By Tony Iocono

Beer Festivals SZN is upon us. A festival for rest of y’all. There are a ton of big, small, and medium beer festivals coming up in the next months. Festivals are usually a collection of breweries that meet in one location and pour a selection of beers for consumers. Sometimes there is a theme like Oktoberfest or Dark Beers or sometimes it’s just a conglomeration of like-minded people coming together to experience a multitude of beers in a common location. In this article we are going to discuss how to properly game plan for a beer fest and some upcoming beer festivals in the New Jersey area.

Step 1: Scout

Scout the beer fest website to see what breweries are going to be in attendance. Look to see if there is a site map for the placement of the breweries. For the AC Beer fest there is going to be around 150 breweries there and about 70 from NJ. I would prioritize breweries that are farther away or breweries that you have never had a beer from. This is the best reason for going to a beer fest. You can go to breweries across the region or entire country without leaving your home state. If I do more than 1 session, I would split it up a do all NJ breweries 1 session and all other breweries another session. Which segways us into our next step.

Step 2: Take advantage of multiple sessions

The AC Beer Fest and most beer fests have more than 1 session or a VIP package that gets you commemorative glasses and gets you into the beer fest earlier with certain breweries offering a rare beer. I suggest you pay out the extra $10 to $15 it costs to get in early. This will also help you spread out the alcohol over an extra hour. Anytime I have had the VIP ticket it has always been worth it. There is less foot traffic getting into the venue and easier to get to the breweries you want to get to. One beer fest that does a tremendous job of showing the consumer the layout and what beers are going to be in attendance is Summer Swelter Beer Festival in Pitman by Adam Mazzola and his team. One to two weeks before the festival, you know what breweries will be there, what beers they are bringing and what the VIP beer is. The VIP beer is usually a one off for that event meaning its brewed special for that event or has not debuted in that brewery’s tap room yet. (Note to Adam: we need Summer Swelter to be a two-day thing next year).

Step 3: Hydrate and don’t fill up on food

This may seem counter intuitive but despite being a ton of great food options at beer fests don’t fill up on food and do not go on an empty stomach. Hydrate with water during the day. Eat nutrient rich foods during the lead up to the beer fest like fruits and salads or unsalted nuts. Salty food pairs well with beer but it dehydrates you. So, if you do eat salty foods, drink some Salt and Sea from Flying Fish or SeaQuench from Dogfish Head, they have electrolytes in them and are basically alcoholic Gatorade. Trust me, I’m a man of science.

Step 4: Dress for the occasion

Beer Fests are usually outside, and this year AC Beer Fest is as well along with Summer Swelter, Manahopkin in Manahawkin, and Pints in the Park in Washington Twp. Atlantic City Beer Fest runner Jon Henderson said to wear comfy shoes and I would 2^nd that as well. Wear a hat and sunscreen. Dress comfortably and show off your favorite podcast or breweries shirt in the process.

Step 5: Bring Tums, you will thank me later. If you don’t have any. Look for me. I carry enough for an armada of humans.

Step 6: Know your limit

Beer Fests are the best and but if you feel like you are going to puke, stop drinking. It is no fun to be the babysitter for someone.

Step 7: Know your exit

Know how you are getting home whether it’s an uber or cab or a designated driver. Do not drink and drive. It’s not cool or smart.

Step 8: Get out of your comfort zone

Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom. So how do you find out about yourself, you try new things. This is the perfect time to try styles of beer you normally would not and try new breweries or breweries that you were maybe not crazy for. Even if you do not like a brewery the first time you go, you should really go back 6-12 months later to see if they improved their beer and processes. Beer Festivals allow you to do this but without driving to the individual brewery. Also, ask the brewery person about their beer and what their taproom is like. Talk to people from the breweries and converse about the beers and what you may like and not like. Come up and talk to the podcast people or the people serving the beer. They are extremely passionate about this industry and the liquids that they serve.

Step 9: Have fun

Go have fun. Be with people. Pound beers. Eat food. Celebrate. Beer Festivals bring people together in a combination of hops, water, malt, and human innovation. The camaraderie between each other and the times we share is what make the lasting memory. Without the memories, we have nothing as humans and are just animals waiting to die. Cherish the moments with friends and strangers alike.

Here are some Beer Festivals that are coming up.

May 14^th – Maple Shade Beer Festival at Dr. Brewlittles

Home

May 21^st – Pints in the Park at Washington Lake Park in Washington Township, NJ

https://www.pintsfest.com/

June 4^th and 5^th – Atlantic City Beer Festival at Bader Field

https://www.acbeerfest.com/

June 25^th – Beer Fest at the Battleship in Camden, NJ

Beer Fest 2022

August 6^th – Manahopkin at Manahawkin, NJ

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August 13^th – Summer Swelter Beer Fest at Total Turf in Pitman, NJ

Summer Swelter Participating Breweries

September 17^th and 18^th – Downbeach Seafood Festival in Atlantic City, NJ

https://www.downbeachseafoodfest.com/

October 14^th and 15^th – Witch Craft in Hammonton, NJ

https://www.witchcraftnj.com/