TOPIC:

The numbers are really adding up for the tasting. Will there be an orderly tasting of beer with introduction and such, or more of a free for all with factions clustering at various parts of the table?

I'd prefer an orderly affair, but we'll likely be there until early the next morning getting through all the beer.

[quote:1v5ucbmv]I'd prefer an orderly affair[/quote:1v5ucbmv]

Much as I agree with you H-cat I cant see how an orderly tasting is going to work with about 30 beers to get through? You could ask all brewers to bring only one beer cutting it down to about 18 still a lot <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D -->

I agree with HC for an orderly affair.
How about this get together having more of a meet & swap feel to it.

I know this means that we won't get to try all on offer, but we have to consider our livers, taste buds, eyesight, not to mention getting up the next day. <!-- s:( --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_sad.gif" alt="" title="Sad" /><!-- s:( -->

Personally i would prefer to be able to bring beer home to try in my own time, or as a comparison to other similar styles.

Above all, a format should be decided on before hand.

G

Yep, sounds good! How about brewers bring one beer to taste on the night and one to swap?

Say roughly 6 X 500ml bottles of each?

I know I@m not there anymore, but I@ll still throw my 2 cent in <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D -->

The forst tasting session we ran was very ordered in the sense that we had limited the beers to certain styles (Wheat beers, both Weiss and Wit, and IPAs), and had an order to he tasting. As I recall we had 28 people, and in total about 8 beers from members, and 2 commercial examples thrown in for comparison. It took ages! <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D -->

The last one (which was also my leaving party, thank you <!-- s:) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s:) -->) was very much a pick and mix. Although it started off in in a kind of order, there was so much beer it ended up being more freeform, and not everyone got to try everything, but that was just fine! It was a bloody great evening, and everyone got to try really great beer.

Although I love order, with so many beers you'd be insane to try to get everyone to taste everything <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D --> I reckon the show and tell type thing with natural groups forming around the big tables in the B&C is probably the easiest. Let people move around and sample like bees in a flower garden (or flies in a abbatoir, if that sounds too poncy <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D -->).

Bringing stuff home sounds like a great idea! I@m gagging for some porters at the moment <!-- s:lol: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_lol.gif" alt="" title="Laughing" /><!-- s:lol: -->

I'd prefer an ordered affair too, but we need to decide quickly on the shape of it.