Survival Technique

[rick_huggins]

I'm about to do my first festival (Warwick) and was wondering what the best way to approach it is; how you guys do it and if there's a typical agenda you follow on festivals, any must see'ss/do's' and any definate no no's (pulling beards etc)

[likesbeer]

I assume its a beer festival ;o) so drink halves then you can try more, take it slow as you dont want to peek to early and pass out other than that drink as much as will fit in ;o)

[rick_huggins]

Yep, beer festival.

[Digby Swift]

Get a pint glass but drink halves. They often fill it past the half pint line on the glass this way, especially by the end of the night. If getting really drunk is your game go and ask for a taster of the strongest, there was one called wart hog at 13% when I did it, then say you'll have a half of something else. Do this with every drink you get. Mind you its not very good if you want to actually sample beers so make sure you do that first, I did it on my 3rd night at the festival as it was a week long event and i'd tried most of what I particularly wanted.

[rick_huggins]

Just about to set off; this should be fun!

[Invalid Stout]

If getting really drunk is your game go and ask for a taster of the strongest, there was one called wart hog at 13% when I did it, then say you'll have a half of something else. Do this with every drink you get.

I don't understand this. If you want to get really drunk, why not just drink pints of the strongest?

Anyway, I understood the question to be how to enjoy a festival without getting wrecked. My tip is to pour beer away. Not the good ones, obviously. But pour away the flat ones and the ones you don't like rather than force them down. The money you paid for it is gone anyway. If you're not enjoying the beer, then all you're getting from it is alcohol and calories that you don't need. So dump it.

[Digby Swift]

I don't understand this. If you want to get really drunk, why not just drink pints of the strongest?

Sorry I meant to say drunk on the cheap. Student method.

But pour away the flat ones and the ones you don't like rather than force them down

That's a good point. It's hard to get your taste back after you try some of the inevitable disgusting ones you take a gamble on. May as well get rid of it and save your taste buds for one you will enjoy.

[rick_huggins]

Well; all a bit of an anti-climax really!

£5 for a glass (half), then £5 for tokens... but at £1.40 a half..

Out of 14 beers I only rated 2.... nicely hoppy IPA types from Purety Brewwery.... Gold & U Boo

The rest.. pah; I've made better

All in all tho a rather disappointing first

[simple one]

Sounds like most of the smaller beer festivals I have been to. I am sure it must be a game the brewers play,"see how much of the worst ale they can sell". There was an ale at the last festival called battery acid, it was awful. I didn't finish it, but I bet the brewers were sniggering in the back.

[chris_reboot]

I just went to my first coincidentally this sat up the road from me.
they boasted 40 beers and ciders.

half pint glass and 'entrance fee' was £2, (which I thought strange when it was a pub, so why entrance fee?)
vouchers £1.25 for a half.

only got to sup 2 as I was driving, but thought the same as you, I can/have done as good if not better.
most impressive was a local micro's, the not so good was the landlords own micros offering, but I'd go again if only to try more.

may offer some of my brews next year though to test the water if I'm cornie'd up by then.
presume the JG fittings will interface with pub equipment?

[booldawg]

Well; all a bit of an anti-climax really!

£5 for a glass (half), then £5 for tokens... but at £1.40 a half..

Out of 14 beers I only rated 2.... nicely hoppy IPA types from Purety Brewwery.... Gold & U Boo

The rest.. pah; I've made better

All in all tho a rather disappointing first

Get yourself to the GBBF in August. 100s of beers on and no fannying around with tokens.

I've given up on the community centre beer festivals with poorly kept/dispensed beers, no seating space and shoulder to shoulder 4 deep at the bar. I think they are important to the continuation of real ale and to get the unititated drinking it but I dont find them particulalrly enjoyable after witnessing a few.

[FlourPower]

Have only been to festivals at Oxford and Reading. Oxford was nice because some friends managed to save some seating by getting there early. A lack of good food (some horrific pastys that even brown sauce couldn't save) and a lack of space diminished from what could have been a great festival in a great venue.

Reading however I love. Choice of fantastic food, 450 odd ales then Ciders and Wines, entertainment, loads of benches and on a sunny day all of outside to sit in. A plethora of different types of people as well. Not just old men with flat caps or students.

[WishboneBrewery]

Always assume people with beards want to touch your balls and ensure you keep them covered when passing!

[edit1now]

You speak for yourself, pdtnc!

Ealing CAMRA festival in Walpole Park - last year 6/10, this year 4/10 because they'd run out of some of the beers by Friday evening, from Wednesday. GBBF last year 4/10, this year 2/10, only redeemed by the beer and having LAB members to chat to. I hate Earl's Court

[WishboneBrewery]

I only say that as i was informed by my parents that "Loads of Gay people go to the Keighley Worth Valley Railway Beer Festival", just after we'd been... I'm not Gay but did have a beard at the time
My Parents also had a Gay decorator, much to their astonishment