Beerfest Asia 2014 is here again, and I visited it yesterday.
To me, Beerfest Asia started on a wrong note. I rode my motorcycle there and was turned away for reason: "No more motorcycle parking" However, as I turned around, 2 Harleys ridden by White Guys entered.
After parking at Marina Square, because places around like Singapore Flyer does not allow motorcycles as well, I managed to go back because I've already planned to meet some friends there, and I really did feel discriminated against as another few white guys on motorcycles are allowed to enter again.
Tip #1: Sistic pre-purchase of tickets sucks.
When arriving, for my friends who did not buy tickets, they paid $20 and bought a ticket, and entered. Easy...
When you pre-purchase tickets from SISTIC, you need to follow a long queue, wait for them to find your name, then they give you the tickets. For each ticket, you also pay a processing fee, so in short, you pay more to queue.
There was quite a few choices for beers at Beerfest, but upon closer inspection, I found even more ciders! Not that I have anything opposed to ciders, the choice of ciders is actually pretty good.
Being in a backdrop of Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay sands and the Singapore Flyer, the scenery is actually pretty good.
Tip #2: Purchase your chips wisely.
The minimum purchase for the chips is $30, and the beers range from $5 - $??
Although the chips can be refunded for 80% of original cost, as there are $11 drinks and drinks of other denominations, sometimes the $1 more required makes you want to just pick another drink.
Good thing is, they do offer change. You get 3 - $10 chips and when you buy drinks, they do have $1 chips for change.
Go to the booths, talk to the folks, some stalls have great offers and I managed to get 6 drinks for $30, not a bad deal at all!
Tip #3: Come after dinner. Even though there is food provided by Harry's, much of the food is pre-prepared and relatively expensive. But heh, you are there for beer fest right? Might as well drink more beer to fill you up!
Find the beer kaki... For extra bonus.
Like I said, lots and lots of Cider. Nonetheless, good ciders... There is a relatively good selection of beer as well, but as I've been to the Good beer company, I've drank most of them before.
Overall, Beerfest Asia has comedy, lots of music and tons of beer.
Remember to bring along more friends to have a great time.
Tip #4: And don't ride motorcycle there parking is at Marina Square, pretty far walk, unless you are a white guy.
-- Robin Low
