Over the weekend I attended the kind of party that was so good, it makes normal parties look bad.

Not only were there good people, there was an insane spread of delicious food, great music, a bonfire, stellar atmosphere and craft beer galore.

Along with the invitation the host had asked all of his guests to bring a 6-pack of something great, to share. I was immediately fond of the concept and although I had a very important Elmo themed 1st Birthday party in Rochester that afternoon, I resolved to make the hour and a half drive back to Buffalo to attend the beer-themed grownup party too. I’m very glad that I did.

Even though I arrived a couple of hours late, to say there was a plethora of brews available would be a serious understatement. Most parties have coolers filled with ice and drinks but this one had a legit giant stainless steel trough, purchased at a farm equipment store. It was huge, it was awesome and it contained two layers of cold, tasty beer.

I realize this probably sounds incredibly corny but I felt like a kid who had free reign in a toy store. With every trip to the trough, I had a hard time choosing what to drink next.

In case you’re wondering, my contribution included Great Lakes Holy Moses and Orange Blossom Cream Ale from Buffalo Bill’s Brewery. Other notable choices included Lagunitas IPA (a personal favorite), Sackets Harbor Brewing’s War of 1812 Amber Ale, Brooklyn Oktoberfest, Otter Creek Solstice Ale, Bard’s Gold (a gluten free option), Sierra Nevada’s Tumbler Brown Ale, Abita Purple Haze, a bunch of different Long Trail beers and countless others. No matter what you like, those options sure beat the typical Bud, Bud Light and Bud Light Lime lineup.

The next time you throw a get together, I invite you to follow the same format. It’s win-win. Everyone feels like they’ve chipped in, your guests get to choose from an above average selection and at the end of the night you get to keep the leftovers. In my humble opinion, a few bottles of good beer are more exciting than half a bowl of taco dip.

If you like the trough idea, don’t rush off to your local petting zoo to make a deal just yet. I’ve talked to the guys in Purchasing and they’re going to look into bringing some in. We’ll keep you posted.

Happy Monday!

TAGS [ CRAFT BEER | MICROBREWS | BEER PARTY | BEER TASTING ]