Rhode Island Beer Festival: Save The Date!

Reminder!!

The 14th annual International Beer Festival
is right around the corner!

This is America's Largest International Beer Festival...And I know all the avid beer drinkers and beer enthusiasts will NOT want to miss this exciting, fun, and educating event. This event is a great place to meet fellow beer lovers, listen to live music, learn about the history of American and international beer and breweries, enjoy some free food, and of course have a great time with friends..... Oh and did I mention the unlimited sampling?! Yup, thats right, no need to bring your own beer. In fact, anyone who attends this event will be in heaven while sampling some the most acclaimed beers from breweries all around!

Tickets are $37 for a day of unlimited beer, food, music, and fun!

Date: Saturday November 13th, 2010

Location: Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence

The event begins at 1pm, and ends at 10pm

You MUST be 21 years of age or older to attend this event! A diver's license or other form of government issued i.d must be presented upon entering the convention center. 

And remember Be Safe! Plan to have a designated driver to and from the event, Providence Police will be on scene, so plan ahead of time and drink responsibly! 

And as always, have a good time!

I encourage all of my readers, those that are of age, to attend this event and share their experience, stories, and favorite beer tasting moments from the day! I cant wait to hear all of your thoughts!

Directions to the Rhode Island Convention Center(from URI) : 

http://www.providencenightlife.net/business/events/business_info.php?business_id=65

About Me, Katie!!

Hey guys! So I know this may seem a little out the blue, but my professor wants me to dedicate a post to... well, ME! This post is my way of letting you guys, my readers, get to know me and understand my reasoning for creating a blog about beer.

My name is Katie Bohan, age 21, and I am currently a student at the University of Rhode Island. I decided to dedicate my enthusiast blog to beer, beacuse well i love beer. And not just beer, but all things relating to the subject. In fact, I created an entire project on the history of famous Irish beers and breweries for an online writing course I took last semester. Beer has been a significant aspect of my life from a very young age. Being born into an Irish family it is no surprise that beer has always been not only present, but prevalent at ever family BBQ’s, weekly dinner, or major holiday for as long as I can remember. Growing up I spent weekends down the Jersey shore watching my relatives drink beer, play beer pong, and have enthusiastic, and sometimes hostile debates over which brand of brew was the best. My love for beer has never been, and never will be, limited to consuming it. Beer is not just a beverage I use in social situations or the means by which to have a good time. After a long or stressful day the one thing I look forward to is to sit on my couch and crack open a cold beer and relax. I also just find the subject of beer and all topics relating to it extremely interesting. Over the years I have acquired knowledge about beer from listing to my family members, written several papers on various aspects of beer culture, and have created personal opinions through my own experiences.

            The posts I will be creating for this blog will be a combination of beer facts and information I have gathered through research and my previous knowledge as well as conversations with friends and family and my personal experiences. The main focus of this blog will be to create a fun and interesting forum for fellow beer advocates to read about my personal experiences, conversations, and stories about beer, as well as beer related information I have learned and practiced, while providing a place that sparks responses and discussions for my readers to partake in. I will post about nights that started with a few beers and ended up creating stories myself and my friends will not soon forget. I will share how beer helped introduce me to people, and cement life-long friend ships. I will let my readers in on little-known tips about beer games that I have acquired over the years, as well as safety advice when drinking beer.

Hops to it is a not only a blog for those who love to drink beer, but also a source of other various information relating to a plethora of subjects. For example, I plan to focus at least one post on the explaining the role of beer in the social construction of a college campus and the fulfillment of student’s social needs that beer can offer. The subject of beer is one that I am extremely passionate about, and have been for years, and I will not hold anything back from my readers. Everything I know about beer and every memorable experience that I have had with beer will be open to my followers and fellow beer enthusiasts.

Since this blog relates so much to my personal life, I want to know about the people who also have a love and passion for beer... you guys! 
Tell me about yourselves! why do you love beer?

Running Low on Ca$h?

Hey Guys! So I decided to focus this post on the monetary aspect of being a beer enthusiast, especially for twenty-somethings....It is No secret that college students are notorious for being low on funds and absolutely horrible at budgeting money.

             Ever find yourself saying "I'm broke" or "I only have like three bucks in my bank account." I know for a fact I do!! Whether buying beer for the weekend or going out for a night at the bar.... beer doesn't always come cheap....unless you know where to look!!

 So in the interest of helping all those avid beer drinkers out there who find themselves constantly without the funds to buy beer, I complied information about the cheapest way to buy the most beer.

