Columbus Winter & Summer Beerfest

We have been attending this event for years. Even with the unorganized entry procedures and rising prices, we have stuck with them and even started bringing another group with us to both their summer and winter events. The 2022 winter beerfest was cancelled and rescheduled to spring due to Covid. I get that. What is reprehensible is their customer service. The person monitoring their Facebook page told me to email and three emails and almost 3 weeks later they just ignore all my emails. You think maybe by now they'd have a procedure, but clearly what they intend to do is keep everyone's money whether they can attend on the new date or not and can't even face their customers. Great business practices. Photos below show messages are being received in messenger. What a bunch of asshats. I'm not the only one they are blowing off. Search the comment sections of their event. Just know in advance what kind of people you are doing business with.

This was my first Beerfest. I cannot believe that I actually purchased the tickets blindly. I searched and searched but could not find anything on the web to explain to me exactly what I was getting myself into. The Beerfest website that was up was ridiculously vague. But, I thought my boyfriend would really enjoy the event just by the name alone. And, he did!We really had a good time and I do believe that it was well worth the $35 ticket price for the beer tasters! Now, here is what I don't feel was worth it. I was the Designated Driver. I paid $15 for my ticket and I received a $5 voucher for food and beverage to be used at some specific food stand. Never did figure out which one or ones that I could use my voucher. Then, I wanted a soft pretzel at some point in the night and the pretzel alone was $5.25. Doesn't quite make the $5 voucher I received seem worth it. I just don't understand the purpose of paying $15 to get in to an event in which I was just paying for the atmosphere basically. Which was extremely loud and somewhat unorganized. I think the planning could have been better. I wanted a t-shirt from the event, but they were out of every size but medium by the time we found where we could purchase them. And, I too walked through some hellacious beer farts! Whew!I honestly believe with a little more "perks" for Designated Drivers and a little more organization and planning that this event could be one of the most popular and profitting events in Columbus!! And next year, we're going to be purchasing the VIP tickets to get a nicer, glass souvenir cup and making some of our own nifty pretzel necklaces!!

This was our second Beerfest so naturally bf & I went in on Saturday night feeling like pros. By year two we knew how to prepare (dinner early) and what to expect (lots of people, lines, drunkenness). I thought this Beerfest was executed extremely well and despite the crowd the lines were never unbearable. I never visited the Quick Stations but it seemed like people were taking advantage of it, which helped keep lines down a bit. There were a ton of great breweries represented and I definitely got my money's worth of booze.Pros/Tips:- VIP is the way to go! That extra hour of perusing the not-yet-full room really helped set the tone of the night. I would have hated walking into a mass of hundreds (thousands?) upon first arriving. Plus, your sample glass is larger (nicer for sippin' while hanging out in line).- Eat earlyish and/or bring pretzels to snack on- Invent a game with your Beerfest Buddy. After awhile, just walking around in circles can get a little old. But there is still so much beer to consume! This is a great people watching event, so create a scavenger hunt! Or, as bf & I did this year - dedicate your brews. We cheers-ed to my Yoga instructor with Dogfish Head's "Namaste" Craft Brew and another to some friends in Hawaii with (multiple) Kona beers. The dedications got a little interesting by the end of the night! Cons/Things to watch:- LOTS OF PEOPLE. This obviously leads to lots of drunk people. Broken glasses, weird smells, loud bros... All to be expected, so don't be surprised.- Volunteers (Thanks, btw) aren't affiliated with the beers they're pouring. Your questions about each craft may be met with a shrug. Don't hate 'em for it, hopefully the brewery at least filled them in a little. - Bathroom lines will get out of control. Floors of said bathrooms will get slippery. If you go with the right attitude and expectations, Beerfest can be an awesome night. Great location, too - only a cab ride away and right in the Short North/Downtown for pre- or post-fest activities!

Yaay, Beerfest! This has been on my to-do list since I moved back to Columbus about a year and a half ago. Thanks to my Plus One winning VIP tickets at the last Yelp Elite event, I was on my way!I gathered my crew of revelers, and we bussed it down to the Convention Center. My tip would be to get rid of your cars if you can. Parking isn't great down there, and you won't be able to drive anyways.Once inside, it was PACKED with brosephs. Seriously, just DUDES everywhere. Not to say there weren't any ladies, but Columbus' entire population of 25 - 32 year old guys were there. All in plaid.It was so packed, in fact, that you really couldn't learn anything about the different breweries. It was a mad dash to get in line, get a pour, and get in another line. Not much time for chatting with the bartenders or gleaning any kind of information. If there were presentations or special events or anything, I missed it. Would have loved more info. Maybe even a pamphlet? PLUS A STAR for SILENT DISCO!! There was an area where (after surrendering your ID) you could get headphones and head onto a dance floor with other people jamming out silently to tunes on headphones. This was hilarious, and somehow way more fun than it seems like it would be. My favorite aspect of the night. I'd love to see more Silent Discos pop up at events. I also burned off a few of those beer calories, so yay!MINUS A STAR for FARTS!!!!! I walked into so many gassy clouds, I cannot even tell you. I wish farts were actually green mist like in cartoons so you could at least see it coming. I am very sensitive to retching when I smell a fart, so this was particularly uncomfortable for me. Gross, gross, gross.I'm glad I went, but I don't need to go every time there's Beerfest (we're up to twice a year now?). Not even every year, probably.

