Monday, March 03, 2008

My Two Cents for how to Approach PBW 2008



As overwhelming as it may seem, once you break down the schedule for PBW 2008, it gets a bit simpler (well, just a bit). If you are still weighing all of your options, allow me to throw four recommendations at you which may assist in making a decision.

Go Somewhere New. You've been to {insert bar name here} a dozen times. You'll be going there again next month, I'm sure. Why not use this chance to visit a new location? Whether it's South Philly Tap Room, Johnny Brenda's, or The Whip Tavern, use PBW as an excuse to expand your beer horizons away from the same old same.

Educate a Newbie. Better Crafted Beer ain't gonna survive if we keep it all to ourselves and act snobby about it. Take someone who might be curious but a bit gun-shy to a lowkey event where you can show them the ropes to understanding what makes craft beer a great alternative.

Hang out with a Different Crowd. This is a mix of the first two suggestions, I suppose. If every other week of the year you hit enough of the usual locations and the big buzz events around the brewing circuit, you'll often run into a lot of familiar faces. Take this suggestion to meet some new people (not that I don't love all of you Usual Suspects, mind you) by going to an event that's not getting all of the press and the attention of the BAs and RBers. In this way, you'll be spreading around the support for these 150-ish PBW events and you'll be spreading around the beer knowledge. We don't want all of the beer geeks concentrated at only 2 or 3 events a day, now do we?

Search out a New Beer. Drie Fonteinen hard to be found (3/16 @ Monk's Cafe)? Sprecher not speaking your language (3/7 @ Grey Lodge Pub)? Ever hear of the award-winning Elysian (3/11 @ Nodding Head)? Still at a loss for Lost Abbey(3/9 at The Drafting Room)? These can all be found at various events across town where you won't necessarily need to climb over each other to get a beer. Remember, every other day of the year, many beers you don't need a special event to try. Make sure you attend a special event and drink a memorable beer.

There you go. A few helpful tips for different ways you might go about choosing an event to attend during PBW 2008. If you've got a different approach, do share! Now get planning.

2 comments:

Adam said...

Good suggestions. I'm gonna drag two newbies along to The Whip. I'm going somewhere different, The London Grill & Eastern State Penitentiary. Not sure about a new crowd. Those beer folk just seem to come out of the woodwork ;-) Though, I don't mind. Hell I'm even seeking out Mr. Curtin in a way.

New beer, well The Whip is going to have some new English type beer. That ought to work.

I am kinda doin' the off the beaten path thing which kinda suits me these days.

Bryan Kolesar said...

Take care in that which you seek, young grasshopper. Jack may not respond well to groupies.