I'm planning to attend my first GBBF this August, and had some
questions I hoped some seasoned attendees could help with.

I realize this is not like the GABF, which an entrance fee gets you
free 2 oz samples throughout the session. What are the beer size
options - full pints only?  Are the prices standardised or do they vary
by stand? Any recommendations on which sessions are better to
attend/less crowded?  Do you receive a glass when you enter or does
each stand give you a fresh glass?  Any other tips or suggestions are
welcome.

Thanks
Rick

"Rick Seibt"  wrote in message 
news:1113490952.481864.23450@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...

> I'm planning to attend my first GBBF this August, and had some
> questions I hoped some seasoned attendees could help with.
>
> I realize this is not like the GABF, which an entrance fee gets you
> free 2 oz samples throughout the session. What are the beer size
> options - full pints only?



Pints and halves are standard. Very strong beers might be sold in smaller 
measures, and bottled beers are sold by the bottle.



> Are the prices standardised or do they vary
> by stand?



Prices vary considerably from beer to beer. All are clearly marked, and you 
pay cash.



> Any recommendations on which sessions are better to
> attend/less crowded?  Do you receive a glass when you enter or does
> each stand give you a fresh glass?  Any other tips or suggestions are
> welcome.



You pay for a glass when you go in, and you keep that (it can be washed) for 
the duration of the session. At the end you can either hand it in and get 
your money back or keep it.

The Friday evening session is generally the most crowded, while earlier in 
the day it is less full.

BTN

In message , Sir Benjamin Nunn 
 writes

>>
>> I realize this is not like the GABF, which an entrance fee gets you
>> free 2 oz samples throughout the session. What are the beer size
>> options - full pints only?
>
>Pints and halves are standard. Very strong beers might be sold in smaller
>measures, and bottled beers are sold by the bottle.
>

Hardened punters always get the pint glass but mostly drink halves from 
it so as to try more different beers.
The half-full glass is less trouble to carry around, as you needn't 
worry about spilling it.

-- 
Sue  ];(:)

Reading Beerex - Thurs 28th April to Sun 1st May, KIngs Meadow near Reading Station

In article ,
   Rick Seibt  wrote:

> I'm planning to attend my first GBBF this August, and had some
> questions I hoped some seasoned attendees could help with.

> I realize this is not like the GABF, which an entrance fee gets you
> free 2 oz samples throughout the session. What are the beer size
> options - full pints only?


As per other postings: pint, half and bottle. NB Imported beers may come in
bottles larger than a pint, recommendation is to share with a friend.

Nip glasses have been considered.


>  Are the prices standardised or do they vary by stand?


Most of the bar is CAMRA run, staffed etc and is a mix of brewery products.
Some bars are staffed by brewery employees (who are also CAMRA members)
and are built and decorated in brewery house style.

Prices vary according to the beer just like any other pub (and for the
duration of the event we are a pub)


> Any recommendations on which sessions are better to
> attend/less crowded?  


Earlier in the week, and earlier in the day (all sessions run from morning
opening to night time closing.)


> Do you receive a glass when you enter or does
> each stand give you a fresh glass?


You pay a deposit on a logo glass when you start, you are free to return it
for a fresh glass as often as you like. Most of the glass washing facility
is at the glasses stand near the entrance.


>  Any other tips or suggestions are welcome.


Start with weaker beers and work toward the stronger more flavourful that
way you stand more chance of trying a fair number before the alcohol
content kicks in.
Each year the bar staff count the seconds until the first request for "the
strongest you've got"

-- 
Steve Pampling

Sue wrote:

> Hardened punters always get the pint glass but mostly drink halves
from
> it so as to try more different beers.
> The half-full glass is less trouble to carry around, as you needn't
> worry about spilling it.


And if you can find a generous pourer, your half tends to be somewhat
closer to a two-thirds... *hic!*

d.

In message , Steven Pampling 
 writes

>
>You pay a deposit on a logo glass when you start, you are free to return it
>for a fresh glass as often as you like. Most of the glass washing facility
>is at the glasses stand near the entrance.


