Oklahoma Craft Beer Fest called a success
The Thirsty Beagle at the Oklahoma Craft Beer Festival.
The Thirsty Beagle and crew had a great time at the Oklahoma Craft Beer Festival on Saturday. I went in to the fest with two goals. First was to try Choc’s dry-hopped 1919. Mission accomplished. The beer was substantially different than your standard 1919, as you would probably expect, but that’s not to say it wasn’t good, because I thought it was great, and went back for several refills. The flavor imparted by the hops was excellent, and since there are no plans to mass-produce this version of 1919, I’m happy I had the chance to try it. If Choc does a firkin in the future and offers this up, make plans to get yourself a taste.
My second goal was to try Marshall’s Big Jamoke filtered through coffee. This plan was slightly derailed after Marshall was unclear if it could bring the filtering machine to the fest. Instead, they offered a Big Jamoke infused with coffee. I really enjoyed this one. On an aside, my son – I think he was about 4 at the time – once declared that the only things I drank were coffee, beer and water. As Marshall’s Wes Alexander pointed out on Saturday, since there is water in coffee and beer, my son was 100 percent right. And since there was coffee, water and beer in the Big Jamoke on Saturday, I was able to knock out all three of my drinks at once. Needless to say, coffee is a super addition to Big Jamoke. I would definitely recommend this one if Marshall offers it up at a special event.
I was at the festival’s evening session, and the crowd was pretty good. Not overwhelming, and you never had to wait more than a few seconds to get a beer sample, but still a solid turnout. I spoke to festival organizer and Tapwerks general manager Greg Powell today to get a few more details:
-Final numbers were not yet crunched, but The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma should receive a nice donation, Powell said.
-Organizers sold 641 tickets, and Powell estimates that when you include pass-list guests and volunteers, about 800 probably attended in total.
-There was a lot of positive feedback from guests and brewers/beer folk, and a second OCBF is being planned for next year to coincide again with American Craft Beer Week.
-Powell said they will change their operational model for next year, thus allowing more and different specialty beers.
All sounds good to me. Thanks to Greg for getting the ball rolling on the festival, to the brewers who brought their beverages and the good people of Oklahoma who bought tickets to support the Food Bank and celebrate our growing craft beer industry.
Beer news and links
-Redbud Brewing reports that 800 bottles of Cuvee Two will hit the market Wednesday, and a keg will find its way to Republic. The Cuvee Two — a Belgian strong ale aged on whiskey barrels — was another big hit at the fest. Mrs. Beagle described it as “a vacation in a cup.” If that doesn’t make you want to try it, perhaps nothing will.
-Bricktown Water Taxi announced over the weekend that they have added COOP Ale Works Native Amber and Horny Toad Cerveza to their bar boat offerings. Set sail on the canal with 16 oz. of refreshment.
-Another McNellie’s OKC pint night is at 5 tonight. Tall Grass Brewing Halcyon Wheat.
-Mustang Brewing president Tim Schoelen announced today that he was leaving his day job to focus on his beer company on a full-time basis. Good luck Tim! Fortune favors the bold!
-President Obama. Ireland. Guinness. Check it out.
-A look at the forces behind the rising price of beer. Boo.
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Comments
It was great Times with great friends and great brews! Too bad we didn’t meet up Nick glad you had fun! Cheers!
Did anyone get a chance to try Love Child #2 from Boulevard? Or the dry hopped wheat that they brought up? Love Child wasn’t really touted that I could find but if you asked you could get some. It was an amazing sour, that had a nice maple nose, in fact when someone handed me a sample and I smelled it I thought I was given some Utopias from Sam Adams. The sour with the sweet nose is a fun experience and a solid beer, I hope we get it this way soon.
The dry hopped wheat from Boulevard was a pleasant change to a tried and true formula for them. I tend to not return to wheat beer and that is something I should do, with so many complex choices I forget about those simple beginnings that brought me into the world of craft beer. This new dry hopped wheat is one that you should want and will want. I really hope they bring it back and offer it to the masses. I could really see myself going back to this one again and again as a great session brew.
Outstanding post however I was wondering if you could write a litte more on this subject? I’d be very grateful if you could elaborate a little bit more. Thanks!
I too and a beer, coffee, water drinker
I’m a huge fan of Marshall’s Big Jamoke, it was a total hit with me. As was the Week Sauce from Left Hand Brewing. It made me wish they served Week Sauce at Waffle House…I’d never leave 
I’ll be at next years event and I’ll bring more folks with me!