Anatomy of a Beer Festival

Warmer weather is on its way, and with it comes flip-flops, patio brunches, and best of all, craft beer events! Boston will be teeming with celebration over new spring and summer brews in the next few months – are you prepared? Here’s a timely guide to making the most of your festival experience.

Pre-gaming

As with any marathon activity, preparation is key. If you’re going to be putting three hours’ worth of beer into your body, you’d better have a good cushion for it to land on. Eat a big meal before the festival – beer pairs best with a full stomach.

Pro tips:

Seasoned fest vets string pretzels on yarn to create a handy carb necklace to munch on during events.

Download a beer-tracking app before the festival so you can remember what you liked when things start to get fuzzy. BrewGene and Beer Citizen are two popular options in the Apple store.

Entrance

You may be tempted to charge in and start sampling your heart out, but taking some time to look over the vendor map and plot out your plan of attack is the best way to get your money’s worth. Star the beers you’ve been dying to try and work your way from there.

Approach

Some brewers suggest sampling their beers in a particular order; it’s worth asking if there’s one when you hit a new stall. Don’t feel bad if you need to pour something out – vendors offer buckets at every booth expressly for that purpose. There’s generally water available as well if you need to rinse your glass out between tastes.

While you’re down there

Often, craft festivals include short sessions where brewers talk about different styles, techniques, or trends happening in the industry. This is an excellent opportunity to hear from local experts, and a great way to take a breather from all the beer (should you need one).

You can also try food items that you might not have access to normally. Roxys Grilled Cheese and Mei Mei Street Kitchen are two popular (and delicious) Boston offerings.

Exit

Much like Vegas, you can lose track of time at a beer festival; last call will happen sooner than you think. Take the last 15 minutes to walk, not run, to any booths you might have overlooked, say goodbye to any brewers you connected with, and grab a bottle of water on your way out – I promise your body will thank you later.