Mike Russell and Rob Hunter, as The Brewmance, are beer festival veterans. Over the past few years, they have been to countless. With this expertise comes a few lessons they have learned. Today, they share six tips with you to help you enjoy your next beer festival.
#1)Eat.
Put something in your stomach before you grab your beer fest tickets and start pounding samples. Dr. Alexis Halperin tells Refinery 29, food 'is basically going to act like a buffer' to alcohol. Without eating, Dr. Halperin adds, 'you're just putting toxins into your body more quickly,' meaning without food, the alcohol you are consuming starts working its way through the body immediately. Obviously, this means you could get too drunk to enjoy the full festival and the variety being offered. Eating ahead of time will allow you to enjoy your experience even more.
#2)Hydrate
Drink lots of water. Drink water before you get to the fest. Drink water during the festival. You've probably heard the rule: drink a glass of water after every pint of beer. At beer fests things are a little different. Often times, the pours are smaller. So we recommend sipping water throughout the event.
Why do we need to hydrate? Alcohol is a diuretic. That's the fancy medical way to say booze makes you pee more. More time in the restroom means less electrolytes. Getting rid of electrolytes could lead to a hangover including the dreaded daytime hangover. The daytime hangover happens when you feel the headache kick in before you even get to bed. Another lesson we have learned from experience. And if you don't trust us, trust doctors. Get your drink on.
#3)Don't Act Like Its A Frat Party
A common, overused phrase applies here: it's a marathon, not a sprint. The excitement over entering a beer fest can be overwhelming. Your favorite brewery is offering a special beer they are only releasing at the festival. You have to get there before you miss out. We get that. But, don't panic. Go slow and pace yourself. Act like you've been here before.
Come up with a plan and stick with it.
#4)Don't Drive
Grab a ride share or bring a designated driver with you to the festival. It's just common sense. If you don't have the Lyft App yet, download it and use THEBREWMANCE to save money on your first few rides.
#5)Customize A Snack Necklace
First, grab sturdy string. Then, add snacks. Grab snacks with holes. Think things like pretzels. Then you can great creative. Lady Brewmance grabbed some beef jerky ahead of the Real, Wild & Woody Beer Festival then poked a hole in the jerky with a needle before adding it to our snacklaces. Yum.
Customize your snacklace however you want. Rob's included Lifesaver gummies and apple rings. He loves his sugar.
These snacklaces serve two purposes. You continue to eat while you are sampling brews (remember food acts like a buffer to the effects of alcohol). Also, snacks like pretzels cleanse your palate between beers so you easily transition between a chocolate porter and a sour.
What will you add to your snacklace?
#6)Have Fun
This is the most important part. Remember, you are around some of the most awesome people around...craft beer drinkers. Meet new people. Talk about beer. Talk about life. Plan to meet up at a brewery. After all, that's what The Brewmance is all about: celebrating life with great friends and great drinks.
Want to watch our six tips in video format and see our snacklaces? See below. Hit Mike & Rob up on Instagram here.