Myself and my nine roommates, all of whom love beer as I do, conducted what we refer to as research for the most financially sufficient way to buy beer..... 

During the summer and the first couple weeks of school we found ourselves buying on average about 1 1/2 30 racks every two days (generally Bud Light or Keystone Light because they are two of the cheapest beers). Once we realized how quickly we were blowing through our money, and that having a house off campus presented us with new opportunities, we collectively decided that we needed to figure out a new system. After talking with a few friends and going to different liquor stores we discovered a few useful tips about buying beer, and here they are.... Hope they help your guys out!!

The Beer Ball:

For those who don't know, a beer ball is sort of like a keg but smaller, more portable, and in the shape of a ball. Myself and my friends were ecstatic to find out that a Bud Light beer ball holds 55 beers and only costs $35, while two 30 racks of Bud Light costs around $50 and only has five more beers.

Beer balls can be found at Schwabbys and Pier Liquor's!

The Keg:

The keg, most commonly purchased for large groups of people or parties, can also serve as a way to save money if you truly are a big beer drinker. Kegs hold 150 beers. A keg of Keystone Light only costs $60, with a $30 dollar deposit (which is reimbursed upon returning the empty keg). This may seem like a lot of money to spend without having the intention of having a party and charging people for cups to drink your keg, a common practice on college campuses, but it can actually be a great way to save money! Think about it... you can keep a keg until you have finished all of your beer and drink it for pre-gaming before going out or a night in with a couple of friends!  Kegs can be found at the majority of liquor stores around the URI area, but if its a weekend, plan ahead and get your keg early! Trust me, I know from experience if its a Friday night near a college campus they go faster than you would imagine.

Tips for preserving your beer (and money):

1. Whether you have a beer ball or keg, ALWAYS remember to un-tap it before you head to bed for the night!! If you don't, your beer will go flat, and every beer drinker knows how upsetting it is when that happens.

2. Always hold on to your taps (beer ball or keg). Keep them in a safe place so the next time you buy a keg or beer ball you don't have to pay for a new tap. In fact, last weekend my good friend Gary misplaced our house tap and we were left without the means to drink the remaining beer in our keg. So guys remember.... hold on to your taps, its never a bad idea to have a tap laying around... you never know when it could come in handy!

3. When drinking out of a keg or beer ball with friends it is a good idea to fill a pitcher up with beer and use that to fill up cups while playing games or hanging out. This might sound odd, but it is a good method to preserve your beer. I learned this too many times when I find half finished cups of flat beer in my living room the next morning, a sad waste of beer.

4. If you feel that there is no need to purchase a full keg, and a beer ball doesn't appeal to you, quarter kegs are also offered at the majority of liquor stores. Buying a quarter keg is a great opportunity to buy a large amount of quality beer for good price!

Beer Drinking Games: Always a Good Time

Hey fellow beer enthusiasts!! I have a few questions for you!

Have you ever found yourself at a party looking for something to do? Or at home with friends on a weekend night wishing you had an alternative form of entertainment? Or found yourself sitting on your couch, waiting for the hand on the clock to hit 10 so you can head out to the bar? Have you ever found yourself just simply bored?

I know most of you have encountered at least one, if not all, of these situations, but not to worry! I have created a list of entertaining, social, and most importantly cheap drinking games to jump-start what is sure to be a fun night.

1. Beer Pong or Beirut?

The first drinking game on my list, and probably the most celebrated on college campuses across the country, is known by two names: Beer Pong or Beirut. Which ever name you choose to use, if you drink beer you are bound to run into this particular game. All you need are 4 participants, 2 ping-pong balls, at least 20 cups ( red solo cups are the most commonly used brand), a table to play on, and of course some beer.

How To Play:

1. Create teams of two players

2. Set up ten cups on each side of the table in a pyramid-like format

3. Fill the cups up about half way with beer

4. The game begins with an "eye-to-eye" shot in which one player from each team attempts to land the ball in one of the other team's cups while looking into the eyes of the opposite shooter. This continues, alternating shooters, until a cup has been made, determining which team goes first.

5. Each player shoots once in turn, until a cup is made.

6. Once the ball lands in the cup of the opposite team, that cup is taken out of the rack and one of the opposing team members must drink the beer remaining in the cup.

7. This continues until one team has successfully gotten rid of every cup on the opposing team's side.

Rules:

Although the rules for beer pong, as well as pretty must every drinking game, vary depending on who is playing these are the general rules that myself and my friends follow:

1. "On Fire"- If a player successfully lands three cups in consecutive turns, then that player is allowed to keep shooting until they miss.

