Craft Beer Festival Survival Guide

Follow the 1:1 rule. For every ounce of beer you drink, drink the same amount of water. Not only will you feel better during the festival, but you’ll also feel much better the next day, letting you get right back at it. And if you’re at a festival full of octanes (beers above 8 percent ABV), consider making it a 2:1 rule.

Talk to the brewers. If the brewers themselves (or brewery representatives) man the festival, ask them about their beer. Every beer has a story, and the backdrop will not only deepen your understanding of the beer, but it will also make the entire event more enjoyable.

Cut the beer some slack. Unfortunately, most beer festivals don’t provide glassware that accentuates the aroma of the beer, and that makes a huge difference in how you are going to perceive it. Temperature is also often less than ideal. So, factor your opinion up. We like to say that there is a good chance your opinion of the beer would increase about 20 percent if you had it in the appropriate glassware at the proper temperature.

Have a plan. Do your homework up front about which breweries are going to be attending, which beers they will be serving, and where they are located at the festival. Consider all this data as you map out the order in which you want to visit each brewery. Consider everything from the rarity of the beer to the progression of the journey your palate will be undertaking. Use the same strategy you would use at a theme park—hit the highestdemand tables first while the lines are short. Then as the lines grow, branch out to less-crowded ones.

Pretzel Necklaces. This is matter of personal taste in a variety of ways. Many festivals don’t allow outside food, so creative beer lovers often fashion their own necklaces from pretzels and wear them around the festival, providing convenient access to a palate-cleansing snack. If you follow the 1:1 rule above, you probably won’t need this “accessory” to maintain a respectable level of sobriety.