Beer Festival RDS 23-25 September

BeerNut

MCMLXXV wrote: »

a dozen craft brewers on the whole island?

19, plus a couple of cider producers and likely two whiskey stands. Plus food, music etc.

MCMLXXV wrote: »

it's about time publicans started doing the same.

Too right. The fact that they'll be inviting the publicans along to a pre-festival trade session is a brilliant idea, I think. I don't think it's been done before.

Berty

BeerNut wrote: »

Too right. The fact that they'll be inviting the publicans along to a pre-festival trade session is a brilliant idea, I think. I don't think it's been done before.

That is a fantastic idea. There needs to be a surge in the general market and being able to talk to brewers/salespeople prior to the thirsty "great unwashed" will be a godsend.

schemingbohemia

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Personally I think the exclusion of UK / US and any other Craft Brewers is a mistake. Many of the UK Craft Brewers have had a big influence on the sector here and I'm sure have helped Irish Brewers develop and grow their business through their own experiences.

In many if not most other countries local brewries are hugely important but here it's all main stream. Your avareage publican doesn't even know what craft or speciality beers are. The more breweries and speciality beer importers and distributors exhibit at this the better. There is so much more out there than main stream beers.

This festival is about promoting Irish Craft Beers, nothing else, why should it seek to promote other Countries' beers? As pointed out other beer festivals do that already.

It's a sadly Irish thing to knock something even before it starts for not doing something that it isn't seeking to do!

Big Nasty

schemingbohemia wrote: »

It's a sadly Irish thing to knock something even before it starts for not doing something that it isn't seeking to do!

I'm not knocking it - I think the whole event is a fantastic idea and one I'm looking forward to as I've already stated. However I don't think it should be exclusive to Irish Beers / Ciders / Whiskeys only. That is just my opinion.

LaBaguette

Their site is kind of awful, especially the "Brewers" flash page that looks like an animated gif displaying one name at a time, for 5 seconds. Hats off to the photo of the Hooker coaster

That aside, I'm really looking forward to this. Including cider was nice as well !

adamski8

does anyone think €5 a pint is a bit steep at these things? doesnt encourage one to try a new beer. Plus that annoying florin BS.

BeerNut

adamski8 wrote: »

doesnt encourage one to try a new beer.

Neither does drinking pints. I don't think you'll get a half in many pubs for €2.50.

irish_goat

Encouraging people to drink half pints is all the better. The hope would be that instead of having say 5 pints, they try 10 different half pints.

Got a reply from bruce@makeithappen.ca about volunteering, apparently I'm the first to apply and he'll be sending out all the details in August. Looking forward to this now.

Big Nasty

BeerNut wrote: »

Neither does drinking pints. I don't think you'll get a half in many pubs for €2.50.

More like €2.70 / €2.80

adamski8

just would have thought they would have drinks cheaper than in the pubs. What is the main point for the brewers at these things, to make a buck or introduce people to their beer?

adamski8

ill be going anyway and will enjoy it but i guarantee when i mention this to all my friends the first thing they'll ask/expect is cheap pints (not the binge drinking types) and then ill tell them its a fiver a pint and a tener in! then why would they go to a big hall with no seats when they could go down the local for cheaper.
i thought we want to encourage new people to craft beer!

BeerNut

adamski8 wrote: »

then why would they go to a big hall with no seats when they could go down the local for cheaper.

If they don't want to go, or reckon it'll be bad value, they shouldn't go. That's really all there is to that. If enough people stay away because it's bad value then perhaps the prices will come down the following year. Or, more likely, the event won't be economically viable and won't happen at all.

adamski8 wrote: »

i thought we want to encourage new people to craft beer!

When you organise your festival you can set prices the way you want. Until then it isn't a "we" situation.

Big Nasty

adamski8 wrote: »

What is the main point for the brewers at these things, to make a buck or introduce people to their beer?

A bit of both I would have thought - they have to pay for their stands to ya know!

MANUTD99

adamski8 wrote: »

does anyone think €5 a pint is a bit steep at these things? doesnt encourage one to try a new beer. Plus that annoying florin BS.

