My Experience at the Central New York Brewfest

On February 2, 2008, eight friends and I piled into two minivans and headed up to Syracuse, New York, for the twelfth annual Central New York Brewfest. The longest-running annual beer event in central New York, it's held every year the day before the Super Bowl. This year's event was held at the New York State Fairgrounds' John Deere Horticultural Building, a part of the Empire Expo Center.

According to the advertisement in the Syracuse New Times (January 30-February 6), more than 67 brewing companies were represented. I didn't count, so I'm just going to take their word for it. An open and high-ceilinged building, the outer walls of the Horticultural Building were lined with brewers. Signs with the breweries' names hung on the wall behind its designated table, and two to three servers stood at each station.

Attendees entered through two front doors, with ticket-takers ready to take admission tickets and check the IDs of those who looked underage. We didn't linger at the entrance, but it seemed ID checks were few and random (though my 24-year-old husband did get IDed). Just beyond the ticket-takers was a long table full of commemorative glasses, included in the $25.00 ($30.00 at the door) price for the event. The glasses were six-ounce mini pint glasses, with the name and date of the event printed on them. This was also the tasting glass.

Each attendee received with their glass ten tasting tickets. My group was a little confused and slightly displeased by the ten-ticket limit. Living near New York's Finger Lakes, we're avid wine tourists, and used to small amounts of product to taste, so the idea of having paid $25.00 for ten sips of beer was a bit upsetting. We soon realized that the glasses were filled at each tasting, which somewhat soothed the anger (but still meant we were paying $2.50 for a half a glass of beer), and then realized that the brewers weren't exactly vigilant about taking the tickets. In fact, only one person in my group was asked by one brewer to give a ticket, and I went home with all ten tickets in my pocket. It was very easy to try many, many beers.

The day was split into two sessions, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tickets were good for only one session. We did the first session. Food was available for purchase (think concession-stand food) and picnic tables and bar tables were set up throughout the building for people to sit/stand and enjoy their beer. A local band played cover songs for the entire session.

The crowd was exactly as I imagined it would be: mostly men (or, more appropriate, "guys"), mostly white, and mostly wearing a beer or sports shirt, the New York Giants featured prominently on this particular day. Checkered polo shirts of all sleeve lengths also proved prominent. Ages ranged from young adult to middle age. Women of course attended too, some of whom (1) liked real beer and (2) chose to be there for the beer. Judging from the vomit on a toilet in the women's bathroom, the day was not without those girls who came just to get drunk. I'm sure their male counterparts were in attendance too, but beyond the loss of a toilet due to some girls' vomit, I did not encounter any belligerents. This was the opposite of what I imagined, for I had prepared for a day dominated by annoying men and women who thought they were at a frat party, or, if I was lucky, at a Bon Jovi concert. Perhaps the size of the room helped, but it was packed full. The cover band didn't even play a Bon Jovi song, that I heard. So even though the crowd looked as I imagined, it for the most part did not behave as I imagined it would.

Some New York breweries in attendance were Brewery Ommegang, Brooklyn Brewing Company, Butternuts Beer and Ale, Cooperstown Brewing Company, Ellicottville Brewing Company, High Falls Brewing Company, Ithaca Beer Company (whose apricot wheat beer still ranks as my favorite), Lake Placid Pub and Brewery, Landmark Brewing Company, Middle Ages Brewing Company, Rohrbach Brewing Company, Sackets Harbor Brewing Company, Saranac Brewing Company, Southern Tier Brewing Company, and Syracuse Suds Factory. The biggies were there too: Miller, Labatt, Anheauser Busch, Sam Adams, etc. However, the event offered attendees a chance to try offerings from the big companies not usually available in your local grocery store or beer distributor. One of my friends was unlucky enough to try Budweiser's new Clamato Chelada, which is clam juice, tomato juice, and beer (in a can). The Miller Chill did not get high reviews either. But since taste is always subjective, I'll spare you further reviews.

All in all it was an organized and fun event. However, I have a pretty big complaint: No discounted designated driver (DD) tickets were available. I suppose the DD could drop off the beer drinkers and go spend a few hours at the mall, but I was DD, and I hate shopping. And three hours is (1) way too long to ask normal people to sit in the car and read a book and (2) more than enough time for the DD to enjoy two to three six ounce beers and still have a BAC of zero. I had to pay $25.00 for my two small beers, the same price my van mates paid for way more than two beers. Neither were nonalcoholic beverages available, although I didn't check to see if the concession stand offered free water (but I doubt it). Each brewer did have a pitcher of water available, but its purpose was for washing tasting glasses, not drinking. Signs were posted throughout the building that said brewers have a right to refuse to serve anyone who appears drunk, but that doesn't exactly prevent drunk driving. Designated drivers need to be encouraged. This event needs to offer more for designated drivers. Maybe a movie room? A free hot dog? Nonalcoholic beverages and a discounted ticket at least.

If you attend next year's brewfest, which will likely be on January 31, you will have a good time and maybe find a new favorite beer. It's worth experimenting. My suggestions: Pace yourself, dump the beer you don't like, don't get drunk, and bring a designated driver, preferably one who likes to shop.

Dan Cazentre, "12th Annual Brew Fest on Tap for Saturday," Post Standard, January 30, 2008
"Mission: Imbibable," Syracuse New Times, January 30-February 6