After working the Global Beer Network booth this past Saturday for the World Beer Festival held in Richmond, I can say that I’ve learned a lot. Having been an attendee of various beer festivals in the past, I also know what it’s like to be on the other side of the table. Here are some lessons I’ve picked up along the way:

  1. Drink more water. – Four hours doesn’t seem like an awfully long time, but guess what, when you’re out in the heat of a Virginia summer, you need all the hydration you can get. Plus, a steady supply of water keeps your enjoyment level up and your inner drunken idiot down. I packed a refillable water bottle. Some attendees seemed to have forgotten this cardinal rule. Whether serving (like me) or drinking (like them), water is always a good idea.
  2. Pace yourself. – Again, it’s four hours long, but you won’t be able to try everything. Give up the ghost on that one. I recommend marking out booths you know you want to hit beforehand, especially ones featuring the pricier items that you’d like to try before dropping serious loot on a bottle. Pace is key here.
  3. People like sour beer. – From what I experienced at this festival, people couldn’t get enough of Monk’s Cafe Flemish Sour Ale. Of course, you’re reading this blog and thinking, “Of course this guy’s gonna say that.” But the fact that this was apparently the only ale of its kind at the festival is saying something. You’d have been amazed. People just dabbling in IPAs and Dubbels for the first time were raving over the Monk’s Cafe. We flat ran out in about an hour during the first session. When you find a beer that makes you rethink what beer is, you’re in a good place.

All in all, it was a great festival and I met a lot of interesting folks whose first love may or may not have been beer. Regardless, many attendees gained a new perspective and had a great time in the process, and I was right there to help that transition along.

Oh, what a beautiful day to be a booster for better beer!