Last September, Gonerfest 22 moved into Wiseacre’s Broad Avenue brewery, giving several hundred music-loving miscreants a home base for the weekend. It also gave Wiseacre a crash course in what happens when you combine dozens of bands from around the world, punk rock pilgrims who’ve traveled thousands of miles to see them, and an essentially unlimited supply of beer. Everybody survived. So, naturally, they’re doing it again the last weekend of September.
For our first Flyer spirits column, we asked Wiseacre cofounder and CEO Kellan Bartosch what he remembers from last year, what he’s expecting this time around, and what first-timers need to know before wandering into the Gonerfest vortex.
What stuck with Bartosch wasn’t necessarily the music or crowds, but the sight of strangers sitting at communal tables, hanging out. “I loved looking outside and seeing all those people talking,” he says.
Which is surprisingly wholesome for a four-day music festival that headlined noise extremists Lightning Bolt, Zambian psych rockers W.I.T.C.H., and Memphis rap legend Tommy Wright III. But anyone who’s been to Gonerfest knows how it works: You show up for the bands and wind up making friends with strangers.
Behind the bar, things were more chaotic, with employees from both locations pitching in and outdoor bars added to slake the festivalgoers’ thirst.
The brewery also learned an important lesson about beer selection. The undisputed champion last year was Sky Dog, Wiseacre’s crisp, highly drinkable lager. It’s also no slouch in the awards department: Sky Dog took home a gold medal from the Great American Beer Festival, where it was named America’s Best Light Lager in both 2024 and 2025. Bartosch calls it the marathon runner of beers, and we wholeheartedly agree. At Gonerfest, that’s not just a compliment. It’s a survival strategy.
That matters when you’re dealing with people who may spend 11 hours at the brewery before heading to one of the Gonerfest afterparties. “If you’re at a festival, you don’t necessarily want a bunch of heavy beers,” Bartosch says. Exactly. This is not the moment to discover your personal limits with an imperial stout.
Wiseacre’s nonalcoholic, hop-infused sparkling water, Hop Zip, also got an unexpected workout last year. Apparently, some savvy Gonerfest attendees discovered that alternating alcoholic beverages with zero ABVs can improve your odds of making it through Sunday night. Think of it as the difference between attending a four-day festival and having a really memorable after-work bar hang.
In industry parlance, Bartosch tells us, this is called “zebra-striping.” Beer. Hop Zip. Beer. Hop Zip. Repeat. Everybody lives to see another band.
We recently sampled Hop Zip on a 100-degree afternoon and decided to incorporate it into our own Gonerfest strategy. After all, we’re veterans. We know things. The most important thing we know is this: Pace yourself. Gonerfest is four days. There is no prize for destroying yourself before the first afternoon set is finished. So, welcome back, Gonerfest. The beer is cold, the bands are loud, and Wiseacre is ready.
The Gonerfest Survival Guide
Best time to arrive: As the first band starts, if you have the stamina.
One thing to bring: Your credit card. Wiseacre is a no-cash venue.
One thing to leave at home: Your car and your attitude. Drink responsibly. Nobody likes a belligerent jerk.
The veteran move: Pace yourself. Four days is an endurance contest, not a race to the bottom.
The rookie mistake: Forgetting to eat. Panuzzo King will be open, along with several food trucks.
The beer: Sky Dog. Light, refreshing, and built for the long haul.
The beer to approach with caution: Gotta Get Up to Get Down, Wiseacre’s signature Coffee Milk Stout. Have one if you want it, but switch it up afterward. Seriously. This is a warning from your friends.
The thing you absolutely need to know: Gonerfest is a music marathon with a matching bar tab. Hydrate, eat, zebra-stripe, and save a little gas in the tank. There’s always another band.
