At the Bottle Share:
– You’ve made it to the bottle share, hand your bottle over to the host for safe keeping and proper cooling. If you want, you can also bring a cooler with your beer, but this is totally up to you.
– At the start of the share, the host will set the house rules. This is your opportunity to ask any questions you may have about this particular share. Every host is different.
– Wait, did you remember to bring a tasting glass? It’s acceptable to bring your own sampling glass to the share; however, try to keep it limited to a 5oz taster. Anything bigger and you may be taking larger samples than you mean to. If not, ask the host for a sampling glass.
*If you don’t have a sampling glass, on your next brewery visit ask if they sell 5oz tasters, my guess is they will!
– Once the host is ready to start, they’ll typically open their bottle first, and pour themselves a 2-3oz sample. They’ll pass the bottle around so that everyone gets a chance to try it. Keep in mind to only pour yourself a 2-3oz sample.
– Keep in mind that if you show up late, there are a lot of people, or if people aren’t following the Bottle Share Etiquette, you may not get to try all of the beers.
– As you try all of the beers, your palate will start to degrade, so keep a palate cleanser nearby. Water crackers are a great way to reset your palate.
– Enjoy the beers, be social, engage with others at the share. If you use rating apps, go for it, but remember, it’s about enjoying the beer more than anything else.
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The Do’s & Don’t
There are a few Do’s & Don’t’s to every bottle share you go to, don’t be that person
– Do bring a large format bottle, or 2-12oz bottles
– Don’t open a bottle that isn’t yours
– Do drink water during the share
– Don’t be the drunk person that stumbles out of the share
– Do eat something
– Don’t be rude to the host or the other sharers
– Do pour only 2oz-3oz pours
– Don’t judge, you’re not Dredd