I’ll just go ahead and put it out there, I’m a bit of a beer snob. I’ve become the “beer person” in my group of friends, and I wear that badge with honor. One of my favorite things to do when we all get together is share and try a variety of different beers. A little home beer tasting if you will.
Of course, things are quite different this year, and large gatherings with friends and family are discouraged right now with the ongoing pandemic. However, this doesn’t mean the beer fun has to end! If you’re looking for a way to connect with friends and family both near and far, why not throw a little virtual beer tasting!
Yes, it is possible, and fun! I’m here to tell you how to do it and which local beers are a MUST to include.
Here’s how to host a virtual holiday beer tasting:
Step 1— Determine your fellow beer tasters.
Perhaps it’s siblings you won’t get to see this holiday, coworkers you haven’t seen in months, or just friends down the street. Determine who is participating and find a date/time that works for everyone. If they happen to live in a different city/state, the logistics will be a bit trickier but still possible!
Step 2 — Buy the beer! (my favorite step)
OK, so the goal here is for everyone to be trying the SAME beers at the same time during your virtual tasting. This will take a little planning and logistics, but it’s worth it and makes it more fun! If you want to pick a theme (say holiday/seasonal beers), go for it! If you want to just go with your favorite beers, that works, too!
Next, determine the number of beers you want to try. Ideally, each person would buy one type of beer with enough to share with the rest. For example, if you have say 3 couples, and you want to try a total of 6 beers, each couple will have to purchase 3 cans/bottles of 2 different beers. You follow? I know, I should have warned you there would be math involved.
If you have a larger group, you may want to designate a beer person that buys all the beers for the tasting and have everyone chip in for the cost. It really comes down to how much you want/can do for the next step…
Step 3 — Get the beer to the people
This can be a bit tricky depending on how many people are involved and how many beers are being tasted. If you designated a beer person, put them in charge of dividing up the beers into packs for everyone. This is a great way to utilize all those empty six pack boxes you’ve got laying around. Then just set up pick-up or drop off times for everyone to get the packs.
If everyone is buying their own type of beer to share, you’ll want to set up a time/place for everyone to (safely) exchange beers! Of course, this is much easier when everyone lives in the same general area. If you’re toasting with friends far away, you can plan ahead and ship them the beers OR have them find them in their local store. Just make sure you check regional availability for the beers you want to try first.
Step 4 — Taste the beers…together
All that coordination is about to pay off ’cause it’s time for the best part…tasting the beers! First, you’ll want to determine the order in which you’re all going to try the beers (typically light to dark). Then, get your virtual meeting platform of choice loaded up and get to tasting! Discuss what you like or don’t like about each of the beers and have fun!
It may seem like a lot of work, but I promise it’s worth it in the end. If you’re local to KC, here are some great seasonal options brewed locally that you’ll want to add to your tasting list!
Nutcracker Ale by Boulevard Brewing
Festiweiss & Crane de Noel by Crane Brewing
Cheers to a “hoppy” holiday season, no matter what type of beer is in your pint glass!
