Festivals. Can't Live With 'em, Can't Live Without 'em.

Beer festivals are fun. Pay one price, get to try a ton of awesome beers all in one place with a bunch of cool people. Who wouldn't love that?

I'd like to give you the inside scoop from the brewer's perspective if I may. As I see it, there are three types of beer festivals:
The Givers: Those who are run by people who volunteer their time and give all of the proceeds to charity. We support these festivals and will participate and promote these as much as we can.
The Buyers: Those who make money on festivals, give a portion of the proceeds to charity and purchase the beer at wholesale from the brewer. We participate in these when it makes sense logistically.
The Takers:  Those who make money on festivals, give a portion of their proceeds to charity, and ask the brewers to donate beer in exchange for "exposure" for their breweries. The Tennessee Brewers Guild has taken the stand that as a group, we will not participate in these festivals. Mayday agrees with the guild. We take great pride in our beer and we believe it is worth the wholesale price that festival organizers would have to pay for it.  You, the craft beer lover, will gladly pay for the opportunity to attend their festival to drink our beer, but the organizers are unwilling to pay for the beer being served.

This is why Mayday will not participate in Brewsboro coming up October 12.

If you want to come by the brewery, buy a beer and discuss it, I'd be happy to.

Ozzy