Here are some frequently asked questions:
Can children attend?
Yes, but we don’t encourage it. Children under 18 may attend if accompanied by parent or legal guardian. Children may not be left unattended. Due to crowding concerns, strollers, wagons, and other similar carriers will not be permitted.
What about parking?
We strongly encourage all attendees to use the shuttle buses or carpool. Using the shuttle also means a safe ride home with no need for a designated driver and no impaired driving and the risks that go with it.
Does the County Bus System go to the festival?
There is a Milwaukee Country transit route close to the festival location along Port Washington Road. We recommend using the shuttle bus service we have ticketed.
Do any nearby hotels have shuttles to the festival?
We are working on a deal with one of the local hotels to offer a shuttle service. If/when we get that going we will announce on both our Facebook and Instagram page.
What’s with the VIB℠ area?
The VIB℠ area (Very Interesting Beer℠) is for those people who like to try more unusual beers that aren’t readily available, are more expensive, or are limited releases. Some may be available in stores, some on a limited basis, some not. All are world class examples or very unusual. We try to offer the greatest variety we can. We don’t offer free food, crappy swag, or other BS, just outstanding beers and occasionally mead.
Can non-VIB℠ ticket holders enter the VIB℠ area?
We will not be having a designated VIB℠ ticket area this year, social distancing and all. These beverages will now be spread throughout the festival area. Please keep in mind that ONLY VIB℠ ticketed patrons will be able to take advantage of those beverages.
Note: VIB℠ beverages are for consumption by VIB℠ ticket holders only. VIB℠ attendees are not permitted to give samples to non-VIB℠ attendees. Any VIB℠ guest doing this will be asked to leave the festival without refund.
Why do you have bottled and canned beer rather than all draft, after all, isn’t draft better?
Many beers are not available in draft. Due to the size of the festival and how much beer is consumed we’re not able to have all draft beer. The volume we’d need to dump would be staggering.
The whole point of draft beer is the freshness because bars go through draft faster than bottles. In our case all our beer is likely fresher than anything you’d get in a bar or store. We get almost all our beer fresh from the distributor or brewery within three days of the festival and it’s locked in a walk-in cooler inside the venue. There are some specialty items we have to order further in advance but those are only beers that benefit from aging. In fact, certain beers we buy one or more years in advance to age them for the festival.
Why is your festival so small?
That’s what we set out to do. We started small and are controlling growth to maintain the quality, lack of lines and crowding, providing more opportunity to talk to the brewers, and have a better overall experience. It all comes down to quality of experience at a reasonable price.
What’s with the homebrew?
The Beer Barons of Milwaukee is a homebrewing club. We love promoting our hobby. We have dedicated hobbyists at the festival to discuss brewing as a hobby and offering samples of their beers. Check out the homebrew area on the patio. If you’re from a homebrew club we’d love to have you join us and serve your beer.
Can I get a refund on my unused ticket?
All sales are final and we cannot provide refunds for unused tickets.
Can I sell my ticket to somebody else?
Yes. You just need to log into the ticket system and change the name on the ticket(s). DO NOT buy paper tickets from anybody.
Can I get a replacement glass for the one I dropped and broke?
We do have some extra glassware at the festival. You can purchase additional glasses at the ticket booth or merchandise table.
Do you have shirts or other World of Beer Festival℠ merchandise available?
We sell t-shirts during the festival.