North Fork Craft Beer, BBQ, & Wine Festival

This is my favorite craft beer festival, and I would argue the best one. The selection of brews alone is why I come back each year, and they have always seemed to do their best at getting things going on-​time.
This year there was a real problem with the food situation — I had eaten right before coming here or else I might have wasted WAY too much time waiting on line for food. This needs to change for next year, folks.
The venue has shifted a few times, but each year it has been a perfect setting for a long afternoon of tasting indulgence. Always enough portapotties to be had…
Up & coming breweries and brew-​clubs will have tastings here, so if you like to see what’s coming down the pipeline for Long Island this is the place to see it!
My blue ribbon of the day went to Po’Boy for the inventive ciders. Can’t wait to see what they’ll be putting out next!
Pro-​Tip: Bring a container full of Nutella and peanut butter to dip your pretzel necklace in before consuming. Yeah it’ll get messy by the end of the day, but that’ll likely be the least of your concerns…

I came to the festival to volunteer for Kids Need More which is an organization that raises money for kids with cancer to go away to a special super fun summer camp.
Don’t worry, I also got to participate in the fun festivities aka drinking some delicious craft beers.
There were a ton of local breweries as well as some of the generics that create craft beers such as Samuel Adams.
I didn’t realize Long Island had so many breweries !!! Some of my favorites were Great South Bay, Square Head Brewery, and Montauk Brewing Company.
Okay so there was a ton of beer and I mean a ton.
Every place was suppose to only give you 2 ounce pours but that never happened. Everyone just filled up the little glasses.
I never waited on a line more than 2 minutes for any beer.
I tried about 20 different beers. I could have tried a ton more but I was volunteering and getting sloshed wasn’t really what I was going for.
The one downside to the festival was that all the food trucks had ridiculously long lines and they were running out of food.
Drunk people like to eat so I would think that these trucks should have been a little more prepared.
I ended up getting some jerky because it was a shorter line and I was hungry.
Apparently pretzel necklaces are a thing which I never knew but hey great idea.
Once it was close to the festivals end they quickly moved people along. There was no lingering allowed and that place cleared out fast.
I will for sure come back next year but I will not forget a pretzel necklace this time!

Huge event! Lines for the brews were pretty tame as I wasn’t waiting for too long anywhere. We were able to taste, wander, mingle, make faces. Plenty to do under the tents. I’m pleased to share that almost every craft brewery from longguyland was there, and even one or two I’ve never heard of before (Po’boy brewery, who ARE you, really?). I started taking pictures of everything I enjoyed because after 10 or so of those tastes, the mind starts getting a little fuzzy. I couldn’t find any wine tastings, unlike the previous years. Still — totally OK with me there was PLENTY of unusual beers and ciders to enjoy.
In regard to the food … what… happened?
Not unlike everyone else, I was peeved about the eats. Previously, you’d get a ticket included in the price of admission to score some BBQ. This year, they only had 4 food trucks for noshes. FOUR. To feed, I don’t know well over 1,000 people? Yikes. It’s completely inefficient to make one order at a time when 25 – 40 people are waiting on each line. I spent 35+ mins roasting in the sun, then another 20 parking my sweaty self down in the shade to consume my much awaited prize. Almost an hour of a 3.5 hour event was lost just to grab half a meal. Make no mistake, the chicken sliders from the sweet buns truck were good, but paired with the lackluster overpriced parmesan truffle fries ($ 7), and the wait, I should have just brought a couple of KIND bars to stuff in my face instead.
Leaving was a sheet show. Literally. We saw a girl dropping off some brown babies next to a car in FULL view of the road. Listen lady, at least go in the bushes or hide behind the car door to do your business. No one wanted to see that. Traffic wasn’t super well orchestrated out of the place either. The security and staff were trying, but it was going slooooow. There wasonly one egress and a buncha’ crazies in their cars so I was glad we all rented a short bus.
I’d go again, but the organizers really need to up their game next year.

Lots of fun and got to try some great craft beers from some great and friendly breweries from all over and not just Long Island! Wish that it would have been held for longer hours, since it was a beautiful day, but can understand why it is only 3.5 hours long — I can see how lots of folks could end up TANKED by the end of it!
This years location was at the old Calverton links golf course, and well it was a deserted golf course, complete with dry grass, and hills. Easy location to get to, so that was a plus. I can see why lots of people go year after year, and I think I might just be one of those people!!!
Until next time!!! CHEERS!

A perfect day for me, a craft beer festival on one of my favorite vineyards.
Weather was perfect!
Blind Bat Brewery… as many thumbs up as I can give you. Awesome guys working the taps! Also the Long Ireland crew rocked as well.
Great selection of beers… lines moved decently for brews.
One thing I hate is that «craft beers» is the new trendy thing. So you could imagine that I wasn’t a fan of the crowd. In my opinion I could do without the half drunk 20 somethings asking wheres the coors light, and the snooty yuppies mad that their high heels were sinking in the dirt field. But this does all come when alcohol is involved in anything.
Food was ehhh not the best but not the worst. I can’t complain too much
Bathrooms were plentiful which is always a plus.
Tickets do go fast, but with any popular event that is what happens. I will say tickets are a little pricey.

This being my first experience at this particular event, I didn’t really know what to expect. However, I’m huge into Craft Beers, I love BBQ and I dig on local Wines; as such I had pretty high hopes going into the North Fork Craft Beer, BBQ & Wine Festival.
The Beer… sick. I think there was something like 60 breweries participating. Two of my favorites from the event, subsequently local joints, were Great South Bay and Montauk Brewing. Their brews were especially tasty this day.
The BBQ… meh, not the best, but with your choice of Pulled Pork, BBQ Chicken, Chili or Beans Sammy included in your ticket price, I can’t complain too much.
The Wine… wait, there was wine there?
All in all pretty cool event to hit up. ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ on whether or not I’d actually attend next year since it seemed over crowded and it was a hot sticky Saturday.
Quick Tip # 1: As Drew A stated… get tickets as soon as they go on sale. Both sessions sold out, so if you want to go, get your tickets early.
Quick Tip #2: Experiment and Drink Local. The big boys like Samuel Adams, Blue Moon, Sierra Nevada, Estrella and Paulener have enough money. Share some of the love with local Long Island Brewers, you just might find your new session brew.

This was my first time attending the festival and I had the time of my life. Seriously, you wouldn’t believe how many different beers were there! Easily over 200 hundred different varieties of craft beer and I’m pretty sure I sampled every single one. (The ride home I’m not so sure about?) Thank God for the DD tickets they have for non-​drinkers! The bbq was pretty amazing as well; paired perfectly with the beer.
People were very friendly and out to have a really good time, what a great crowd. We were lucky to have such a nice day too as the weather called for thunder storms. Whats better on a hot sunny day than ice cold beer?!?
Will definitely coming back yearly to this event. I would have come last year too but they sold out fast ***Tip: get your tickets on-​line as soon as they go on sale***. They do not over sell, so no tickets available at the door!
Added perk: A LOT of swag and beer-​related merchandise for sale. I picked up a sick growler in the shape of a gargolye for 35 bucks! Yesss!

My favorite festival of the year. Hands down. What’s not to love?
Great beers… check
Great outdoor venue… check
Classic rock tunes… check
BBQ eats… check
Short lines, great crowd, plenty of bathrooms, places to sit, easy-​in/​out… I could go on. If you are in any way into craft brews this event should be penciled into your calendar every year. Nearly every local brewery and many of your favorites are represented and the beer flows until they shut the place down.
Tip: Buy tix asap. They sell out of VIP and GA every year.