On Wednesday, Charlie Papazian had a great post on Examiner.com providing advice on "surviving beer festivals." He would be one to know: He's the founder of the Great American Beer Festival.Late September and early October are traditionally beer fest months, not least in part because of the granddaddy of them all, Oktoberfest. Some of Charlie's advice is self-explanatory, like rule #1: "Know your limits." But my favorite rule is #6: "Dump the beer."
Part of the fun of a beer festival is trying something new. Much of the time brewers are even trying to push products on us we might otherwise not try at all. Yet still people feel obligated to suck down suds they don't like. Part of knowing your limits is knowing when you're tossing back a brew just because it's in your cup. Don't do it! A "taster glass" is meant for just that: a taste. If you don't want the rest, dump it out. But be a respectful patron too and don't waste the breweries product for their sake and for the sake of your fellow fest-goers who might have a different opinion than you. If you're not sure you're going to enjoy something, make sure you only get a taste and consider going back for seconds later.
Check out the rest of the rules here and tell us if you have any beer festival plans for the fall in the comments. You can find me at the NY Brewfest next Friday.
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