A bit late but time for my Made in the Shade wrap up. It was definately big success for Sun Sounds with perhaps the largest attendance I have seen in the past 10 plus years I have been going. So much so they actually ran out of cups and were forced to use plastic disposable ones.

In retrospect is was a different event being a brewer instead of just being there to taste. One advantage pouring is the other brewers take care of each other so you don't have to wait when the lines get long. The downside is a quick drink and you are back to pouring, though at our booth we had enough people that we could take shifts of pouring and get to see the festival. Best part of the festival was the compliments for our club's beers. The ones from the general public were nice, but it meant more coming from a fellow homebrewer.

While the festival claimed 50 breweries when 10 or so breweries are off a Miller truck and only one beer from each brewery it seems a dubious claim. I have no problem with distribution deals but is the brewery really present if the people pouring the beer is some distributor representative who has never been to the brewery and know nothing really about the beer. Stone had sent people who could accurately represent the brewery and it showed. For example I asked a question about Stone's anniversary party the representative knew the details. It's the little details that matter.

My impression is that the festival has gotten to the size they may need to break it up into multiple sessions or days so that the vendors don't get overloaded. That for it to remain a diverse festival they may need to reach out to small regional breweries in the bordering states to encourage their attendance. I think New Mexico for example lacked the representation of past years. Success is a wonderful thing I just hope they properly manage it.