So far I've been to this event I think 2 or 3 times... as you can tell I have a blast when I go. lol ( I honestly can not remember.... smh)It's such a beautiful thing. you show up to the convention center, and let me just tell you getting one of the VIP Passes is totally worth it. You get in early, beat all the lines and get to try all the drinks you want with no threat of them running low. It's worth throwing down the extra bucks. When you get to the convention center you walk down a hallway, and there is usually a coat check on one side of the hall and the event is across the way. You show your ticket, walk in and are given your tickets, and a small testing cup. If you got the VIP Ticket the cup is glass and a little bigger I think. (this is becoming a blurry review...) You enter the event (YAY!) Where do you start!? There are so many craft brews and so many stands to check out! Well, slow your stroll buddy, because you may have a whole bunch of tickets, but a lot of the stands don't even bother with them. They want you to try their beer, they don't care about the tickets. So the only real limit is how much can you drink before your drunk. So ENJOY yourself. Find some craft brews with interesting names, talk to the brewers, figure out their story, and enjoy the drinks. take business cards or take pictures of the drinks you really enjoyed so you can find them on a normal day outside the convention. Pro tip: get a string and tie some pretzels around your neck like a necklace. I see a lot of people doing this, and it's a brilliant Idea.

Amazing night. Tickets are $45 if you buy in advance, and that gets you 25 tickets and a wrist band. Vendors didn't even check my tickets. If you pace yourself you can taste over a hundred beers over the course of the weekend, many of them unique and delicious.

If you enjoy beer, there is something at this fest for everyone! I have never actually attended as a patron, but have been a volunteer for several years (both summer and winter versions). The volunteer gig is a sweet deal, but you didn't hear that from me...Anyway, it seems like paying the extra fee for VIP access is totally worth it, as you get in earlier and have more time to sample without the long lines. Everyone gets a bunch of tickets, and you are supposed to exchange one ticket per sample. I can't tell you how many tickets I've actually collected as a volunteer, as they are kind of unnecessary. If you can drink as many beers as you have tickets within the course of 4 hours, then I applaud you (and you're probably suffering from alcohol poisoning).Be prepared for large crowds of drunk people. There are lots of people who actually want to taste their beer, but there are probably twice as many who are here to get loaded (or it happens accidentally). Don't wear open-toed shoes. Eat a good dinner before you come. Drink lots of water. Don't plan on driving yourself home. If there is a beer you REALLY want to try, get in that line first. Some of the more rare beers will run out early. If you want to remember the beers you tried, bring a note pad and pen - seriously, you won't remember tomorrow. If you come prepared and with the correct mindset, you're going to have a great time!The reason I keep volunteering for this event (aside from free beer samples) is that it is SO MUCH FUN! I get to serve beer to people, which makes them happy. It's always a big crowd, but it's a big friendly crowd of beer nerds.

I totally agree with the previous review. This event was PACKED. Load, crowded, and fun. That said, there was no way to find out much about any of the beers. Really not even any way to know what you were getting in line for.Thanks to Yelp for getting me in for free (won on Twitter).

It's been a few years since I've been to the Beerfest. My, how things have changed!First off, it is MUCH bigger than before. There are more breweries, more beers and more people. The VIP passes are a smart move and were very popular, there was a HUGE line for the VIP entry. But, despite the annoyance, it was very nice to have that extra hour to explore before the crowds really showed up. Since this event has expanded, you have to plan your tastings like a General plans troop movements. It will help you avoid lines and you'll get the beers you want... and maybe some you didn't expect.If you can, stay at a hotel nearby or get someone to drive you. It's just smarter and safer.In short, there is a reason this event is so popular... if you like beer you need to go.

Love nearly everything about this! It can get very crowded, and you are dealing with a lot of drunk people, but the beer selection is ridiculously good, and you will have a great time if you love beer. I've been to the last four, and I would hate to ever have to miss. Make sure you have a safe way to get home because much of the beer is pretty high in alcohol content, and those small pours can sneak up on you.