So the Great Canadian Beer Festival happened over two weeks ago and no Victoria beer blogger has written it up. Why? Dan did acknowledge the event with three lines. There was a preview article in Monday Magazine, which Dan and myself wrote. There was a nice write-up in the Seattlest blog; naturally Eat magazine mentioned it. But no Victorian beer geeks. The question is why?
Perhaps the reason why nobody bothered to blog it was that it would take too long to write. An event this big was so daunting to document that I just thought @#$# it. I lost track of all the new beers sampled; certainly my Untappd account kept tract. Usually I shared my 4oz samples with my wife or buddy John. Sometimes it is nice to put the pen away and just enjoy. No documentation, no ticking, just enjoy!

OK maybe just a few brief thoughts.

LIKED
- Lots of new breweries we there. Tofino brewing had great beers! Ditto for the Noble Pig in Kamloops. Biggest let-down Coal Harbour. Sorry Daniel, the breakfast stout tasted like coffee grounds and ash trays.
- Ample big name American breweries attended. It was great! Everyone stood in line to sample Arrogant Bastard while those in the know drank Crannog dry.
- Enjoyed the wandering entertainers. Ray Parker does great card tricks and has lots of witty one-liners.
- Lots of friends and fellow beer lovers turned out for a great event.
- Ample tents for shade and plenty of water coolers.
- Many one off cask ales. I liked Chris's CDA.
- Vegetarian food selection was pretty good.

DISLIKES
- Many of the new brews you could not get in Victoria. Big Time in Seattle made a mean rye ale.
Monk's Indiscretion by Sound Brewery was a beer to sample again and again and again.
- The beer program was incorrect for many breweries
- The beer line ups were stupidly long. I almost lost it after hearing "what do you have?" 85 times. Listen people: read the program (never mind), look at the selection of beers while you are in line. Stop starring at your @#$# phone and decide! Seriously, I was recently at the Oregon Brewers Festival with more people and fewer beers. There were rarely line ups for any beer.
- Any group of young men making noise with drinking games should be thrown over the fence.

Enough ranting. It was a good time, always has been and always will be.