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HOW TO: Survive Beer Week
It's here, it's here!� As the Keg Hammer of Glory is conveyed from The Grey Lodge to the Comcast Center for Opening Tap tonight, the start of Beer Week inspires feelings both delightful and dreadful.
HOW TO: Survive Beer Week
It's here, it's here!� As the Keg Hammer of Glory is conveyed from The Grey Lodge to the Comcast Center for Opening Tap tonight, the start of Beer Week inspires feelings both delightful and dreadful.
Ten days of� happenings last year were a Herculean feat for those working (and enjoying) the festival.� This year, the ante has been upped in every way.� Beer Week has grown in size and scope -- last year, we had one Tuesday night of Meet The Brewer events. This year, the schedule is so clogged with brewer appearances, I'd be surprised if these men and women have anything more than bones left of their shaking hand.
Brewers are not the only ones overbooked. Chances are, you're not getting a seat at your usual bar unless you arrive at 11:30 a.m. with the staff.� In all this mania, it's easy to overdo it --coming out the other end of the week without walking pneumonia or being branded� "permanently banned"� takes a bit of strategy.
MAKE A PLAN: You can't get to everything. Hit up the Beer Week Web site now, pull up each day's calendar, and write down which events you must attend.� Scope start-times, especially.� A few popular events last year -- like the South Philly pub crawl -- were so crowded they became miserable.� Arrive early and exit when things become too reminiscent of a sweaty frat party.
GET ON THE BUS: How cool are you going to feel if all you get out of Beer Week is a DUI?� Lose the car keys for the week and grab a SEPTA Sip Safely pass that grants you all-day travel on bus, subways, trolleys and regional rail for $9.� Also, temperatures are predicted to be in the fifties and sixties for much of the festival -- let's you and me walk to the bar!
HYDRATE: The pros know, you gotta drink water.� Tip your bartender a buck to keep a pint glass full of H20 alongside that 12 percent barleywine, and things will look a lot rosier in the morning.
FEED: High-grav brews are guaranteed to wreak havoc on an empty stomach.� Thanks to PA's puritanical Blue Laws, the majority of bars participating in Beer Week also serve damned good food.� Get a burger, or join your fellows streaming towards Center City Pretzel Co. (819 Washington Ave.) at midnight for a trio of fresh-baked, hot soft pretzels.
MOVE IT: Take part in one of the runs or bike rides scheduled for each weekend of the fest.� Your fat ass will thank you later.
Great tips. Thanks for helping get organized. Good advice for all beer weeks. Congratulations to Philly, which seems to have raised the bar again with this year's Beer Week.
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