a wet dream to have something like Sierra Nevada Celebration or St. Rogue Red pouring!! I know most people would have been unhappy with those choices, but, oh well.

By the way, Free State Brewing in downtown Lawrence was absolutely incredible. Easily the best beer I had on my four-state journey through America's heartland this past weekend. They had the best stout I've ever tasted. The Ad Astra and Copperhead Pale were very respectable as well. I imagine the local microbrewery wouldn't have the resources to sponsor a huge outdoor festival (e.g. taps, jockey boxes, etc.) but their participation sure would bolster the \"local feel\" of Wakarusa next year.

-a

[Whistler]

Agree that New Belgium is certainly better beer but a lighter option would have been nice, I was sick of both beers by Sunday. That being said it must have been a sponsor issue, since New Belgium obviously paid to be there. I personally would have loved a ****tail option like screwdrivers or something but I also realize that beer helps some people from getting too out of hand.

[GalacticParticles]

Man, Fat Tire tasted like...a tire...or crap, I'm not sure. Fortunately a friend of mine brought some Boulevard Wheat, now that's damn good beer. Is Fat Tire a Kansas company? If not, let's get BBC to be the beer people for Waka 2.

[NCTRNL]

I don't know why Boulevard wouldn't have been the sponsor. THey are a local company where New Belgium is from Colorado. I would have loved to have Unfiltered Wheat all weekend...

You are right, Free State is awesome. I imagine that they didn't have the money to be a sponsor though. Hopefully they will next year. Boulevard would be a good choice too. I wish they would have had some liquor there.

I know that one of the main promoters owns the Bottleneck in Lawrence and probably made a deal with the brewers through a relationship they already had.

[NCTRNL]

Yeah, all the souvenir sales were through the Bottleneck. Who knows...Boulevard would rock though...and they won't have a hard time getting sponsors for next year...

[jodaddy]

Boulevard is Delish. To anyone who hasn't tried it, you need to. I agree that this KC delight should be the sponsor next year.

Isn't Boulevard from the Missouri side of K.C.?
Aren't there any breweries in Lawrence?

The Boulevard Brewery is about a half mile into Missouri. I don't know that any Lawrence breweries would be big enough to handle the huge demand for beer at a festival this size. Boulevard is big enough.

[Skydog]

Budweiser sponsered Mid-X last summer and you could get a pint for $2.00. that was the ****.

What we need is some beer that's not 3.2!! What's up with that? I heard NB had to close down for 4 days to produce all that crap.

Fat Tire, Sunshine Wheat, and New Belgium in General can lick my sack. Their beer sucks. Try something else next year.

[alva]

That's very constructive criticism. Thank you for all your help making Wakarusa the best music festival around. I'm sure your comments will be duly considered and a much better beer choice (or, at least one that cannot lap away at your testicles) will be made in the future.

-a

[Rob Klotz]

But I think by not having a macrobrew like Miller or Bud the mellow vibe was enhanced. Cheep beer that goes down like water leads to overconsumption leading to ugliness like fights and vomiting. Is that really what you want Waky Fest to turn into?

I hate to say it but the price also probably helped keep beer consumers in line. At first I thought $3.75 was high, which it was, but it really wasn't so bad because I enjoyed both kinds, the music was great, the \"vibe\" was on, and a good microbrew at Lawrence's Free State is $2.75, so it wasn't really that big a hit to take.

Boulevard has fine products, but nothing close to the pure pilsner taste and body of New Belgium's Blue Paddle.

And, Free State as is now could never brew enough to handle such a gigantic event. It is the best beer in America, though! I live a block away from FSB!!!

[alva]

Free State was definitely excellent. Best beer in America has gotta be a little artistic license, though, right? The stout was incredible. But, every other beer they had tended toward the light end of the scale. When I saw the beer menu, I have to admit I was really disappointed. I immediately assumed that Free State was one of those fake microbreweries that makes weak and light beers so people can feel more hip drinking \"craft beers\" with the big boys. I was overjoyed to find out I had made and ass out of u and me, but it still is true that the styles they've chosen to brew are a little bit foo foo. Where is the rich and hoppy IPA? Or a nice chocolatey porter? Or a caramel malty scotch ale? Considering how awesome that stout was, I have every confidence they could brew some amazing versions of those richer styles. What do they have instead? Two wheats and two pales (okay, they did have a witbier that I didn't try). And coming soon is another pale and a rye!

Hey, I don't mean to sound like I'm complaining. Free State was the best \"discovery\" I made on my recent trip to that part of the U.S. (Bent River in Moline, IL was pretty damn good too). I have no idea when (if ever) I will be able to make it back to Lawrence, but I do hope they broaden the beer menu a little by then.

Peace,
-a

[Chiggers Suck Ass]

I lived in Ft. Fun for a while and love the beer, but for such a diverse festival, the beer (where was the liquor?) selection was way too limited.

[oldsyd]

Thank god the tables were turned this time. They had real beer without
a piss water option. I think next year they should have Fat Tire again
and then offer some waterbeer option for about $2 more a cup.

If you think Fat Tire \"sucks\" you need to check your head. I guarantee
that New Belgium spends more money to produce a bottle of Fat Tire
than Budweiser spends on theirs. Use your head, premium hops, barley and yeast strains cost more and make a better beer.

But, if your only goal is to cram as many overpriced watered down
beers into your gut, then go with Miller or Bud.

It's like saying a McDonalds hamburger tastes better than ground
chuck cooked on a BBQ.

jay

[jodaddy]

People like what they like, dude. No amount of verbal snobbery will change that. You drink your beer, and you can snicker at the \"non-appreciators\" with your friends. I like certain stuff on certain occasions. If I'm scarfing wings, I'll def choose a light beer. If I'm eating a good meal, I'll opt for something with more taste.

[curious cat]

greenween isn't that what festival usually are ? :twisted:

[CyclePath]

Thanks a ton for sponsoring Wakarusa, I love your beers. I'm just glad we can get Fatty in Nebraska now, we used to load up when we'd go snowboarding or biking in Colorado. I attended your 'Tour de Fat' in Lincoln a couple years ago and had a blast!!! Bring the tour through again, that was cool. Peace out!

[polkaholic]

Count me among those who LOVED having New Belgium sponsor Wakarusa. As a veteran of many Jazzfests in New Orleans (completely locked up by Miller) and Minnesota festivals which generally can't be bothered to sell a Minnesota product (Taste of MN doesn't allow local breweries like Summit and James Page because Budweiser owns the beer concession, how lame is that?), I think it's important to support the little guys. Say no to Wal-Mart and Bud Light.

A lager/pilsener option would be nice for those who prefer that (there *is* a BIG difference between that and a wheat beer), but IMHO anyone who's whining that Fat Tire wasn't a good enough microbrew option is truly being a beer snob.

Thanks, New Belgium!