Beer snobbery or true crime? The Music City Brewers Fest

Hello Noel Nation,

I must preface this entry with the statement that I am well aware of my beer snobbery. I am not in denial, or seeking treatment for my affliction. I like good beer and I don't want to settle for just any beer despite all the flashy marketing (even free koozies).

I will try new beers (rarely wheat beers), and I will even try some things twice just to make sure that I didn't like it the first time. I guess you could call me an open-minded and incredibly thorough snob.

Anywho...

This past weekend was the much anticipated Music City Brewers Fest here in Nashville, TN. The brewfest is awesome...in theory. Now before I get negative I want to say (in a South Carolinian way before you bash someone...) "Bless their hearts." I love that Nashville truly embraces the brewfest every year, and each year its more and more packed.

I love the fact that there is an organization that puts on such a great event every year. There were so many great beers to taste, Stone IPA, Sierra Nevada Bigfoot, Good People Brewing Co, Yazoo, Left Hand, Terrapin, and...Miller Light Chill??? Wait... Here is where I can't decide if I am just being a beer snob or a champion of justice. Miller Light Chill does not belong in the Music City Brewfest.

Okay...technically it could be considered a beer, but really? Chill? It was so sad- every other booth had several people pouring beers and trying to sell t-shirts or hand out stickers and promo stuff to the thousands of people at the event- but at the "Miller Chill" tent there was a solitary girl, texting on her phone as everyone simply walked on by...They seemed to feel the same way I did and elected to pass on "tasting the Chill". Thankfully (for her sake) the Chill girl had several friends in the "questionable booth" category at the brew fest...among them: Mike's Hard Lemonade, Heineken, Costco, the Yellow Pages, Lasik Surgery Guy and Coyote Ugly.

Again I want to stress that Music City Brewers Fest is an awesome event and it gets better every year. They did two sessions this year, they had free parking, great music, good food, and Lasik Surgery guy was there- it was truely a wonderful event. My only suggestion for next year is to mix in a few more craft breweries and "chill" with the commercial giants. That stuff has its place...but we've all graduated from high-school.

Beer Travels

Hello all you Noeleroos,

Team Noel is on vacation right now in Port Aransas, Texas. Last night we lost track of time (as is required on vacation) and got to dinner really late. The destination: Port Aransas Brewing Co. in you guessed it...Port Aransas.

The time was 9:45 when we left the apartment. With Kev at the wheel, we managed to get to the brewery at 9:57. The servers instructed us that we had only 3 minutes to order food and about 10 minutes to order drinks.

Game time...

We ordered a pizza half pepperoni-half cheese (because we are adults and can compromise like adults), and 10 hot wings (because we are on vacation after all). We tried a pitcher of their Bull Red Ale and their Angler Amber Ale. We were jones'n for an IPA but to no avail... But this kid got pizza, wings, and beer at 10 pm at night....so I can't be greedy huh?

Anyway, much love to the peeps at Port Aransas Brewing Co for serving the hungry and thirsty at 10 pm. If you make it to this place, you have to try the pizza...its sauce-less (not because they were mad that we ordered late, but this is intentional and delicious....mmmm cheese.)