Saturday 13 June 2015

Session Toronto Craft Beer Festival 2015, Toronto, ON

Gord and I went to the sixth annual Session Toronto Craft Beer Festival this evening (from 5pm to 9pm) ... we've been to all six.  It was held downtown at Yonge Dundas Square.

A regular ticket was $40 (plus tax) which included a glass and five tasting tokens. Tasting tokens were $1 and one token got you a 3 ounce sample.  Like last year, we'd bought Princess Passes ($100 + tax).

* 1 festival glass * Separate entrance to event with NO lineups * Private bathrooms * 30 tasting tokens * Access to Princess area which features catered buffet, unique beer and private music/entertainment

The princess lounge
You couldn't get into the princess lounge
unless you had wrist band
This security guard made sure!
The sampling glass and 30 tokens
There was a good turnout

Here are Gord and I with Jed, the festival organizer.


We sat with our friends.

Gord, the festival princess, me, Christine, Darlene, Bruce and Jen

TooNice provided the entertainment ... they played reggae and were good.


Here are the beer I had ... I liked them all.

Griffin Local 7 Raspberry Lemon Verbena Session Saison
Flying Monkey's Raspberry Peach
3 Brewer's Pamplemousse
Flying Monkey's Rose Hopped Hibiscus

One of the brewers was handing out flashy shades.  Here's Gord goofing around with his.


There were collaborations.

Beau's and k-os created "Golden Vox" Rye Pale Lager
Old Tomorrow and Jon Montgomery
created Monty's Golden Ryed Ale

Jon hung out in the princess lounge and posed with everyone and let us wear his Olympic gold medal (it's heavy!).  He's cool because he said he wants the fingerprints of as many Canadians as possible on it.

Jon and I
Gord and Jon
Jen and Jon

Gord and I posed with the snowman from Duke's Refresher and Bar.


It was a fun time and I look forward to next year's!

The only complaint I would make is that there really wasn't a "catered buffet".  The food tables were empty most of the night.  Last year, there was tons of food ... this year hardly any.  When the few trays were brought out, everyone swarmed around them and the food was gone in seconds (so you had to be quick).


Every year I come home with tokens ... 30 is too many for me.  It would be better to lower the cost of the pass and let me buy the amount of tokens I'll use.

No comments: