Party Planning

Choosing the right quantity
Count on guests consuming two drinks in the first hour of your event and one drink during each following hour. Are you serving wine, beer and spirits? The general rule of thumb is 50 percent of your guests will prefer wine, 30 percent will prefer beer and 20 percent will prefer mixed drinks.

Do I feel adventurous?
You may want to explore the strongest, darkest, hoppiest beers. You might want to venture into the world of sour ales. We've created categories, not to classify beer to death, but to split up our inventory into a searchable body. Explore them all at Half Time!

Will I pair this with a meal?
Meals are a vast topic. Beer in general pairs quite nicely with everything. Here's a simple guideline: avoid letting the strength of the beer overpower the meal. Delicate foods don't like big bold beers and vice versa. Lighter Colored Belgians go well with spice as do lagers and hoppy beers. Chicken pairs magnificently with almost all beers in the middle of the color spectrum. Big beers are for dessert and afterwards.

Will I share these beers?
Keep your company in mind. The beer you choose should complement the tone of the evening. Camping with the guys puts you in a different mood than meeting the in-laws. Keep geography in mind. Are your guests from a country that's a major beer producer? Surprise them with the familiar.

Holding a Tasting
Beer is great because it is not a pretentious beverage. You have total freedom in the tasting you wish to host. Here are some suggestions:

• Determine if there will also be food. If so, keep the following in mind. Hoppiness goes well with spice. Maltiness goes well with red meat. Beers in the mid range of colors pair well with Chicken, Pork and Fish. Big Beers pair well with dessert.
• As a general rule, for a moderate tasting, plan on about 16 oz. per person, per tasting. Beyond that you may want a variety of beer for general enjoyment.
• Keep geography and styles in mind. Consider, for example, a Belgian Tasting or an IPA Tasting.
• Each new beer needs a new, clean, clear glass.
• Do your homework. General knowledge of region, style and history of the brewery will go a long way making the beer relevant to your palate.
• Cleanse your palate between samples. Peanuts, water and plain popcorn are all excellent choices.

It is our opinion that variety is the key to a successful party. Rather than one big keg of macro lager we suggest that you purchase two smaller kegs of different beer. You'll spend roughly the same amount of money, and your party will be far more memorable. Our trained staff will be happy to help you plan your event and suggest beers that will suit the occasion. We'll be happy to make arrangements for keg delivery.