8 Things You Missed Out on at Wild West Brew Fest 2019
The Wild West Brew Fest is now in our rear view, but we’re looking forward to 2020 already.
This was our first year out there, but we’re told that each year they outdo themselves. More beer. More food. And more money raised to donate. Call us cynical, but this will be hard to top.
We saw some of y’all out there at the festival. It was cool meeting a few of our readers, but for those of you that didn’t make it out there, here’s what you have to look forward to at Wild West Brew Fest 2020.
8. The amount of free food they were serving during the Launch Party on Friday night was super impressive.
Brick-oven-fired pizza, tacos, burgers, and brisket just to name a few. VIP ticket holders on Saturday for the actual festival got similar treatment. It’s such a perfect way to keep guests as sober as poblé while drinking beer for hours. Safety first. Beer second. Beer belly third, right? Biggest shocker food wise was how good the Texas Typhoon brisket sandwiches were. “This came from a water park?! For real?? SHUT. UP. I’m going for 2 more. Hold my beer.”
7. The variety of live music that was there was equally impressive.
The seven bands that played were always playing some solid bangers every time we popped into the tent for some AC. After a few beers, people were taking advantage of the dance floor, cuttin’ a rug. That was almost as entertaining as the live music itself!
6. Accommodations were well-taken care of.
Parking wasn’t a pain at all despite thousands of people in attendance, and there are a handful of hotels within walking distance, or crawling distance depending on how you get down. Hell, our new friends Kenny and April Pishna of Living a Stout Life – the ones that won the big giveaway while they just happened to be in the Houston area – were able to park their 24ft RV with ease. That’s not happening at a downtown beer festival. The free Lyft home was the cherry on top for those that needed it.
5. A great chance to win auction items from sports memorabilia, heavy-duty beer gear, and travel vouchers.
When we saw the big, yellow, Shiner Bock rotomolded cooler, we had to make a bid. We’re bums, so nothing came of it, but it was still fun to dream. Chris had to be pulled away from all of the autographed MLB memorabilia.
4. Attentive and friendly volunteers that were more attentive and friendlier than many paid wait staff.
These guys and gals were the real MVPs of the event. They were all just as happy to be there as we were, and several that we spoke with were super knowledgeable.
3. An incredible selection of beer that you’d seldom find elsewhere. Does this go without saying?
At last count, there were over 600 different beers available to taste from breweries all around the country. Even big names like Deschutes, Shiner, and Boulevard brought out some unusual beers. We didn’t try nearly enough beers, but there’s always next year!
2. Meeting and interacting with tons of industry folks has to be at the top of the list (or at the bottom if you’re literal).
Sales reps are always on the road, brewers are always cleaning, and dorks like us are always writing, taking pictures, and sending emails. It’s seldom that so many of us can be all in the same place at one time, and that makes for some special moments. The industry afterparty on Friday night was easily just as fun as the launch party on Friday, and Leo of SpindleTap and Marcus of Baa Baa Brewhouse playing grab ass was easily the highlight of the day on Saturday. To be honest, there were so many industry folks there, we didn’t have the time to talk with dozens of them, unfortunately.
1. Finally, the coolest thing you missed was an opportunity to drink a cold one (or a few) knowing that the money is going to help somebody that needs it more than you.
You buy beer all the time. How often can you say 100% of those dollars go to a good cause? Seldom, if ever. Breweries in Houston (and all over really) are philanthropic and community-oriented by virtue of what they do, but there’s no way they could give all their profit back. This annual festival has made a real impact on the lives of many Houstonians on a personal level, and that makes having a great time all the more meaningful.
Sorry for getting all sappy on y’all, but it is what it is! So if you missed out this year, stay posted for WWBF 2020. We’ll let you know once tickets are available.
P.S. Food, AC, and several of the finest beers on tap are all at the Launch Party on Friday and in the VIP tent on Saturday. Smart money will tell you it’s 100% worth it. Also, we’re not smart money, but we agree with smart money. It’s 100% worth it. We’ll get Launch Party and VIP tickets again if we can make it out there! The food seriously pays for itself, so the beer and AC are a hell of a bonus!
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