2005 Shockoe Craft Beer Festival: watered-down fun, down by the water

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Originally uploaded by Stunted Growth.

The 2005 Shockoe Craft Beer Festival in downtown Richmond September 18 was long on thirst but short on satisfaction. No shortage of thirst thanks to ninety-degree temperatures - apparently no one in Richmond has ever heard of having a beer festival in October. A paucity of satisfaction because the festival charged $15 (although Style Weekly said it would be $12) for four near-shot glasses of "samples." That and an abundance of Richmond police ensured that Richmond is in no danger of replacing New Orleans, either when it comes to revelry or floods.

No way to tell from this crowd that Richmond's population is sixty percent African-American. Apparently only yuppies are willing to pay a buck for a shot glass of beer. The seminars at the Canal Turning Basin by enthusiastic local brewers did give away free samples, so this reporter calculates he paid only $7.50 per can of beer.

Music by the usual suspects, local band Moosa and the Atkinsons, who seem to be at every one of these events, as well as The Yokels and The Modern Groove Syndicate didn't make up the exorbitant suds.

Richmond's civic leaders are forever dreaming up ways to vault their way into the ranks of cities like Atlanta and Charlotte. If this is the best they can do with a beer festival, maybe they should start studying Munich instead.