Beginning last year and continuing this year, I was saddened that the Madison Craft Beer schedule seemed to be comprised of filler events. In other words, quantity over quality was the theme.

For example, tastings at grocery stores or featuring 1-2 craft beers on a restaurant/bar’s tap list shouldn’t count as events. Instead, Craft Beer Week should push 1-2 major events every day, such as the Homebrew Challenge and the Lederhosen/Dirndl costume contest. Those events should be supplemented by events such as release parties and tap takeovers.

In addition, I was disappointed how many restaurants/bars I went to where the staff didn’t even know the Craft Beer Week special they were serving. Better training, and more signage at each venue, would have helped.

The idea of Madison Craft Beer Week is good, but it needs some tweaks. For example, the annual celebration can claim 350 events at 80 venues because the vast majority of the “events” are comprised of a bar/restaurant having a new craft beer on tap–that’s it.

Most disappointing was the lack of knowledge of the servers for what the bar/restaurant was doing for Madison Craft Beer Week (three examples: Roman Candle, Blue Moon and Vintage Brewery). If the patron didn’t know to ask for the special, the server wouldn’t offer it, nor was there any signage at most of the venues.

Hopefully moving forward, the event focuses on quality, not quantity.