Volunteers serve up samples at the 2012 Fayetteville Foam Fest.
Flyer photo
Update: Due to a scheduling conflict at the AMP, Fayetteville Foam Fest will take place in the Walton Arts Center Parking lot on Dickson Street.
Fayetteville, it appears as though we have an annual beer festival on our hands.
After a successful inaugural event in 2012, organizers of the Fayetteville Foam Fest plan to return for a second year on Saturday, May 4 at the Arkansas Music Pavilion.
For those who aren’t familiar, the format for the event is pretty simple. Several distributors will be set up at booths with beers to sample, and attendees are given a small tasting cup to try as many craft brews as they can during the three-hour event.
Last year, around 200 beers were available to sample, and organizers said that number could increase this year.
“On top of the folks we had last year, we’ve added a new distributor, Arkansas Craft Beer,” said Brandon Karn, organizer of the event. “That, and we’ll have the new locals, too.”
Karn said that local brewers Tanglewood Branch Beer Co., Core Brewery, Saddlebock Brewery, Fossil Cove Brewing Company, and West Mountain Brewing Co. will all be set up at the festival this year. Apple Blossom Brewing Co., a new brewery set to open this summer, will also be in attendance, though Karn said they may not have beer ready to sample yet.
Expect food from BHK Kafe, Mellow Mushroom, Hammontree’s, and Flying Burrito Co. A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit local charity Feed Fayetteville.
Tickets information will soon be announced on Facebook. Karn said prices will be around $30 (a $60 VIP package with food pairings is also in the works), and on sale at select local retailers in April.
Please, please, please move away from those 1 ounce mugs! One sip and you’re back in line again. I end up spending the whole evening standing in lines or immediately strategizing my next line right after a pour. The Harvest Beer Festival in Tulsa hands out fantastic mini pilsner glasses that are perfect to sip from. You get to savor your drink and really soak up the environment. Anyway, I enjoyed the foam fest last year and hope someone will consider my suggestion. I wish you guys even more success this year.
Absolutely agree! For anyone who had previously attended an established brew fest, the mug was a HUGE disappointment. Pun intended. You never expect more than a 2-3oz pour at a festival (at least not until the end of the night), but it’s the thought that counts. Most of our past brewfest mugs have a permanent spot next to a revolving collection of slim’s and loafin joe’s cups, but that baby glass went straight to the trash. Great event though. I will definitely be in attendance.
I agree. Those beer shot glasses are ridiculous. How about a souvenir glass at least 8oz. or 16 oz pint
5oz tasting glasses are the norm for these types of events. I applaud the effort to bring beer festivals to NWA. My advice is look to the craft beer capital of America, Colorado, and take some pointers from the events they put together. Would also be nice to bring in some non-local breweries.
I’m so stoked that we have so many craft breweries in town now. This is a great way for them to show some brew. I missed last year’s so I can’t wait!
I was pretty disappointed last year. The 1 Oz mugs ruined what may have been a good event. I will pay close attention to the glass size before buying my tickets this year. Anything less than 4 oz then no chance.
Wow, I didn’t realize that I was in the minority on the 1 oz. mugs. Sure, I would have taken more. But man, I already got fairly drunk. I shudder to think how goofy I would have been if the mug had been 5 oz. If you’re able to drink 5 oz. samples repeatedly for 2 hours without getting tanked, I salute you. I’m happy to stick with the baby mug.
I agree… I had a hard enough time containing myself with the small glasses. I would rather have 2 oz of 80 beers than get tanked after 30 tastings of a 5 oz glass
Foam Fest is good ol’ fashioned fun. Happy to see this local cultural event continue to grow. Dgold, Honest Tunes
Isn’t May 4th the date Old Crow Medicine Show are supposed to play the AMP?
One ounce cups were indeed absurd. I wont be attending again unless that changes to at least a 4oz cup. My reasoning is like a few others, I don’t want to waste all my time in line and a 1oz cup is enough for one sip which isn’t enough to get the flavor of a beer.
The little beer thimbles were ridiculous, last year. Let the brewers decide how much to dispense. I’ve been to several beer festivals, and have never seen the thimble approach. It was a good festival otherwise.