Some tips for surviving Good Beer Week. As we're about to embark on year 3... I've learned a few things about making it until day 9. And since we started sharing on Twitter at Girl + Beer's request, I figured I'd share more here. 1- Drink LOTS of water. Keep Gatorade in the fridge for the mornings. Start every day with a Hairy Lemon/Berocca type thing. 2- Take vitamins. Milk thistle is supposed to be good for liver cleansing. 3- SLEEP. It's easy to get sucked into staying out late and then get so excited you wake up early. Trust me, you'll need it. 4- Avoid pork if it's not on the set menu. Every degustation, banquet and menu includes pork, pork belly or bacon. I was crying pork tears by Wednesday last year. 5- Mix it up a little. Plan something else during the day that isn't drinking beer. For at least one day. 6- Share beers with friends. Yes, this may lead to a mass infection of beerflu. But it gives you the chance to try more beers without drinking too much. 7- Don't start the week too hard! This is a marathon, not a sprint. Drinking heavily on Sunday and Monday is tempting, but you'll be sitting in a corner rocking by Friday. (This may or may not have happened to me last year.) 8- Heels are cute but not practical for 9 days of drinking, pub crawling and walking around Melbourne. 9- Check it all in on Untappd! I made the mistake of being too busy to keep track of what I had drunk, and I regret it now. 10- HAVE FUN! Good Beer Week only comes once a year, so make the best of it! So for those of you who want to know what my Good Beer Week 2013 wish list looks like, here it is! Saturday, May 18 Terminus Hotel The Crafty Pint is curating the taps, there'll be food, Collard Greens and Gravy are playing, it's free and I'll be there! Sunday, May 19 Terminus Hotel This is the event for everyone who wants to learn more about beer. The Fox Hotel The Women Of Beer of Australia will be launching their third brew... I can't say much except that it's got a special ingredient we love dark, boozy beers. Virginia Plain Imagine 5 top chefs cooking courses to match with 5 beers from brewers all over the world... This is a once in a lifetime chance. Monday, May 20 Horn Please 5 courses of my absolute favourite Indian food with 5 of Australia's best IPAs, what's not to like? Tuesday, May 21 A boat (no, seriously) Join brewer Sam Fuss, the tongmaster Pete Mitcham and 20 of your closest friends for a day on the bay with plenty of beer, BBQ and misadventure! Richmond Hill Cafe & Larder This an event that's been on Two Birds Brewer Jayne's mind for a long time. And there is nothing that makes me happier than beer and cheese. Rockwell and Sons If you like oysters and stout, then this is the party for you. And those are two of my favourite things. Right behind beer and cheese. Wednesday, May 22 Cumulus Up Mornington Peninsula Brewery's beers are hard to fault and I've heard great things about this new venue. Wayside Inn Five beef courses from chef Sean Donovan and beers from some of my favourite local breweries. Thursday, May 23 The Fox Hotel Get your team ready and set off on beer's most fun scavenger hunt. Last year's was huge! Friday, May 24 Josie Bones Head to tail, you know you're going to be eating great things. And the beers won't be lacking either. Spotted Mallard The place where great beers meet killer tunes. And the only place to try what can only be one of Good Beer Week's craziest collaborations between Moondog and Hopdog! Saturday, May 25 Section 8 After a long week of beer dinners and too much pork belly, this will be a good place to chill out and drink some good beers. Ombra Salumi Bar This is almost the event I've been waiting to go to for years! And they have an AWESOME salumi selection. Sunday, May 26 Cherry Bar What better way to see out the best week of the year than with music and beer?! Events on a budget: Saturday, May 18 Trunk Bar and Diner A collaboration between Bridge Road Brewery and Rooftop Honey will be on tap, accompanied with tunes and a pig on the spit! Wednesday, May 22 Mountain Goat Brewery The launch of this epic collaboration between Mountain Goat, Moondog and Matilda Bay (CUB) always turns into a bit of an epic event. |