If you love beer, a visit to BeerFest is a must. You get to drink loads of beer of various brands, in the company of fellow beer lovers. Just pay the entrance fee and you can drink beer to your heart’s delight! However, to ensure you enjoy yourself and don’t end up doing something you will regret after all that beer, here is a quick beer festival survival guide to help you.
1. An empty stomach won’t help you enjoy more brews. Eat a meal before you start the beer binge or your enjoyment will last only a few beer rounds. However, don’t eat any spicy foods as they will only destroy your ability to properly taste a mug of beer.
2. Hydrate yourself! Drink lots of water, your day at the beer festival will be very long and hot!
3. Take your time. You have come to the beer festival to enjoy yourself and your beer. Pace yourself and enjoy as many types and mugs of beer as possible. Don’t drink uncontrollably, relax and just taste the beer and either dump it or take your time to drink it. The festival lasts for hours. No one’s racing – just relax and enjoy your day!
4. Wear a comfortable pair of shoes. Shoes matter a lot as seating is limited. You will spend lots of time moving from one beer booth to the next, so wear comfortable shoes.
5. Bring cash. Cash is important to buy some things with so many beer vendors and food to try. Though some vendors accept credit cards and the festival might have ATMs, it’s more convenient if you carry some cash.
6. Take notes. You never know; you may find some beer you like and no matter how strong your memory is, you won’t remember the names after all the beers, so carry some way of remembering. I like to take cell phone photos of the bottle to help me, but you may prefer the old-fashioned pen and paper method.
7. “If lost please send to.” If you traveled from out of town, it’s also a good idea to write down the name and address of your hotel or sleep accommodations. That way at the end of the night, you know where to have the taxi deliver you. Large amounts of beer can sometimes affect the memory.
8. Take lots of photos. Last, but not least, a camera is a must at any beer festival. You get to see many crazy things worth clicking to remember. Share your pics with others to give them an idea of how great a beer festival actually is!
Survival Guide
Edmonton’s International Beerfest and Cannabiscon Edmonton are have partnered up to offer a special “Buds and Suds” events package. Attend both events (with VIP admission to Beerfest) on Saturday April 14, 2018 for just $30! Both events are conveniently held at the Shaw Conference Centre, allowing you to make the most of your day and enjoy two fantastic events.
This deal is only available online, not at the door, and applies to Saturday only! Get your Buds and Suds ticket today!
**Disclaimer: Edmonton’s International Beerfest and CannabisCon do not endorse mixing alcohol with cannabis. Cannabiscon is intended as an educational means and follows strict guidelines that are in line with current cannabis legislation in Canada.
Edmonton BeerFest International Beer Festival Craft Alberta Edmonton BeerFest
Beer festivals are great after a few months of extreme cold, and not just because they give you an opportunity to drink inside. The Edmonton 10th Annual Beer Festival gives you access to rare, less-available beers, so you can taste a wide variety, hang out with your heroes and other beer lovers, and learn a thing or two. At BeerFest, you can literally drink as many different kinds of beer as you want, and there can’t possibly be a better way for beer lovers to spend a few evening hours.
In order to enjoy Beer Fest, it is important that you take the necessary preparations. The following tips will help you survive our massive beer event April 1 and 2 2016 and guarantee you a great time:
Eat Before You Come!
Give yourself time to get the flavor of the food out of your mouth or you will be tasting food-flavored beer, and continue to seek out food for the duration of the festival. Typical beer festival fare of turkey legs, pizza, nachos and different sandwiches will give your stomach a much needed buffer between beer and alcohol absorption. Take time to enjoy your food; this will also help to cleanse your palate between your beers.
Try to Drink Equal Parts Water and Beer
We know this one is hard… But if you have four servings of beer, try and drink that same amount of water before moving on. BeerFest has bottled water on sale specifically for this purpose. You might use the restrooms more frequently, but in the end this will keep you from becoming dehydrated and could help reduce the chance of suffering a hangover later on.
Try to Experience Everything
We provide a list of entertainers (check our Facebook Page) as well as run a Beer School during the show. Get hold of that list and start planning what you might want to see. We have an incredible line up of shows, exhibitors and talent at this year’s festival.
Get the Ultimate Beer Fest Experience with a Beer God Pass
Choosing which type of ticket to buy for a beer festival can be hard, but we’ve made it easy. The only pass for a true beer lover is the Beer God Pass. You get 1 hour early access and front of the line service, Free sampling mug and a Free tasting guide! Click here to buy your Beer God Pass!
