Festival Survival Tips
Planning. It's the key to a
successful beer festival, whether you're organizing one or
enjoying what's on tap.
A bit of festival homework will pay
off, especially if you're a first-timer. To help you get
organized, I've contacted beer writers, festival insiders,
and attendees who've learned a lesson or two the hard way,
and asked them for their advice. Here's what they told
me:
- Do your site-seeing. Most festivals have
websites, and you should visit them as soon as you decide
to attend. Bob Paolino of Great Lakes
Brewing News warns that The Great Taste of the Midwest,
always one of the year's best festivals, sells out weeks in
advance and doesn't sell tickets at the gate. In addition
to ticket information, a good website will list the
participating breweries, tell you who's performing and
what's on the menu, and let you know whether it's a good
idea to bring the kids.
- Last things first. The most important question
to ask yourself is "how am I getting home?" In many cities,
you can book a hotel within walking distance--often at a
special festival rate. If you live away from downtown or
you're staying out in the suburbs, find out whether bus or
rail transportation is available (good festival sites have
this information). Also, most festivals reward designated
drivers with free nonalcoholic drinks and a break on
admission.
- Feed your head. A full meal before the festival
is the best way to avoid getting blindsided by strong ale
and even stronger sunshine. Food also minimizes alcohol's
tendency to drain nutrients out of your system. It's also
smart to visit the food stands at the festival, or, if you
can, bring in your own.
- Water, water... Festival veterans agree: drink
lots of water. Alcohol dehydrates you, even on a cool day.
"The more water you drink, the better you'll feel at
festival close...and 6 am the next morning," Bob Paolino
advises. As a hedge against too few fountains at the site,
carry a big bottle of water; you can use it to clear your
palate and rinse out your mug between tastings.
- Take the road less traveled. Try to be at the
festival when the crowds aren't. Portland beer writer
Lisa
Morrison hits the Oregon Brewers Festival
on Friday, explaining "The beer hasn't run out and a lot of
people have to work (or didn't have the foresight like me
to take off that day)." By arriving early, you can put in a
full day of sampling and still beat the homeward crush of
humanity.
Special events at festivals are a good opportunities to
sample beer in less hectic surroundings. Paul Gatza of the
Association of Brewers recommends the Connoisseurs Tasting
at the Great
American Beer Festival. It's a Saturday afternoon
session at which this year's medal winners are announced;
attendees "have the edge in knowing what they are and can
sample them right away."
- Get with the program. Your most useful tool at a
festival is the souvenir program. Even if the program costs
a few dollars, it's money well spent. Go down the list of
what's on tap (good programs describe the beer), and use
the festival map to get to your favorites. Remember, too,
the general rule of tasting: start with lighter beers, and
work your way up to the stronger, more flavorful styles. As
you sample the beer, jot down your tasting notes in the
program, or, if you prefer, a notebook or pack of index
cards (you did bring a pen, right?). Those notes will come
in handy later when you peruse the tap handles at an
alehouse or wander down the beer aisles in a store.
- Dress for the occasion. Wear comfortable
clothes. Mother Nature can--and will--throw everything from
blinding sunshine to rain showers to gusty winds at you.
And as Hartford travel writer
Kimberly Knox discovered at a local festival, "just
about anything you wear will have beer spilled on it
by the end of the evening." And what about all those
glasses, coasters, and T-shirts you're going to acquire?
Cass Enright of Toronto-based Bartowel.com suggests: "Bring
a backpack or have large pockets."
- Easy does it. A beer festival is more like a
marathon than a 100-yard dash. Follow Lisa Morrison's
advice: "Talk with some of the exhibitors, grab a bite or
two to eat and chill with some music. You are going to be
there a while, you need to pace yourself." Seasoned
festivalgoers know the downside of overdoing it; Paul Gatza
observes that "if I start losing sobriety, I start to lose
my ability to truly taste, savor and enjoy the beers I am
sampling."
- Money talks. Cash is still king at festivals,
and Cass Enright advises having some in reserve. "Most
fests are ticket-based," he explains, "and you usually run
out of the tickets you are initially allotted quite
quickly."
- There's always next time. Disappointments are
inevitable. The gold-medal winning hefeweizen will
run out before you try it, and crowds will keep you away
from that all-organic brewery's booth. Don't worry, you'll
get another chance; most festivals are annual events, and
there are plenty of events on the calendar. Treat each
festival as part of an ongoing quest, not just for new and
unusual styles, but a better understanding of beer.