The Venice Brew Bash in 2013. (Herald-Tribune archive / Thomas Bender)
If you haven’t been to a beer festival before, here are some survival tips:
Don’t try to drink everything; know your limits. There are going to be too many beers for any person to try, even if you only take a sip of each. Pick and choose.
Pace yourself. I know from experience that if you start drinking sample after sample, soon you’re just drunk. Instead, pace the beer out with food and water, which leads to my next point.
Hydrate. Drinking water can make all the difference. I try to drink at least an equal amount of water to beer. Plus both festivals will be outside, and it’s a safe bet to assume it’s going to be warm.
Wear sunscreen. You will get fried if you don’t prepare. Don’t expect there to be much shade. Drunk and sunburned is no fun.
Eat something. Have a good meal before you go to the festival. And take advantage of festival food. Food in your tummy helps absorb alcohol. Eating won’t allow you to drink more, but it will temper alcohol’s effects.
Bring cash. While your ticket gets you access to the beer, food and other vendors are extra. Most don’t take credit cards.
Have a designated driver. You’re going to a beer festival. Don’t drink and drive. There will be plenty of transportation alternatives available at each venue. A cab fare is much cheaper than the legal fees and other costs of a DUI, not to mention you won’t risk killing yourself or someone else by driving drunk. The excellent and free Tow to Go program, sponsored by AAA and Bud Light, is available at no charge across all of Florida over Memorial Day weekend and other holidays. This last-resort option offers a free and confidential tow and ride home (up to 10 miles) for people who have had too much to drink. Call (855) 2-TOW-2-GO or go to heraldtribune.com/towtogo.