I have to say I agree with this to a certain extent. I thought I would be at this event with bells on as I really love Irish Craft Beer. I'll probably still go as it will be a good day out I'm sure but why is the beer so so expensive. Is Porterhouse gonna charge €5 for a pint of red when I know I can get it in The Porterhouse for €4.20. Why am I going to be charged an extra .80 cent

I WOULD love nothing more than Irish Craft Beer taking it to the man. I have been a big supporter and really enjoy what the decent folk of Irish brewers have been brewing. The last couple of years so many new beers have came out it has been amazing.

But lets not beat around the bush. €5 is too expensive for a pint. I was at a Leinster Final in Croke Park last weekend and could get a pint for €4.50.

This festival should be about Irish Craft Breweries making a claim for their deserved place on the Irish drinking scene and not making a profit. This is their chance and in my opinion they are charging a little bit more than what should be..

Big Nasty

Hold on a second there - mass produced beer costs about €7/8 per 50L keg to produce and is sold to publicans for the guts of €150 a pop. Craft beers, due to the infinitely smaller volume, cost approx €35 a keg to produce so €5 is damn good value!

MANUTD99

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Hold on a second there - mass produced beer costs about €7/8 per 50L keg to produce and is sold to publicans for the guts of €150 a pop. Craft beers, due to the infinitely smaller volume, cost approx €35 a keg to produce so €5 is damn good value!

Is the Festival about making money or creating awareness for craft brewers. €5 or €4.50 a pint, these guys are gonna make a profit regardless if that's all they are concerned about

Big Nasty

MANUTD99 wrote: »

Is the Festival about making money or creating awareness for craft brewers. €5 or €4.50 a pint, these guys are gonna make a profit regardless.

Of course it's about creating awareness but nobody is there to break even either - although some may not. How much do you think a stand is in the RDS? Have you any idea how many pints you would have to sell to cover that?

Bigcheeze

MANUTD99 wrote: »

Is the Festival about making money or creating awareness for craft brewers. €5 or €4.50 a pint, these guys are gonna make a profit regardless if that's all they are concerned about

Its not all theyre concerned about. They're invariably passionate about making great beer. If you were interested in getting rich, opening a craft brewery would be well down the list. Craft beer will never compete on price. Not much point in attracting people who choose their drinks based on how much it costs to get pissed.

MANUTD99

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Of course it's about creating awareness but nobody is there to break even either - although some may not. How much do you think a stand is in the RDS? Have you any idea how many pints you would have to sell to cover that?

I've no idea to be honest mate about the costs of setting up a stall but I can imagine the brewers are being overcharged for this aswell.From what I've heard though there is somewhere in the region of 19 brewers that will attend. The indoor area of the RDS is quite quite big from what I remeber so I doubt there was bidding wars going on for stall space with brewers.


€5 is still to expensive for a pint

Big Nasty

MANUTD99 wrote: »

€5 is still to expensive for a pint

How much do you think is fair?

MANUTD99

Bigcheeze wrote: »

Its not all theyre concerned about. They're invariably passionate about making great beer. If you were interested in getting rich, opening a craft brewery would be well down the list. Craft beer will never compete on price. Not much point in attracting people who choose their drinks based on how much it costs to get pissed.

I disagree with your statement Bigcheeze. In my opinion craft beer is getting like wine did 10/15 years ago. People are now pricking their ears up and looking out for different types of beverages these days.

MANUTD99

MCMLXXV wrote: »

How much do you think is fair?

The same price they charge in the pub if not less as this festival should be about raising awareness about Irish Craft Brewers. We have excellent beer and give people the decent opportunity to try they will be hooked

Big Nasty

MANUTD99 wrote: »

In my opinion craft beer is getting like wine did 10/15 years ago. People are now pricking their ears up and looking out for different types of beverages these days.

Have to agree with you there, but craft beers don't want to become main stream in the first place. Take a look at Belgium for example - they sell Stella by the bucket load but combined 'special' beers, of which they have something like 700 different types, would have much smaller volumes worldwide.

