Last week I mentioned my friend Elizabeth’s birthday party (that I made an insane cocktail for).  What I didn’t mention, was that the party was actually a beer tasting.  While this was a phenomenal idea on Elizabeth’s part, neither of us had ever actually thrown/hosted a beer tasting before.  Elizabeth knew she wanted a well-rounded evening for all of her guests to have fun, try something new, and meet new people. So we immediately got down to work (and definitely not on company time…nope…not at all) and started brainstorming everything we’d need.  For your own reference, here are a few of the tips and tricks we used to make Elizabeth’s birthday as awesome as the birthday girl herself.

{BYOB: Have your guests each bring they’re favorite brews.  This will take the pressure off of you, and will likely ensure that you have a wide variety with which to sample.  I personally like to bring Weiphenstephaner’s Hefe Weissbier, the oldest brewed beer in the world}

{Good things come in small packages: Use smaller cups or glasses.  You don’t want a sloppy guest to cut the fun short}

{Personalized: Give your guests the ability to mark which glass is theirs.  This way you can reuse glasses for each beer, and it will make it easier for guests to remember which one is theirs when they inevitably set them down and walk away.  You can buy a pack of wine markers here to use on any glassware}

{Thin Veneer of Respectability: Now a beer tasting isn’t just about beer. Pause for reaction. You’ll want to have water and/or some other non-alcoholic beverage available for those that are not partaking.  Let’s at least pretend to be responsible grown-ups.  Having another cocktail on hand is also something to keep in mind for those revelers that aren’t usually prone to beer.}

{Mix it Up: Set up an assortment of games and appetizers around the room to encourage people to spread out, cut up, and mingle outside of their usual circles}

{The Spread: Finally, unless you have a lot of extra floor space and blankets, you’ll want to serve your guests some substantial food choices.  For us southerners, that obviously means an assortment of slow cooked meats and vittles}