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Frequently Asked Questions
Free the Hops - Alabamians for Specialty Beer
  • What are the different price levels of tickets, and what is included with each type of ticket?
  • Last year I bought the all-inclusive "food + beer" ticket, but in my opinion the ridiculously long line meant it was a waste of money.  It took forever to get one small plate of food.  You don't seriously expect me to fall for that again, do you?
  • Will there be beer over 6% alcohol by volume?
  • What is the difference between the two sessions?
  • Will there be a fee for parking?
  • Your Tickets page states that this is a "family-friendly" event, but there will be a lot of people walking around drinking beer.  Is it really ok to bring kids?

    • What are the different price levels of tickets, and what is included with each type of ticket?

    There are three price levels of tickets:

    General Admission - $7
    Tier One - $22 advance, $30 at the gate
    Tier Two - $32 advance, $40 at the gate

    Our intent in making advance tickets several dollars cheaper than tickets at the gate is to encourage advance ticket sales.  Even including Ticketmaster fees, advance tickets will be the cheapest option.  That leaves you with no good reason to wait until the day of the event to buy tickets.  Last year we ended up turning away several hundred people at the evening session because we were sold out.  Buy your tickets early to avoid that risk, and enjoy the added benefit of saving money.

    General Admission is like a cover charge at a club. It gets you in to hear the bands and you'll be able to buy food by the plate and beer by the glass. Only a limited selection of beer will be sold by the glass. It's hard for us to imagine how anyone could be surrounded by hundreds of different beers and not want to sample a wide variety, but we know you're out there, and we created this option for you.

    Tier One also gets you in to hear the bands, and includes beer samples. You can also buy food by the plate.

    Tier Two     includes everything in Tier One, but also gives you unlimited access to all the great food catered by Birmingham-area independent restaurants. It is all-inclusive.

    Designated drivers accompanying a Tier One or Tier Two ticket-holder get in free to hear the bands, get free non-alcoholic drinks, and can buy food by the plate. They will also be treated to free coffee from Primavera Coffee Roasters.

    Last year I bought the all-inclusive "food + beer" ticket, but in my opinion the ridiculously long line meant it was a waste of money.  It took forever to get one small plate of food.  You don't seriously expect me to fall for that again, do you?

    We know.  We hope you've forgiven us.  It was our first attempt at a beer festival, and we learned a lot.  We know exactly what went wrong in our rookie effort at the food section, and we are completely overhauling that part of the event this year.  Every participating restaurant will have its own tent (you'll remember last year they were all crowded under a single tent with a single line).  There will be no single line for food this year. We made a huge mistake last year and we are determined to fix it.

    Will there be beer over 6% alcohol by volume?

    Unfortunately not. The near total dereliction of duty by the Alabama State Senate this year means only a small handful of the over 1700 bills introduced became law. You may have heard they didn't even get the State Education Budget passed, which is a Constitutional requirement for them. We were all failed by the Legislature and so the Hops are still not Free.

    What is the difference between the two sessions?
    The time and date, and probably the music line-up. That's it. Having two sessions just allows us to maximize attendance while keeping the crowd manageable. The same food and the same beers will be available to patrons at both sessions. You're not going to miss anything by choosing one session over the other. Just go with the one that fits your schedule.

    Will there be a fee for parking?The normal parking fee at Sloss is $5. That pays for parking staff and security to keep your vehicle safe.

    Your Tickets page states that this is a "family-friendly" event, but there will be a lot of people walking around drinking beer.  Is it really ok to bring kids?

    Absolutely. Though based on last year, we recommend the Sunday afternoon session as the "most" family-friendly.  Not surprisingly, the night session trends toward a younger demographic, while the afternoon session is more appealing to people with children.  Last year we saw a lot of people walking around with strollers.  People who appreciate quality beer are responsible drinkers and the atmosphere at the event is great.

     

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