Make Sure You Truly Taste the Beers!
Too often attendees look at this festival as a four hour kegger. To enjoy BeerFest 2016 and create a lasting impression in your mind, and to retain a happy memory of the beers you drank (that you should be able to find after the festival), take your time to actually taste the beer. Tasting hints to consider:
- Aroma – Since half of taste is actually our olfactory perception, take time to smell the beer. Make a mental note of what you can smell.
- Appearance – Although most festivals pour in two ounce portions, you should be able get a good idea of the look of the beer. The head retention, color, cloudiness, etc.
- Taste – When tasting, it is recommended that you drink only half of the sample initially. Make a note of the different properties of the beer (bitter/sweet/tart, etc.).
- Mouth feel – What did the beer feel like? Thick, chewy, silky, fizzy? The texture will have an effect upon your perception and enjoyment of the beer.
One last tip: dress appropriately for the weather and put on some comfortable shoes, as you will be spending a lot of time on your feet at the Edmonton Beer Festival.
Source: Enjoying a Beer Festival
On April 1st and 2nd, 2016, thousands of beer lovers will be at the Shaw Conference Centre to live and experience yet another edition of Edmonton’s International BeerFest.
The festival is an experience that goes far beyond throwing back a few beers. It incorporates some good time with good company, music, fun learning, food and beer. Like always this year’s event guarantees fun. Lots and lots of fun.
The festival promises a high level of entertainment. It will feature numerous musicians and bands whose electrifying live music is reason enough to attend. In 2015, the musical lineup included Edmonton’s Lyra Brown, Cadence & Nathan, Rob Taylor, The Moanin’ After, Braden Gates, and Carrie Day.
Every year, there are also world-class guest speakers offering insight on matters of beer and food. In 2015, the event invited David Ort and Patrick McMurray to talk about food and beer pairing and oyster appreciation respectively.
And of course celebrating beer is the reason for the occasion. In attendance will be hundreds of local and international microbreweries, medium size breweries, and multinational breweries. Some have brewed for centuries, and others are startups yearning to stretch our taste buds. The only common denominator among the exhibiting brewers is a passion for brewing and the love and appreciation of a quality brew.
All those participating breweries will bring over 200 varieties of beer. Apart from familiar brands, you can expect to find samples of gluten-free beer, chocolate stouts and pale ales. If you have not discovered a beer that matches your personality and style, taste those varieties, and you will fall in love with one or more beers.
You can also look forward to some innovative products from brewers such as Big Rock Brewery. If you love lagers, make sure to check out Yellowhead Brewery’s delicious lagers. You can also sample Steam Whistle’s Premium Pilsner. If amazing ales are your kind of beer, make a date with among others, Big Surf Beer co., and Parallel 49 Brewing Company.
Good music, friendly company and lots of beer create the right atmosphere for a blast. It’s no wonder then that Edmonton’s BeerFest has sold out six years straight. Get your tickets early and wait to have the time of your life.
Photo Source: Pixabay.com
Since 7000 BC when people in Mesopotamia brewed the first beer, the popularity of this beverage keeps on growing. Today, beer is the world’s most popular alcoholic beverage and the fourth most popular drink.
Unless you are in Kuwait where beer is illegal, enjoying a bottle of beer with friends is a favorite past time. People drink beer when they are celebrating and when they are mourning. However, beer sales are highest during the holiday month of December. According to the latest alcohol statistics here are the top 20 beer drinking countries per capita.
1. Germany
Germany appears to be the booziest country with an average of 147.8 liters per year per capita. In 2014, Germany produced 9,560,000 kl of beer.
2. Ireland
The Irish average is 138.3 liters per year per person. The country brewed 728,800 kl of beer in 2014.
3.Czech Republic
The Czech Republic has led for many years but has now slipped to the third position with an average of 138.1 per person per year. The country produced 1,851,000 kl of beer in 2014.
4. Australia
Australia consumes an average of 119.2 liters per capita per year. The country produced 1,691,000 kg of beer in 2014.
5. Austria
106.3 liters per person per year is Austria average. Austria brewed 901,000 kl of beer in 2014.
6. United Kingdom
The UK drinks an average of 96.8 liters per person per year. The UK produced 4,120,400 kl of beer in 2014.