The logo will be "GBBF 2005" when the festival starts.  Towards the end 
it may be the logo of any CAMRA festival that's failed to sell all its 
glasses in the last couple of years.  You can still keep it; some people 
leave with several.

>

>Each year the bar staff count the seconds until the first request for "the
>strongest you've got"
>

One year I worked the bar that had Sarah Hughes Original.  For three 
days it wasn't ready.
The rest of the festival was a sticky nightmare of half-pickled punters 
and frequent washdowns - Sarah's has lots of unfermented sugar despite 
its strength and seems to cover all nearby surfaces faster than other 
beers.

Give me Youngs Double Chocolate Stout any day - it's so black you can't 
tell if it's settled or not, it isn't very sticky and it sells like, 
well, chocolate.

-- 
Sue  ];(:)

Reading Beerex - Thurs 28th April to Sun 1st May, Kings Meadow near Reading Station

davek wrote:
 

> And if you can find a generous pourer, your half tends to be somewhat
> closer to a two-thirds... *hic!*


That's why I always get a half with my pint glass when I attend beer
festivals in England 8>).  

I only get a full pint on last call (unless I find a beer I really love
and stick with).  Another reason for the larger glass!

I would like to see them add a 1/3 pint line so that the attendees could
have that option as well.  I was informed this is a legal British
measure.  There was a thread on the yahoo cask mailing list about this
subject some time back.  Some CAMRA people replied but none seemed to
address this for some unknown reason.   

Cheers,

Bruce
CAMRA member from New Jersey

On Mon, 18 Apr 2005 22:07:54 GMT, Bruce 
wrote:


>I would like to see them add a 1/3 pint line so that the attendees could
>have that option as well.  I was informed this is a legal British
>measure. 


You are correct. It's very rarely used though. It must be said that
1/3 of a pint is a very small measure unless the beer is very strong,
and the people drinking them would be constantly at the bar buying a
refill.

Best regards, Paul
--
Paul Sherwin Consulting     http://paulsherwin.co.uk

On 14 Apr 2005 08:02:32 -0700, "Rick Seibt"  wrote:

>
>I realize this is not like the GABF, which an entrance fee gets you
>free 2 oz samples throughout the session. What are the beer size
>options - full pints only?  Are the prices standardised or do they vary
>by stand? Any recommendations on which sessions are better to
>attend/less crowded?  Do you receive a glass when you enter or does
>each stand give you a fresh glass?  Any other tips or suggestions are
>welcome.


The Thursday evening session is generally considered the best. Friday
evening will be very busy and by Saturday there's a good chance that
the interesting beers will have run out. Friday daytime is OK if you
can make it.

You buy/rent your glass on admission. Most people don't bother rinsing
the glass between beers unless the beers are of drastically different
character. It all gets mixed up in your stomach anyway :-)

If your schedule allows you should consider visiting one of the big
regional festivals as well as / instead of the GBBF. Many people would
argue that these are more enjoyable events, both socially and from the
point of view of the beer. You can only drink so much beer anyway, and
big regional festivals like Reading or Peterborough have over 300.

HTH, Paul
--
Paul Sherwin Consulting     http://paulsherwin.co.uk

In article ,
   Paul Sherwin  wrote:

> On Mon, 18 Apr 2005 22:07:54 GMT, Bruce 
> wrote:

> >I would like to see them add a 1/3 pint line so that the attendees could
> >have that option as well.  I was informed this is a legal British
> >measure. 

> You are correct. It's very rarely used though. It must be said that
> 1/3 of a pint is a very small measure unless the beer is very strong,
> and the people drinking them would be constantly at the bar buying a
> refill.


Which is one drawback for the customer (and the staff serving).

Another is the issue of cost. To have the line marked on the glass would
require that it be examined and tested by an authorised Excise tester. Pint
glasses are already double examined (pint and half)

-- 
Steve Pampling

In article , Sue White
<Sue@blackhole.invalid> wrote:

> In message , Steven Pampling
>  writes

> >You pay a deposit on a logo glass when you start, you are free to
> >return it for a fresh glass as often as you like. Most of the glass
> >washing facility is at the glasses stand near the entrance.

