Sunday morning started early. We had forgotten to close the curtains in the hotel room so we were up with the sun and ready for another round… after a few Advil and a cup of coffee of course. Breakfast was our first order of business. After stopping at 4 ATMs we finally found one with cash and were able to procure a couple of bagel sandwiches and some iced coffee. (Pro Tip: Mountain Bagels & Cafe doesn’t take plastic.) From there it was back to the Forrester to await the arrival of the other brew crew members that were joining us for day two.
Sunday’s vibe was much different from what we’d encountered the previous afternoon. Fewer people along with the collective hangover made for a pretty chill atmosphere. We enjoyed seeing our new friends and introducing them to our crew, trading stories of the prior evenings events. Once again, plenty of great beer and food was found. Notable examples include:
- Chatham Brewing - Belgian Tripel
- Newburgh Brewing Company - Brown Ale
- Sixpoint - Apollo
- Lake Placid Pub & Brewery - Threesome
I was actually surprised at how much I enjoyed the Belgians at TAP NY, it’s not a style I usually gravitate toward, but I found myself coming back again and again to the Belgians. (Which makes me very excited to try the Orval I’ve got stashed in the fridge at home.)
Another surprise at TAP NY was the number of people that recognized me as The Craft Beer Girl! Some said they read the blog, some follow me on Twitter or Facebook, but all were very kind in what they had to say. It really was a shock to be known like that, even on a small scale. I cannot tell you how amazing and welcoming the craft beer community is. Initially, I fell in love with the beer but the people are what make me smile the most throughout my adventures in craft beer. Let me say right now, THANK YOU, to everyone that I’ve met, to the internet community, to friends, old and new… Thank you for stopping by and reading what I have to say, for sharing your beer knowledge, and for buying a round every now and then… I really do appreciate every part of this.
Our first trip to TAP NY will certainly not be our last. We’re already looking forward to next year and planning to get to a few more festivals this summer. If you’ve got any suggestions on where we should head next, please leave a comment. Thanks for the memories TAP NY… and thanks for the beer!
Wow… what an awesome weekend. Wish we could have been there!