2. "Wrist/ Elbow Rule"- While shooting, every player must stand at a far enough distance so that neither their wrist or their elbow cross the edge of the table.

3. "Behind The Back"- If a player shoots and misses a cup but the ball is rebounded back towards them, and they snatch it before it hits the ground or a member of the other team grabs it, they are allowed an extra shot, but must throw the ball behind their back.

4. "Re-Rack"- each team is allotted two re-racks per-game, meaning they can ask the other team to rearrange the cups.

5."Bouncing"- If a player bounces the ball off of the table and into a cup, the opposing team must take away two cups from the rack in front of them.

2. Flip Cup

Flip cup, a drinking relay race, is by far my favorite drinking game. It is my drinking game of choice because its fast, fun, loud, competitive, and forces you to drink a good amount of beer in a short period of time. Unlike beer pong, there is not limit to the number of participants, very few rules, and little skill involved. In my opinion, flip cup is by far the most social and entertaining game on my list.

How To Play:

1. Create teams of as many people who want to play, as long as the teams are even.

2. Everyone has their own cup in front of them and fills it with beer to the half way mark.

3. The game begins when one person from each team, generally two people directly across from each other cheers to set of the race.

4. Then one at a time each player chugs their beer as quick as possible, places their empty cup right side up on the edge of the table and lightly flips it until it lands on the other side.

5. The next person in the chain can only begin to drink when the teammate before them successfully flips their cup.

6. The game ends when one team has completed the relay.

3. Card Games

Drinking card games are also extremely popular in social settings as well as in smaller gatherings. The main benefit of card games is that they provide a fun way to drink beer, while being able to talk to the people around you, as opposed to flip cup which tends to get pretty loud and competitive. The most commonly played card game is Kings. The rules to this particular card game vary from place to place. But the general idea is that all of the cards are placed face down on a table and one player at a time picks up a card. Each card represents a different action. For example, if a player picks up a "4" then every participant must touch the floor, and the last person to do this must drink. The game ends when all of the cards have been chosen and the players have had an awesome time!

A= waterfall, 2=you, 3=me, 4=floor, 5=guys, 6=chicks, 7=heaven, 8= pick a date, 9= busta rhyme, 10= categories, J= never have I ever, Q= questions, K= make a rule.

Other fun and easy to learn drinking card games:

Up the river, down the river

Sevens ( one of my favorites- no strategy and lots of beer)

Purple

High or Lower

I'm always looking for new ways to have fun with my friends, so if anybody has any fun, social, and cheap drinking games please post them here and share your thoughts! 

To be honest, I don't think playing games while drinking beer will ever get old!

Yuengling: More Than Just Your Average Beer

Hey everyone, so last week was probably the toughest week of my semester so far. With studying for my first exam of the year, picking up two extra shifts at work, scrambling to collect money for rent, and the of beginning the tedious and time consuming process that is fall Greek recruitment, I was in desperate need of an outlet for my stress. Normally that relief would come in the form of a few cans of Budlight, my general go-to-beer, but on Friday i arrived home to fantastic and much needed surprise, Yuengling. 

Yuengling was the first beer I ever tasted and has remained my top choice of brews since becoming a beer enthusiast. After just a few sips of this particular brand of beer I found myself with my feet up on the coffee table, a mind free of worry and anticipation and participating in an enjoyable, and much needed, evening with my closest friends. As I looked around my living room at people I love laughing and making plans for the night, each with a bottle of Yuengling in hand, I got to thinking about the extraordinary, and seemingly effortless, way something as simple as a bottle of one's favorite beer can turn your entire day around.

At least in my case a bottle of Yuengling, a beer I not only love but grew up with, is not just a my favorite beverage, but actually acts as a remedy for stress. Unfortunately, Yuengling is not sold in Rhode Island. Having growing up in New Jersey, where Yuengling is found in all liquor and convenience stores, you can imagine how excited I was when I saw a case of this particular beer on my dining room table. The nearly euphoric feeling that I experience when sipping on Yuengling, surrounded by friends that I consider as close as family not only inspired me to further my knowledge of Yuengling, and create a post about it, but also got me wondering if other beer drinkers, avid or not, have a certain brand of brew that surpasses all of the others and has the abilty to force your feet up on your coffee table and put your mind at ease with a simple swig.

So I ask my readers: What is your favorite beer?