Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Was the Philly BNA really that bad?  (Read 8783 times)

Offline micsager

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1179
Was the Philly BNA really that bad?
« on: May 09, 2014, 04:24:23 pm »
We've been on a cycle to go to NHC one year, and GABF the next, and so on.....

So we were not in Philly last year.  But certainly bought tickets to the BNA party in GR.  There just doesn't seem to be as much "buzz" about the BNA in GR as there was in Seattle or San Diego.  And on the BN forums, folks are not too complimentary about the Philly BNA.  This year it "seems" to be much better, more room and such.  And with no Pro-Brewers night, and the move the BNA to Thursday, it all seems good to me. 

But, I've only been a part of this community for 5-6 years, a relative newbie.

Am I missing something? 

Offline MDixon

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2311
Re: Was the Philly BNA really that bad?
« Reply #1 on: May 10, 2014, 04:56:02 pm »
It was very disjointed and crowded and there were private beers for VIP and IIRC it was not clear they would be unavailable. There were three places for the regular Joes to get beer and over time the crowd cleared out. For awhile it was nearly impossible to wet the whistle. It was also hot has heck in some areas.
It's not a popularity contest, it's beer!

Offline AmandaK

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1850
  • Redbird Brewhouse
Re: Was the Philly BNA really that bad?
« Reply #2 on: May 10, 2014, 07:50:51 pm »
BNA Seattle (two years ago) had a single food truck as they only food vendor. It was as bad as you could imagine it being.
Amanda Burkemper
KC Bier Meisters Lifetime Member - KCBM 3x AHA Club of the Year!!
BJCP Assistant (to the) Midwest Rep
BJCP Grand Master/Mead/Cider


Our Homebrewed Wedding, AHA Article

Offline hopfenundmalz

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 10675
  • Milford, MI
Re: Was the Philly BNA really that bad?
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2014, 08:53:27 pm »
It was very disjointed and crowded and there were private beers for VIP and IIRC it was not clear they would be unavailable. There were three places for the regular Joes to get beer and over time the crowd cleared out. For awhile it was nearly impossible to wet the whistle. It was also hot has heck in some areas.
You forgot to mention the high noise level. Real high. We left fairly early, and the bus was full.

This years venue will be in a minor league ball park parking lot. The MI Brewers Guild holds the winter fest there. The VIP area will probably be in the Stadium Club, that's where the beer fest has the VIP area. Hopefully BN has similar food venders lined up. Oh, the winter beer fest has about 7500 people including workers, so the venue will hold the BN party.

My favorites were SD and Minneapolis, followed by Seattle, then Philly.





« Last Edit: May 10, 2014, 09:02:15 pm by hopfenundmalz »
Jeff Rankert
AHA Lifetime Member
BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27070
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Was the Philly BNA really that bad?
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2014, 09:47:26 am »
I've been to several of the BNA events.  While I appreciate them putting them on, I've found them all to be too crowded and noisy for my liking.  The VIP thing was kinda the last straw for me.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline MDixon

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2311
Re: Was the Philly BNA really that bad?
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2014, 09:56:33 am »
Hopefully they learned from last year and will clearly identify the VIP beer list or not publish/provide it at all. Many people were irritated when they found out 25% of the list was filled with unobtanium based on their ticket.

It was loud as heck last year too.

The food was a little sketchy in San Diego, but the beer availability was nice.
It's not a popularity contest, it's beer!

Offline guido

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 343
Re: Was the Philly BNA really that bad?
« Reply #6 on: May 11, 2014, 01:22:51 pm »
I've been to the BNA in Minneapolis and Philly.  In Minneapolis, it was loud and hot--but tolerable, you could move around somewhat and help yourself to beer.  The beer at Philly was great, but otherwise it was awful.  I wanted to leave after ten minutes.  Impossible to move, had to scream at the top of my lungs to be heard, and it was ungodly hot.  I was embarrassed that I sold my six friends on the idea to come.  As, for the music, I've seen bands like Pantera and Megadeth.  I don't mind loud music.  But when I want to drink beer, I want to drink and enjoy good conversation with friends.   The band was a major distraction.   (The guy singing acoustic was OK, tho.)  The bottom line is that I swore I was done with the BNA's. However, I think Justin may have hit a home run with the Fifth Third Ballpark.  That said, this is the last chance for the BNA.
« Last Edit: May 11, 2014, 04:24:49 pm by guido »
Well...I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer

