The First Annual Strong Ale Fest was held at The Anchor on Saturday. Participants purchased tickets and were given a Strong Ale Taster’s glass and 20 drink tickets upon arrival. The owner of The Anchor,  Schane Gross and Goebel Liquor owner, Rob Miller, held the event to celebrate American crafted strong ales and all beers were at least 8% alcohol by volume. verb [ICT] sent me as one if its most discerning beer drinkers. To capture the male perspective, I convinced my good friend, Quentin Steele, to tag along. Note: this didn’t require much convincing. Below is our recap of the event.

A little background:

Carly: I’m a recent convert to beer drinking. In college I stuck to buying the cheapest vodka I could find from the liquor store and mixing it with various concoctions. Cherry limeade + vodka, anyone? Judge me if you want but as a broke college student, I made do. In the past few years, I graduated to drinking Bud Light after realizing that cheap vodka at a bar is not cheap at all. $10 never got me very far with vodka, but with Bud Light it would get me a pitcher and a few bucks leftover for a tip. Then I dated a beer enthusiatist who made me try new things and I haven’t looked back since. My beer palate may not be the most sophisticated, but it has definitely matured a lot in the past year.

Quentin: I love beer. Rarely a liquor drinker, I enjoy trying new and exotic brews. Due to the fact that I’m (still) a college student, my chances to drink sophisticated/exotic brews are few and far between and I’m usually stuck drinking Bud Light or PBR (depending on how white trash/hipster the surroundings are). Sometimes Carly feels generous enough to share – that’s how I ended up with my Strong Ale Fest ticket. She bought hers and got me one too and didn’t even expect [read: make] me to put out at the end of the night. That’s friendship.

So why attend Strong Ale Fest?

Carly: For $25, I got to try 20 different beers that I’d never had before. I’d say that’s pretty much a win. Actually, after buying Quentin’s ticket, I was out $50 and only tried 20 beers. Damn. Oh well, still a win.

Quentin: Free beer. Plus I want to perpetuate the idea that I’m a sophisticated connoisseur.

Carly: I’d think most sophicated men probably purchase their own tickets. Maybe that’s just me.

Quentin: Carly was unable to attain a real sophisticated escort so she opted for the cheap knock off.

Which beers did you like?

Carly: I loved the New Belgium Transatlantique Kriek from the “Lips of Faith” series. It had a nice cherry flavor to it. I also really liked SKA Decadent Imperial IPA and the Great Divide Tripel. All were definitely beers I’d like to have again.

Quentin: I also enjoyed the New Belgium Transatlantique Kriek, but would offer readers a juicier, more attainable alternative in Lindeman’s Kriek Lambic. Another personal favorite was Schlafly 2009 Imperial Bourbon Stout. This brew is actually aged in Jim Beam, which explains the heavy Bourbon front, but leaves you warm and fuzzy with its bread-y finish.

What was the atmosphere of Ale Fest?

Carly: It wasn’t a sausage fest, but… it was pretty close. There were a lot of dudes.  The overall atmosphere was laid-back and chill, like The Anchor always is. The mood was light and everyone was just enjoying themselves.

Quentin: Lots of dudes, but I wasn’t THAT surprised… I think that’s the “Strong Ale” crowd. Luckily, it was the Anchor and there are always pretty waitresses to look at. The staff seemed chipper and knowledgable, providing recommendations and personal favorites. The bar was packed but people were more than pleasant [read: happily drunk].

What are your hopes for next year’s Strong Ale Fest?

Carly: I think it’d be cool to get to try all the beers. I’d be willing to pay a little more to be able to try all 42 of the options instead of 20, though I doubt my liver feels the same. I’d also like to see more girls my age come out and try new beers. I think they’d be surprised to discover how delicious some of them are. I feel bad for the girls who are just now in the Bud Light phase. They don’t know what they’re missing.

Quentin: I agree with Carly on both counts. It would be nice to try all available beers and not leave feeling like I may have missed out on something. I also would like to see more girls come out next year (but this may be for a completely unrelated motive). Lastly, I’d like to see the festival get started a little later on. There is something about leaving a bar with a belly full of 10% beer and being greeted by the sun.

So what happened after you left Strong Ale Fest?

Carly: I came home, ate some dinner and passed out. Woke up at 9pm and was ready to go out again so I texted Quentin who informed me that he was on his way to Oklahoma City on the back of a horse.

Quentin: I can neither confirm nor deny this. What happens after Strong Ale Fest is not for public consumption.

(image credit)

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