7. Belgium
Belgians consumed an average of 93.0 liters per capita. The country produced 1,820,700 kl of beer in 2014.
8. Denmark
The Danes consumed an average of 89.9 liters per capita. Denmark produced a total of 61,100 kl in 2014.
9. Finland
The Finnish average is 85.0 liters per person per year. Finland production for 2014 was 410,000kl of beer.
10. Luxembourg
Luxembourg has an approximate beer consumption rate of 84.4 liters per capita. The country produced 27,100kl of beer in 2014.
11. Slovakia
Slovakia average beer consumption rate is 84.1 liters per capita within the year. In 2014, the country brewed 285,700 kl of beer.
12. Spain
Spain has an average of 83.8 liters per person. Spain production for 2014 stood at 3,353,500 kl of beer.
13. United States
The US average is 81.6 liters per person per year. In 2014, the country produced 22,547,400 kl of beer.
14. Croatia
Croatians drank an average of 81.2 liters per capita within the year. Croatia brewed 340,500kl of beer in 2014.
15. Netherlands
The Dutch consumed an average of 79.0 liters per capita. The country produced 2,369,600 kl of beer in 2014.
16. New Zealand
New Zealand average per person for a year is 77.0 liters. In 2014, the country brewed 457m liters of beer.
17. Hungary
Although they don’t like the clinking of mugs or glasses when drinking beer, Hungarians love beer. This European country consumes approximately 75.3 liters per capita. Hungary brewed 623,900 kl of beer in 2014.
18. Poland
Poland’s average consumption rate is 69.1 liters per capita. The country beer production in 2014 stood at 3,987,000kl.
19. Canada
Canadians consumes an approximate 68.3 liters per person per year. In 2014, Canada produced 1,894,000 kl of beer.
20. Portugal
The Portuguese consumed 59.6 liters per capita within the year. The country brewed 729,000kl of beer in 2014.
21. Bulgaria
Bulgarian average for the year is 59.5 liters per capita. The country produced 489,000 kl of beer in 2014.
22. South Africa
South Africa produced 3,150,000 kl of beer in 2014. The country has an average of 59.2 liters per capita per year.
23. Russia
The Russian average is 58.9 liters of beer per person per year. Russia beer production for 2014 was 7,636,100kl of beer.
24. Venezuela
Venezuela’s average is 58.6 liters per capita per year. In 2014, Venezuela produced 2,065,000 kl of beer.
25. Romania
Romanians consumed an average of 58.2 liters per capita within the year.1,475,000kl of beer in 2014.
Photo Credit: FreeImages.com/ biborné veres dorottya
Many beer drinkers look forward to visiting several festivals a year, but you don’t like them all equally. For those that you absolutely love though, like the Grand Prairie BeerFest, you don’t just return year after year, but you get your tickets as early as you can because the event always sells out!
Edmonton International BeerFest is coming to Grand Prairie and is getting bigger and better every year, occupying 18,000 sq. ft. of space. There are numerous events with hundreds of beers for you to sample, including Grand Prairie’s best serving establishment, as well as a fantastic line-up of entertainment.
So, what makes a great beer festival?
From the organiser’s point of view, it would have to be one that sells out, runs out of beer, and everyone goes home happy. The running out of beer part is flexible, since it mostly depends on how well you can estimate your order so everyone is satisfied, without pouring any beer down the drain.
From the beer lover, there are several things that matter.
- Being able to find quality beers
It is hard for organisers to ensure that both the early and late attenders can get to sample the interesting beers. If all the top beers were availed at the beginning of the festival, then those attending later would not be expecting to find any interesting beers. Some festivals mark reserve beers in the programme, though it is unlikely that attenders would miss good beer from hundreds of beer options.
- Being able to accomplish your goals
People visit festivals for different reasons. Some go for the new beers and breweries, others for the local beers they can’t get in their local area, and some for tried and tested beers they enjoy. Many large festivals tend to accommodate all types of visitors, though the smaller ones can concentrate on one of the three areas.
- Venue
Some festivals are held in completely unsuitable places, so it is important to consider the clientele you’re expecting and the ideal environment for them: pub or open ground. Beer lovers need a decent environment to be able to enjoy their drinks.
So, what every beer lover wants at a festival is a great, entertaining environment to drink quality beer that is reasonably priced and in good nick.
Come and have a great time September 25 -26 at Bowes Family Crystal Gardens, Get your TICKETS TODAY!