> The logo will be "GBBF 2005" when the festival starts.  Towards the end
> it may be the logo of any CAMRA festival that's failed to sell all its
> glasses in the last couple of years.  You can still keep it; some people
> leave with several.


NB. You are entitled to take back the glass at/near closing time and ask if
they have any returned 2005 glasses.
Everyone involved is aware that the supply of current year glasses runs
short late on Saturday, never the less as you note from the use of previous
years glasses there are always just a few that don't go home with a
customer so they are available in a following year. (As it happens the left
overs last year didn't even half fill a pallet)

-- 
Steve Pampling

In article ,
   Paul Sherwin  wrote:

> You can only drink so much beer anyway, and
> big regional festivals like Reading or Peterborough have over 300.


I'm not sure whether Reading use cooling (I think so) but Peterborough
don't. So if the weather is warm and you like your beer cool...

(ooops, think I just upset the P'boro bods)

-- 
Steve Pampling

Paul Sherwin wrote:

> It must be said that
> 1/3 of a pint is a very small measure unless the beer is very strong,


I've heard talk recently of the third-pint measure being used to
promote beer drinking to the laydeez, in third-pint measure glasses
(with stems, natch), cos a pint is not veyr elegant and laydee-like


> and the people drinking them would be constantly at the bar buying a
> refill.


true, but a third of a pint as a tasting measure at beer festivals
would be an excellent idea

d.

Thanks all for the great info. It's been extremely helpful.
Fortunately I'm visiting the entire week so I'll be able to attend  a
couple of the earlier, less crowded sessions and spend some time vising
greater London's finer pubs.

Cheers,
Rick

Bruce wrote:

>
> I would like to see them add a 1/3 pint line so that the attendees
> could have that option as well.  I was informed this is a legal
> British measure.  There was a thread on the yahoo cask mailing list
> about this subject some time back.  Some CAMRA people replied but
> none seemed to address this for some unknown reason.
>


It was me who started and ended the thread here and on cask-uk.
Basically a third of a pint is a legal measure and is referred to as a nip 
or a stick, though there is some evidence that nip may be used in some parts 
of the UK to refer to a 1/4 of a pint.
That is it really.


-- 

Brett

In message , Steven Pampling 
 writes

>In article ,
>   Paul Sherwin  wrote:
>> You can only drink so much beer anyway, and
>> big regional festivals like Reading or Peterborough have over 300.
>
>I'm not sure whether Reading use cooling (I think so) but Peterborough
>don't. So if the weather is warm and you like your beer cool...
>


Beer cooling isn't normally a problem at Reading as it's so early in the 
year - you need your anorak (and your walking boots) at Reading but the 
beer quality's usually excellent.

I don't know how we'd cope with a warm weekend now the show's got so 
large; I remember watering the casks at the third Reading, using a 
bucket for the far end of the stillage as we hadn't a hose long enough.


-- 
Sue  ];(:)

Reading Beerex - Thurs 28th April to Sun 1st May, Kings Meadow near Reading Station.
Trains from Paddington may be affected by engineering work on the line.

In article ,
   Sue White <Sue@blackhole.invalid> wrote:

> In message , Steven Pampling 
>  writes
> >In article ,
> >   Paul Sherwin  wrote:
> >> You can only drink so much beer anyway, and
> >> big regional festivals like Reading or Peterborough have over 300.
> >
> >I'm not sure whether Reading use cooling (I think so) but Peterborough
> >don't. So if the weather is warm and you like your beer cool...
> >

> Beer cooling isn't normally a problem at Reading as it's so early in the 
> year - you need your anorak (and your walking boots) at Reading but the 
> beer quality's usually excellent.

> I don't know how we'd cope with a warm weekend now the show's got so 
> large; I remember watering the casks at the third Reading, using a 
> bucket for the far end of the stillage as we hadn't a hose long enough.


No great worries for you. All you need to do is do a bit of basic training
in using the cooling systems and borrow some from the warehouses in St.
Albans.

-- 
Steve Pampling