MANUTD99 wrote: »

The same price they charge in the pub if not less as this festival should be about raising awareness about Irish Craft Brewers. We have excellent beer and give people the decent opportunity to try they will be hooked

Average price in a pub for craft / speciality beers would be €5-€6. Average price of a main stream beer (in Dublin) would be €5. Average GP% in a pub for draught beer would be 60%. Main stream beers are produced for 1/3 of the price of your average craft beer. Therefore they should be charging 3 times as much for their beer - but they dont. Craft brewers are making a whole lot less per unit than main stream breweries.

MANUTD99

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Have to agree with you there, but craft beers don't want to become main stream in the first place. Take a look at Belgium for example - they sell Stella by the bucket load but combined 'special' beers, of which they have something like 700 different types, would have much smaller volumes worldwide.



Average price in a pub for craft / speciality beers would be €5-€6. Average price of a main stream beer (in Dublin) would be €5. Average GP% in a pub for draught beer would be 60%. Main stream beers are produced for 1/3 of the price of your average craft beer. Therefore they should be charging 3 times as much for their beer - but they dont. Craft brewers are making a whole lot less per unit than main stream breweries.

So your saying the lads from Galway Hooker don't want to become mainstream and become millionaires and live the life of luxery? Also I was drinking Trouble Or last weekend in Against The Grain and it was less than €5 for a pint so I'm not sure where you are the getting the average price of €5/6 .

I really don't want to start an argument over this but all I am saying is I think the price for the beer here is overpriced and I don't think it is gonna help with the promotion of Irish Craft Beer which I'm sure everybody wants

Big Nasty

MANUTD99 wrote: »

So your saying the lads from Galway Hooker don't want to become mainstream and become millionaires and live the life of luxery? Also I was drinking Trouble Or last weekend in Against The Grain and it was less than €5 for a pint so I'm not sure where you are the getting the average price of €5/6 .

I really don't want to start an argument over this but all I am saying is I think the price for the beer here is overpriced and I don't think it is gonna help with the promotion of Irish Craft Beer which I'm sure everybody wants

I doubt they do! Most craft brewers are passionate about beer, not making money - although it does help. In relation to prices I said average, not lowest.

Smoggy

it should go back to farmleigh, i dont think I paid to go in, there was loads of space, bands, food - it was a great event, for the one year it lasted.

subway

Lol, I'll just go to bull and castle or porterhouse rather than paying through the nose to drink in a warehouse.

Big Nasty

subway wrote: »

Lol, I'll just go to bull and castle or porterhouse rather than paying through the nose to drink in a warehouse.

Yeah sound, I can drink whatever I like in the comfort of my own home for less. This is a beer festival, an opportunity to taste Ireland's finest beers, mingle and chat with brewers, mingle and chat with fellow 'beersies', taste home grown Irish food and listen to good music. I would like to see some foreign brewers there too but I don't think it's missing much and is good value if it's something you're into.

subway

It's certainly something I would be into, will see if there free tickets being given away if they realise it's going to be flop. Can't abide paying 10 in, taxi fares, "artisan" food prices and 5euro a pint if you are trying to round up a few people of an afternoon.

I can get decent beers in the above pubs for, in some cases, over 20% less that they will be sold in this place.

I can chat with the beer specialist in the off license or the bar man for recommendations etc. All im saying is it's a hard sell for an enthusiast, never mind the casual drinker.

I'm sure they've done their maths, at least I hope they have, but I will probably be giving this a miss despite initially being excited.

Also, they could get with the times a bit and get on face book or produce an apple friendly site a lot easier to share the info via Facebook

BeerNut

Smoggy wrote: »

it should go back to farmleigh, i dont think I paid to go in, there was loads of space, bands, food - it was a great event, for the one year it lasted.

Two years. Then Bord Bia integrated it into Bloom. This one isn't in any way connected to the Phoenix Park Septemberfests, which is why payment is on the door rather than via your taxes.