Comments on: Fremont Oktoberfest this weekend

By: Elisabeth

Elisabeth — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 05:23:53 +0000

I couldn't make it this year. But I did peruse the beer list, and since I only saw maybe a dozen, max (actually, I'd say maybe only HALF a dozen) that I thought I'd like, paying $20 minimum just wasn't going to happen.

I can't remember how much the beer-fest at the Seattle Center cost a few months back, but at least there, there were a huge number of yummy beers to choose from. So, this year, I just purchased a variety of brews, and we enjoyed 3 of the 4 big games this weekend, inexpensively, at home (hopefully, the trolls won't take issue with that).

By: Black_Sheep

Black_Sheep — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 03:53:50 +0000

Yeah, those frat boys can hustle when there's beer at the finish line!!

By: NoraBell

NoraBell — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:55:21 +0000

Beer – The great motivator. :-)

By: NoraBell

NoraBell — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:54:45 +0000

Delighted! Looks like we missed the Harvestival, though.
Anyone up for the Pumpkin Festival at the Elysian in October? :-)

By: angelatini

angelatini — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:11:01 +0000

Ooooh, the Latona. I'll go with ya sometime, Nora! :)

By: Black_Sheep

Black_Sheep — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:37:35 +0000

I chose Oktoberfest to do my first 5k, because I figured I wouldn't finish last at a run at a beer festival… :)

By: NoraBell

NoraBell — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:40:19 +0000

Agree! Clear out Norm's before nuking Fremont.

By: mamaC

mamaC — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:29:34 +0000

wait, wait, get the dogs out first!!!

By: NoraBell

NoraBell — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 05:54:10 +0000

Thanks, Gurple! Haven't been to the Latona in awhile.

By: gurple

gurple — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 05:15:24 +0000

For those asking about other Oktoberfest celebrations, there's nothing else as /big/ as Fremont Oktoberfest, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Here are some options:

Latona Pub's "Harvestival": http://3pubs.com/Latona.html
Elysian's "Great Pumpkin Beer Festival": http://beeradvocate.com/news/2178175

There are lots of great Fall beers being released right now. KISS Cafe has a couple Pumpkin Ales and Latona has others. I'm sure The Dray will get in on the action, too.

By: gurple

gurple — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 05:09:01 +0000

Ugh, Michelob? It's gotten worse than I realized! there's only one option left. We'll have to nuke it from orbit.

By: Bangoskank

Bangoskank — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:41:39 +0000

“It's just not the same as it was __ years ago” all you want, Fremont Oktoberfest was a great time! Granted, with good company and attitude, just about anything can be fun.

Lets drink to not being old and jaded!

By: NoraBell

NoraBell — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:45:08 +0000

Yeah, I swore I wouldn't go to this thing again after that last time. All large, pushy crowds and concrete walls. So, does anyone know an alternative Octoberfest celebration?

By: eric

eric — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:34:23 +0000

doesn't really sound like a good time. maybe i'll check it out again some year but thats about what i figured it was like. lines and lines and lines of frat-ish dudes.

By: John

John — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:05:03 +0000

Gurple -
I see what you're getting at, and agree. I went this year bc my friend really wanted to, and it was a collosal waste of money. The samplings were small (compared to other equally priced beer festivals), the beer options were prety awful, and there were so many people there, the moment you got your beer, you had to go get in line for your next beer. You'd finish your beer before you got to the end of the line to refill. The crowd was kind of rude and very immature, lots of shoving, pushing, yelling. It's turned into less of a beer festival to more of a street party not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just not sold that way.

Michelob was there, for chrissakes!!

By: Steve

Steve — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:17:38 +0000

hey guys, I think it would be cool if you did an article about Sunday Lunch/Brunch in Ballard. I know a lot of places are closed on Sundays, so it would be cool to have a review of what is open & good! thanks!

By: gurple

gurple — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 10:57:26 +0000

Oh! and Cask Fest. How could I forget Cask Fest?! That one is amazing!

By: gurple

gurple — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 10:53:27 +0000

I, uh, think you guys misunderstand, maybe.

I'm a beer snob. There are a lot of great beer-snob beer fests in the area. SIB. Phinney winter. Phinney summer. Hops & Props. Hops on Equinox.

Those fests are as good now as they ever have been, or better. Fremont Oktoberfest used to be good like those. Now it's not -- it's a much more mass-market fest with more commercial elements.

A guy in a Homer F***ing Simpson suit. 20 years ago, that would have been edgy. Now, it's sad.

It isn't about me being old (though I am: I'm 32) -- I drink more and better beer now than I did 10 years ago in college, and go to a damn sight more festivals. I enjoyed the hell out of Oktoberfest in Munchen a couple years ago.

All I'm saying is, one of the great quirky beer fests of Seattle isn't what it used to be -- it's something different and mass-market. I'm saving my beer money for Phinney.

By: gurple

gurple — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 10:45:22 +0000

Removed? Nope, not my doing.

By: Guest

Guest — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 08:27:12 +0000

By: doug11

doug11 — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 05:24:02 +0000

Because you're already getting cranky.

Dissing people's punctuation on blogs is about as bad as it gets. It's the online equivalent to GET OFF MY LAWN!

Nobody's saying you need to go get wasted at the Fest. But seriously man lighten up a little bit. Life is more fun that way.

xoxoxo
doug11

By: hopefulpoet

hopefulpoet — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 04:27:05 +0000

ooohhh – don't be such a cranky pants.
OF course nothing is ever as good as it was “back in the Day”
Be proud of getting old – Sure- but don't loose perspective.

By: gurple

gurple — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 04:12:37 +0000

With pride! How's that relevant?

By: hopefulpoet

hopefulpoet — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 04:08:05 +0000

If it wasn't for beer…….

By: hopefulpoet

hopefulpoet — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 04:06:01 +0000

just admit it – you are getting old.

By: gurple

gurple — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 03:03:09 +0000

Ah, but, see? it brought your punctuation back! My work here is done.

By: doug11

doug11 — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 01:55:00 +0000

Ah yes. The Bad Grammar comeback. Never funny, always lame, frequently used by those with no creativity.

DOH!

By: ballardrocksnow

ballardrocksnow — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 01:27:29 +0000

Wow. Way to look old. Beer is the cause of and solution to all of lifes problems. Also note, there are bars that *gasp* serve beer between the festivals! Will somebody think of the CHILDREN!

By: gurple

gurple — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:27:35 +0000

No man a complete lack of punctuation within a sentence is what really sucks don't you think man?

By: doug11

doug11 — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:38:25 +0000

Grow a pair man you think the fest sucks so say so.