What is DaveFest 2006? Here's your answer.

The time is fast approaching for DaveFest 2006, and understandably, many people are asking me: “Uh, exactly what is DaveFest 2006?”

It’s a question worth considering, because DaveFest 2006 represents a whole new draft beer festival concept for us.

Currently at Rich O’s and Sportstime, we stage three draft beer festivals during the course of the year. Gravity Head is devoted to high-octane “gravity” beers, Lupulin Land to lupulin-laden hoppy beers, Saturnalia to diverse and “festive” cold-weather seasonal beers in the period just before Christmas.

With DaveFest 2006, we inaugurate the first “consumer’s choice” draft beer festival, one that seeks to answer the question: “What would your ideal draft lineup look like?”

This fun idea arose from a conversation between loyal customer Dave Siltz and myself, and here are the rough guidelines (in Dave’s own words):

The rules are these:

Six taps will be provided for beers of my choosing, but I should specify at least ten beers so that alternates are available if any of my main selections cannot be procured.

I need to choose beers that Roger can actually get, so no Alaskan Amber and no Alaskan Smoked Porter or anything else that he can't get in a keg.

Some beers are always on anyway, like Guinness, so I needn't bother specifying them.

I immediately thought it would be a fine thing to try and do, perhaps even more so because Dave’s taste preferences run across the board and embrace stylistic territories that aren’t always represented in our yearly promotions, i.e., he’s neither a “gravity” nor a “hop” head.

Here is the combined list he submitted, including alternates.

Delirium Tremens
Rogue Smoke
Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier
Rogue Chocolate Stout
Arcadia Scotch Ale
Goose Island Honkers Ale
Mestreechs Aajt
De Dolle Dulle Teve (Mad Bitch)
Bell's Kalamazoo Stout
Avery Old Jubilation
Two Brothers Domain DuPage French Style Country Ale
Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale
Piraat
Newcastle Brown Ale

Note: Dave assumed I wouldn’t tap a keg of Newcastle Brown for the occasion, but he’s wrong. I will. What the hell.

Of these, I think only three or four will not be available (Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale, De Dolle Dulle Teve (Mad Bitch), Arcadia Scotch Ale and Avery Old Jubilation).

My aim is to have all the ones that can be procured on tap at the same time on Friday, June 2.

Perhaps in the future, we might entertain submissions from other customers in a yet to be determined sweepstakes format, with the grand prize being his or her own draft beer festival. First, we’ll see how this one goes.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)