     -"Roadhouse Blues,"  Jim Morrison

Offline victorwi

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 8
Re: Was the Philly BNA really that bad?
« Reply #7 on: May 11, 2014, 03:03:17 pm »
It will be awesome in Grand Rapids! Everyone should attend!! And if everyone does, that leaves plenty of room in the local joints for me! :-)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Member of The Beer Barons of Milwaukee www.beerbarons.org

Offline a10t2

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4696
  • Ask me why I don't like Chico!
    • SeanTerrill.com
Re: Was the Philly BNA really that bad?
« Reply #8 on: May 11, 2014, 03:53:21 pm »
Philly was the first BN party for me, since my flight to Seattle was 9 hours lateā€¦ Basically, they overbooked the venue, and all the problems (noise, lines, beers kicking, heat) came out of that. With a much bigger space, maybe this year will be better, but for $50 I'm sure I can find some darn good food and beer, and sit down to eat/drink it.
Sent from my Microsoft Bob

Beer is like porn. You can buy it, but it's more fun to make your own.
Refractometer Calculator | Batch Sparging Calculator | Two Mile Brewing Co.

Offline dkfick

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1054
Re: Was the Philly BNA really that bad?
« Reply #9 on: May 12, 2014, 06:49:49 am »
I agree with the above... It was crazy loud and so packed with people that you couldn't even move in Philly.  The best part of the whole thing was School of Rock at the very end of the night though.  They were pretty awesome.
BJCP A0936 National Beer Judge and Mead Judge
Cicerone Certified Beer Server
AHA Member
CRAFT Homebrew Club
Sons of Liberty Homebrew Club
HBT "mors"

Offline theDarkSide

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3041
  • Derry, NH
Re: Was the Philly BNA really that bad?
« Reply #10 on: May 12, 2014, 07:04:05 am »
Seattle was great for space and beer, but food was severely lacking.  One truck sold out quick and the other guy (hot dog cart) sold out right after I got something.

Philly was hot and crowded at first, but it did open up a little as the night went on.  The hardest part to get to was Moonlight Meadery on the top floor.  I didn't do the VIP, but it was very clearly stated that some items would only be available for the VIP.  Maybe I was more aware since I'm on the BN forum constantly.  After the event, my friend and I walked back into town rather than waiting for the bus and went to Nodding Head. 

I have my VIP ticket for this year and I'm really looking forward to it. 
Seacoast Homebrew Club - Portsmouth, NH
AHA Member
Stephen Mayo
------------------------------------------------

Offline MDixon

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2311
Re: Was the Philly BNA really that bad?
« Reply #11 on: May 12, 2014, 07:27:22 am »
The real problem was the list you were given had all the beers at the four various locations and then when you try to find the one location it was the VIP location. I guess that may be good for future marketing, but why irritate the masses by showing beers on the list you are given and then you find out they are unavailable. Seems like a better idea would be to have those lists in the VIP and to have the riff raff list separate. It wasn't that those beers were that much more sought out, it was they simply were not available.

Here's some noise about the event.
http://thebrewingnetwork.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30746
It's not a popularity contest, it's beer!

Offline hopfenundmalz

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 10675
  • Milford, MI
Re: Was the Philly BNA really that bad?
« Reply #12 on: May 12, 2014, 09:04:15 am »
I have looked at a couple of the BNA NHC threads over there.

This one has to be corrected next to last [post.

http://thebrewingnetwork.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=31664&start=32
The guy who said Disco Demolition was at Tiger Stadium has that all wrong. It was at Comisky Park in Chicago with a local DJ, Steve Dahl, as the master of cerimonies.
Jeff Rankert
AHA Lifetime Member
BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline Herminator

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 228
  • Beer | Metal | No Masters
Re: Was the Philly BNA really that bad?
« Reply #13 on: May 12, 2014, 10:54:42 am »
So is the consensus to attend or forgo?  This is my first NHC and am looking to take advantage of all that is offered, but if the general sentiment is save $50 and do something else then I don't have a problem doing so.

Cheers and looking forward to next month!
Hermen D.
Muerte Brewing

Offline guido

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 343
Re: Was the Philly BNA really that bad?
« Reply #14 on: May 12, 2014, 11:12:36 am »
I have looked at a couple of the BNA NHC threads over there.

This one has to be corrected next to last [post.

http://thebrewingnetwork.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=31664&start=32
The guy who said Disco Demolition was at Tiger Stadium has that all wrong. It was at Comisky Park in Chicago with a local DJ, Steve Dahl, as the master of cerimonies.

I didn't want to say anything about that to be polite.  I think it was between games of a double header with Cleveland.  The fans stormed the field and game two was a forfeit for Cleveland.
Well...I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer

     -"Roadhouse Blues,"  Jim Morrison