SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience Tickets
Overall Rating
2.9
By Carly
Savor - disappointing
The Anthem - Washington
I had been to multiple Savors in years past at the building museum, and absolutely LOVED them. This year did not live up to years past. - WAY too crowded - Too dark - Beer stands to close - Too crowded that you did not have the chance to speak with the brewers
By Steph
Savor: Not as Good as Previous Years
The Anthem - Washington
Although the beers were excellent and the food good, the venue was a let down. Too crowded, too dark, too warm, and not conducive to large numbers of people needing to move around while holding food and drink. Hopefully NRG will take Savor back to the Building Museum next year.
By Lover of Beer
Crowded, Expensive, Chaotic
The Anthem - Washington
The change in venue did SAVOR no favors this year. Things were packed in FAR too tight compared to past events. VIP in the elevator waiting area was pure chaos and a waste of time and money. Disappointing. Using both sides of the aisles on the second floor was a poor choice. Not using the third floor at all is indefensible. Without major changes next year, I will likely not attend again.
By Jo
People lost what Savor was all about...
The Anthem - Washington
Location was not adequate for this event. That, or more organization was needed. People were everywhere like if they have not been out of their house for a drink in a long time. There were no lines, food was running out, mind you this was as soon as it started for general admission, 7pm. It was not the usual Savor event. I have been to Savor for the previous 4 years and it was never this disorganized. I really do hope next year they bring it back to national building or provide a better layout of tables to facilitate those that actually would like to appreciate a good craft beer and good food pairing.
By Nah
Went downhill
The Anthem - Washington
Too expensive for the food pairings to rarely be in stock (or the right ones), not enough time since more breweries were added, and too many tickets were sold. It used to be a great event with food always available (I never even saw a cheese item this time and found TWO vegetarian options!), the ability to get around, and able to try at least 30 beers on my list (so not always just hitting 2 tables).
By Beth
Savor 2022: it was ok
The Anthem - Washington
We have been faithfully attending Savor for many years. The Anthem venue was rough. Better during the Premium ticket first hour but quickly became overcrowded, especially upstairs. Difficult to see tables upstairs because it was so dark. Just not the right venue for this event. Brewery reps overall were friendly, approachable, and making the best of the night. Most beers were high quality and thoughtful. Food pairings were well done. Who doesn’t like SWAG? Offerings from more than half the brewers were limited or non-existent, compared to prior years. On the way out…what? No bomber to age for a year and enjoy before going to the next Savor? Nope. An oversized can of 3.7% Table Beer (even though we do love Two Roads). Was really looking forward to this big event after being cooped up for two years, but this may be our last Savor.
By JP
Good beer but overcrowded
The Anthem - Washington
I’ve been to Savor several times. The venue is usually the National Building Museum which has quite a bit more floor space than the Anthem. The result was a bit of mayhem in the main floor area and difficulty getting around. That along with the increase in ticket price made for a less than optimum experience. I hope that this year was an anomaly and the event can get back to the NBM next year.
By Rhett
Bad use of the venue
The Anthem - Washington
Been going to SAVOR for a decade. This was among their worst years. As always, only a handful of mediocre bites are prepared forcing you to eat the same chicken nugget on a stick all night. You can do food and beer events better than this. Visit Paired this fall and take some notes. Beyond the elevated menu, the biggest thing they do is prep the food at the table. The system SAVOR used with running trays out through packed aisles was a mess. It’s not the venue’s fault. The Capital Food Fight was handled much smoother - mostly because the food was being prepped and finished at the table.
By Kel
Not the right fit for the venue
The Anthem - Washington
I’ve been to Savor multiple times across previous years and I’ve always had a great time. It’s a lot of fun to try beers from around the country and speak to the brewers to learn more about them. However, this year’s venue of The Anthem made this difficult, at best. Previously, when held at the Building Museum, there were wide aisles, to allow for movement from booth to booth or for orderly lines to form, while waiting to select a beer. Due to the much smaller space, this was not possible and it was just a constant throng of people, milling about. Aside from a few cocktail tables and isolated corners, there was nowhere to pause and enjoy the beers or food, without feeling like you were continually in the way. This also impacted the ability to interact with the various brewers, which is usually one of the highlights of the event. As much as I enjoy the Savor event, if it is held at The Anthem again, I will be skipping it.
By wR4beer
Will not run to Savor again
The Anthem - Washington
Attended Savor for the first time right before the pandemic. Was super impressed with its organization and classiness. The space was roomy, the people were respectful and polite. The wide variety of beer and food was unexpected. Told everyone it was the best beer festival I’d ever experienced. Looked forward to returning. Until I did… This years event was extremely crowded. There was a wide variety of food and beer, but the space was far to small for the number of people present. This years event was much like your average beer festival, except far more expensive. I was disappointed and did not enjoy the experience.