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Tips For Surviving Beer Fests |
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Written by Henry Bentley
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Monday, 09 August 2004 |
Beer Festivals are one of life's great joys, but if you don't follow some simple steps, they can quickly turn into an ordeal.
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Know the Difference in Beer Styles
There is a wide variety of beer styles available for you to sample. Keep in mind that the percentage of alcohol in beer can vary from about 3 percent to over 10 percent by volume. While you cannot determine alcohol content based on beer color or age, some styles, such as barley wines, doppelbocks and many “fest” beers, often contain a higher percentage of alcohol than other beers. Your server may be able to provide you with additional alcohol-content information.
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Eat When You Enjoy Beer
A full meal before you attend a beer festival is the best way to avoid getting blindsided by strong ale and even stronger sunshine.. Enjoy beer with your favorite meal or snack. Foods high in protein and carbohydrates, like meat, cheese or nuts, are ideal accompaniments to beer. Food not only helps moderate the effects of alcohol, but it also slows down your rate of consumption.
- Water.
Alcohol dehydrates you, even on a cold day. The more water you drink, the better you’ll feel (even the next morning.)
- Start light.
Go down the list of whats on tap, and make a plan to get to your favorites. The general rule of tasting: Start with lighter beers, and work your way up to the stronger, more flavorful styles.
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Easy does it.
A beer festival is more like a marathon than a 100-yard dash. If you start losing sobriety, you start to lose the ability to truly taste, savor and enjoy the beer you are sampling
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Don’t Drive When You’ve Had Too Much
For you own safety and others, please don’t drink and drive. Drinking any amount of alcohol can impair your ability to drive, and all states have strict laws regulating drinking and driving. Know your limits. Instead of risking a penalty or an accident, designate a driver before going out or call a cab. Play it safe and savor the flavor again another day.
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There’s always next time. Disappointments are inevitable. The gold medal winners may run out before you can sample it, or crowds may keep you away from the all organic brewer’s booth. Don’t worry, most festival are annual events, and there are plenty of other beer tasting events to go to. treat each event as part of an ongoing quest.
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Remember, Time is the Only Remedy for Overindulging
Coffee, cold showers or exercise will not “sober you up.” Know your limits before you drink.
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