Backwash

Beer, Beer, and more Beer! This is mostly what Backwash is about. Yes, I said mostly. Backwash is also a fundraiser for Project Great Outdoors which provides troubled youth the opportunity to use outdoor adventure as a creative outlet to risk taking.
Before heading up the stairs at the Freight House District, we were given our scavenger hunt sheets, beer ranking sheets, wristbands, and badges (to be scanned when it was time to vote). The beer ranking sheets allowed you to rank each beer based on categories like smell, mouthfeel, and taste. When you picked a winner, you found a person in an orange shirt, they scanned your badge and then cast your vote on an iPad. All of the winners ( Unilocalers’ Choice, Brewers’ Choice and a winner from each category) were announced at the end.
This year’s Backwash had about 85 beers ranging between Ambers, Darks, Pales, IPAs, and Other (Ciders and the like). I’m not sure if anyone made it through all of the beers, but if they did and they were still standing, I applaud them! I made a valiant effort, but there was just no way it was going to happen. There were some really interesting brews — jalapeño, strawberry, pine needle, maple doughnut, and cocoa nibs just to name a few. I even loved trying different variations of «normal» beers. And every brewer was clearly passionate about what they do and wanted to talk to you about their ideas and methods.
Before the event, there was the threat of rain, so most of the brewers were inside two of the Freight House District bars and under other covered areas. It made it a little packed and there were some bottlenecks, but at least we were dry (even though it never rained).
VIPs were treated to a meal in Bugsy’s which included sliders, flatbread pizzas, Caesar salad, and garlic fries. Definitely appreciated after making our way through some of the brewers. I just wished they had served the food through the entire event.
Overall, a really great event for those beer lovers out there and all for a great cause!

My first thought when I heard about the event was that it would be overcrowded, with a bunch of brewers who would probably give me botulism. I’m sure that might be what you thought. That’s not what happened.
The beer is fantastic. There are so many Reno-​based brewers who have been working on their craft for years. You taste beer after beer of people who are pushing the envelope, people who are trying their best to make the best IPA, the best amber, etc. It makes you want to stop by every person’s garage to make sure they aren’t brewing beer that you should try.
I love that it’s obviously a popular event, but that they don’t *oversell* it. I like that I only have to wait seconds to get a beer, regardless of how popular the beer is. This means that rather than taste only a few of the more-​than-​hundred available, I taste a ton! There’s a crowd, but it’s not unmanageable. There are people, but the obviously also make it expensive enough to get in that the people who are there actually care about beer.
I think they do a really good job of organizing the event and though I was by myself and would rather have been there with a friend, there was plenty to do to enjoy the event solo.
My one criticism: I think that the results of the voting should be kept secret until the end. I think that publishing the results of the voting while it happens influences the rest of the vote. «Oh, this beer is popular so it must be good!» or «I haven’t tried this beer but it’s so highly rated I should.»
I think that if they kept the voting secret until the end it might be a bit more fair.
This event is amazing. I will be back next year.