US-style beer festival in Dublin?

[admin]

Hey folks, just wondering what people think of the prospects of a US-style beer festival being held in central Dublin this year.

When I say US-style it'd be something like this:
€40 admission fee, which gets you in and gets you unlimited* 125ml samples.
(* still done by vouchers but you would get more than you could use)

Up to 300 beers on offer.

The entry times would be divided into sessions of, for example:
Friday 5pm-10pm
Sat 11am-4pm** 5pm-10pm (**possible concession price for early bird)
Sun 12pm-5pm

There would probably be food, meet-the-brewer, tutored tasting sessions, competition (pro and non-pro)

The vast majority of the beers would be Irish, but with lots of one-off festival specials where brewers are encouraged to push the boundaries. There would be some quality imported beer too.

The main idea of a festival of this style is to introduce people to as many new beers as possible.

Your thoughts and feedback would be most welcome.

[Qs]

When you say "The main idea of a festival of this style is to introduce people to as many new beers as possible." Do you mean for people who are already into it to try different, semi-rare styles or to get more entrance level people to try new things?

[Hop Bomb]

Its a proven festival model. The only reason it wouldnt work is if you priced the breweries out of it with a crazy high stall price & still take 30% of their sales.

[Hop Bomb]

Of course. 40e but samples are free = great value. 40e would last two hours in a craft beer bar these days like. Plus the sessions mean you wont be there all day. Just for a set amount of time. The small sample size means you try way more beers too. 

[DEMPSEY]

How much different would this be from the September beer fest

[delzep]

How much different would this be from the September beer fest

Won't be in September 

[DEMPSEY]

How much different would this be from the September beer fest

Won't be in September 

Bum Bum

[Simon_]

For comparison Gibney's wine tasting in the Grand was dominated by Beer and Whisky this year. There were about 6 breweries / beer vendors and 2 or 3 distilleries as well as the wine merchants giving out decent volumes. Think the tickets were about €20.

[Will_D]

So you are looking at 5 hours drinking for €40

Thats €8 an hour and at €5 a pint thats 8 pints (ish) in conventional land.

How many people can handle this?

Plus add in the fact that some of the beers will be high abv

I like it 

[jawalemon]

I'd deffo go and I know a good few others that also would.

[Vermelho]

Sounds great. I'd definitely go.

[Qs]

So you are looking at 5 hours drinking for €40

Thats €8 an hour and at €5 a pint thats 8 pints (ish) in conventional land.

How many people can handle this?

Plus add in the fact that some of the beers will be high abv

I like it 

Plus you today to drink faster when tasting. Sounds like the right price point to me. I think if you had a set capacity (no idea what that should be) then it could be amazing.

[RedWino]

I'm all in

[auralabuse]

Nice idea,  good model which I think would work well.  The venue / date would have to be carefully thought out

[oblivious]

Thanks for all the feedback so far. If anyone has a really good venue in mind to suggest, fire away

What about The Bernard Shaw, space at the back to host it and they have a licence too