Beer festivals are great… Acres of beers lined up for you to enjoy; a years’s worth of pub crawling in a few hours; shoulder to shoulder with a crowd of beer fans: nirvana!
But festivals can be a little bit too much at times… Large crowds, too many choices & uncomfortable conditions. A good strategy and a little bit of self-restraint can go a long way to make the event even more enjoyable. Here are some tips.
Know your limits…
…of alcohol, heat, sun, being on your feet and dealing with crowds. Be aware that brewers often bring their biggest, baddest beers for these events. This is great but you have to respect these bold beers.
Go when the crowds are lightest…
…get there when it starts, or for a longer festival pick a slow day. Know when to quit - missing the last hour is sometimes a very wise decision.
Do some research…
…find out who is making the beers you are interested in. You may even discover a few brewers and beers unknown to you thanks to the bit of effort.
Don’t be afraid to dump…
…there is just no point in drinking a beer that you don’t like. You won’t offend anybody.
Have a purpose…
…focus on something specific, such as beers you haven’t had before, a particular style, breweries you have never heard of, or finding the perfect session beer. Take notes. Discuss.
Talk to brewers…
…this is a great opportunity to find out more about their beers, how they are brewed, how they think of them, what inspired them to make these beers, and maybe you can find out a few brewing tricks for your home brewing experiments.
Volunteer…
…events are often more fun on the other side of the taps. You get the opportunity to spend time with beer people; get to spread the word on good beer; the chance to interact with loads of other beer lovers. It may very well come with a few perks as well… After parties, T-shirts, etc.
Hydrate… with water, not just beer !!
Eat…
Make sure you have a safe ride home…
(Post adapted from Tasting Beer by Randy Mosher…..Great book to read for anybody with a interest in beer)
