Beerfest is upon us and you’re hopefully pumped up for spending a great weekend in beer soaked heaven. 4 days of incredible beers (500 different ones for sale!), great music, and general merrymaking await.
With every fest, it’s always best to do some simple preparations that will help you get the most of the event. We’ve done a couple rounds ourselves and have some tips for you!
Plan for wet weather
Weather on our normally sunny island has taken a wet turn in the last week or so. While Beerfest itself is divided into 4 tents, with plenty of space to sit and chug down your favourite beer, travelling between tents will prove to be a drizzly affair this weekend. Be sure to bring an umbrella or poncho to avoid getting stranded, soaked, or both. The poncho will prove to be much more convenient in the confines of the tents.
Fill the belly
Make sure you have a bit of food before going on your hopdyssey to avoid growling bellies and splitting headaches afterwards. There’s a fair bit of finger food available at Harry’s and Mr and Mrs Maxwell next to the Blues Marquee tent, with the usual suspects like wings and sausages being offered in abundance. There are also some pleasant surprises such as a chicken rendang with fried rice, if your tastes run more local. While it might be wet outside, one should also not forget to lubricate the insides with some water to avoid nasty headaches and hangovers. Bottled water is also available at Harry’s booth; I don’t suggest drinking rainwater.
Make sure to hop around
It might be tempting to just sit in your favourite spot, grab five bottles of the same beer and drink till midnight, but with the sheer variety available we suggest being a bit adventurous here. There are over 500 beers of all types, including some really spectacular specimens. We had some of these during our preview and it’s safe to say that we will be revisiting some of those standouts over the weekend. Be sure to check out local craft beer folks and all around good guys at Smith Street Taps, located at the Blues Marquee tent. If you’re determined to stay seated, however, never fear; helpful ladies from a few different exhibitors will be walking around to offer you beer.
Tokens of appreciation
You don’t buy drinks directly with cash, but trade in the form of tokens instead. Each dollar buys you a token, which are then used to buy its price in beer. To avoid spending a lot of time in the token queue, we suggest changing a moderate sum upfront. Most beers range from 8 to 12 bucks a pop, though the really rare stuff can go a fair bit beyond that. Plan accordingly. The good news is that if you use UOB cards, you get a 5 percent discount, so be sure to whip those out if you have them. If you have extra tokens at the end of the evening, you can sell them back to the organisers at 80 percent of the value, but it’s probably best to use your discretion here!
Go light to heavy
There’s plenty of booze available, and you should try as many as you can. To maximise your tasting experience, consider starting with a light, refreshing cider or fruit beer. Or perhaps a sweet Belgian or Weissbier. Move on to bitter IPA or malty stout later on. Your palate can take quite a fair bit, but starting too heavy might blunt its sensitivity for lighter drinks. Of course, if you’re intending to drink hoppy IPAs all night long, then chug away. Need recommendations? I did a preview earlier. Be sure to try out Gosnell’s London Mead for a novel experience- get the saltwater if you can.
When in doubt, ask- and dabao
The folks exhibiting their beers tend to be a friendly lot, especially if they’re from a craft brewery. If you are looking for inspiration for your next bottle, you can be sure that they’d be happy to give you some recommendations. With names like Moon Dog, Arrogant Bastard or any number of foreign sounding names, it’s easy to get mixed up-especially after a few drinks. There’s no need to be shy, just ask! If you find that you like the beer, it’s worth it to keep some in storage to enjoy some delayed gratification. Buy some home and you can enjoy them for weeks to come. Most exhibitors will be able to help you here- just let them know.
Taxi Taxi
The easiest place to go would be the Singapore Flyer drop off point. You’ll probably have to call in a cab for closing time, so we suggest giving Uber or Grab a try. Do note that the Flyer drop off point closes in the late night, so you’ll have to walk out to the main road to hitch your ride.
Above all, Beerfest is about having a great time with some friends. The hours will melt away with great companions- brewed and otherwise.
If you haven’t already gotten tickets (and I can’t imagine why not), don’t worry, you can get tickets at the fest itself. Have a great beer-filled weekend!
