I've gone twice, 2004 and 2005 to the B-wine Fest. Have you ever been to Toronado? If so, imagine several hundred people being cramped into that rinky-dink place. I can't imagine that place legally holding more than 75-100 people at max cap (even with the back room), and there's at least 400-500 (probably more, I was drunk) when I went. Piss-poor service, cramped conditions, smelly hippies do not out-weigh good/great beer. I'll leave this event to those with more fortitude than I have (yes, I am a pussy). The beer week though is a GREAT event and I've gone to that every year up until I moved too far away to make sense for me to go and have fun. Drake's is great on a Friday night (even when it's not Beer Week). When Rodger Davis' was there...man...that guy could drink. Washoes, beer and BBQ... Here's a photo of the event from Jay Brooks blog from a few years ago. This was pretty tame, and almost what it looks like on a Friday/Sat night... [img]http://www.brookston.org/pix/tbwf06-2.jpg[/img]

And this is why I said it wasn't 100%. One friend who said he could get off early Saturday, then couldn't last minute. Which was fine as long as our friend who was driving could stay Sunday night, making the trek worth it. He could...until he couldn't. We'd go without him but I was planning on sprawling out in the back of his car with my gimpy ass hip (wouldn't be able to drive myself that far) so it looks like we're out this year... [V]

quote: Originally posted by Stoutlover72 I've gone twice, 2004 and 2005 to the B-wine Fest. Have you ever been to Toronado? If so, imagine several hundred people being cramped into that rinky-dink place. I can't imagine that place legally holding more than 75-100 people at max cap (even with the back room), and there's at least 400-500 (probably more, I was drunk) when I went. Piss-poor service, cramped conditions, smelly hippies do not out-weigh good/great beer. I'll leave this event to those with more fortitude than I have (yes, I am a pussy).

That makes two of us. I went last year...and what a load of crap that was. WWWAAAYYY too crowded, and as a guy from a small town in the mountains, I have very little tolerance for that kind of a clusterf-k. I should have stayed in the Magnolia and drank thunderpussies all night. That was a cool scene with room to breathe.

quote: quote: quote: Originally posted by jlozier [quote]quote: quote: Originally posted by Stoutlover72 I've gone twice, 2004 and 2005 to the B-wine Fest. Have you ever been to Toronado? If so, imagine several hundred people being cramped into that rinky-dink place. I can't imagine that place legally holding more than 75-100 people at max cap (even with the back room), and there's at least 400-500 (probably more, I was drunk) when I went. Piss-poor service, cramped conditions, smelly hippies do not out-weigh good/great beer. I'll leave this event to those with more fortitude than I have (yes, I am a pussy).

Magnolia is a great place. Heck, Toronado is a gre....uh...goo...uhm...tolerable place when it's not beer week or a Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun past 2pm early afternoon beer time! Like you, I have little patience for over-crowded clusters. Tons of great places to have a beer in SF...I'd hit up Beer Revolution in Oakland...the more I visit that place the more I love what they are doing. Great, great service, great selection of taps/bottles....yep.

quote: Originally posted by Stoutlover72 quote: quote: quote: quote: Originally posted by jlozier [quote]quote: quote: Originally posted by Stoutlover72 I've gone twice, 2004 and 2005 to the B-wine Fest. Have you ever been to Toronado? If so, imagine several hundred people being cramped into that rinky-dink place. I can't imagine that place legally holding more than 75-100 people at max cap (even with the back room), and there's at least 400-500 (probably more, I was drunk) when I went. Piss-poor service, cramped conditions, smelly hippies do not out-weigh good/great beer. I'll leave this event to those with more fortitude than I have (yes, I am a pussy). Beer Revolution is just as much a zoo on more than one occasion in the past. Last time I tried to go there you couldn't even get close to the door. Magnolia is a great place. Heck, Toronado is a gre....uh...goo...uhm...tolerable place when it's not beer week or a Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun past 2pm early afternoon beer time! Like you, I have little patience for over-crowded clusters. Tons of great places to have a beer in SF...I'd hit up Beer Revolution in Oakland...the more I visit that place the more I love what they are doing. Great, great service, great selection of taps/bottles....yep.

quote: Originally posted by slowrunner77 quote: quote: Originally posted by Stoutlover72 quote: quote: quote: quote: quote: Originally posted by jlozier [quote]quote: quote: Originally posted by Stoutlover72 I've gone twice, 2004 and 2005 to the B-wine Fest. Have you ever been to Toronado? If so, imagine several hundred people being cramped into that rinky-dink place. I can't imagine that place legally holding more than 75-100 people at max cap (even with the back room), and there's at least 400-500 (probably more, I was drunk) when I went. Piss-poor service, cramped conditions, smelly hippies do not out-weigh good/great beer. I'll leave this event to those with more fortitude than I have (yes, I am a pussy). Beer Revolution is just as much a zoo on more than one occasion in the past. Last time I tried to go there you couldn't even get close to the door. Magnolia is a great place. Heck, Toronado is a gre....uh...goo...uhm...tolerable place when it's not beer week or a Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun past 2pm early afternoon beer time! Like you, I have little patience for over-crowded clusters. Tons of great places to have a beer in SF...I'd hit up Beer Revolution in Oakland...the more I visit that place the more I love what they are doing. Great, great service, great selection of taps/bottles....yep.

Well, I'm not much of a night-life guy so whenever I've gone it's always during lunch. Never a wait, always an empty table for me and my buddies. But I could see them busy on a Fri/Sat night for sure.