From the Barrel presented by Firestone Walker is a one of a kind event. I often wish / lament that events or beers were held here in Los Angeles and FtB fits into that category.
It is a well-run show. You know that the choices of beer, spirits and food will be plentiful and good. But it is the not-so-little things that make this event a success. The amount of tickets sold is regulated. The location adds to the ambience. The localness of the vendors. All of it is needed or even the best beer will not taste as good.
FtB is unabashadely a post-prohibition party and even I, a non- costume dress up guy who tired of Halloween long ago, had fun dressing up a bit.
What caught my palate on the drink side was Crooked Stave’s Blueberry beer was really good as was the barrel aged Manhattan shaken by the Eureka! Burger folks. I was also taken with the selection of Moonshines from straight-up to Apple Pie to Sweet Tea from American Born, Ninkasi threw a change-up with an IPA, This is Why I’m Hop that cut through the bigger beers on offer.
Even with three hours, there was no way that I could taste all that I wanted to taste without passing out. That is both a good and a bad thing. I am of the temperament that if given ten choices, I will want to try all ten. I would be happy with five but if I miss five then I feel like I got less. All of that is to say that I think the choices (except for food) could be trimmed back a bit. This would not detract from the experience and also free up some much needed elbow room.
That leads to my second suggestion for improvement: seating. Costumes are not usually the most comfortable. Especially the high heels for women. But there was no real place to sit. There were a few table tops to place your tray and glass on but a few picnic tables spread around would have been very welcome.
I was an still am split on whether the placement of vendors worked or didn’t. Part of me would have liked the whiskey in one area, beer in another and food in another with maybe a crossover table where a beer aged in a whiskey barrel would be in between that brewery and that distillery.
The main question in an event review is; Would you go back again? The answer is, yes.
