Event Tasting Etiquette

I haven't run into this situation, but one thought - it's very very likely that what is left in those bottles has a lot of sediment in it, and that's why it is still in the bottle.

Not saying you shouldn't drink it - if it's been abandoned, I would imagine it's no big deal? - but all that sediment could catch up with you in a day or so :-) and the beer probably won't be at it's best like that.

But uh, hey, if it's something rare ... Probably worth it!

 

You could have always asked? I bet you would have been told to help yourself. Most BAs are pretty chill people despite what you read in the threads.

 

Do you really want to known as that guy at the tasting who was scavenging the remnants of beer?

 

Spaulding! just don't puke in the Porsche when you leave.

 

Are you gonna eat your fat?

-Spaulding

 

I only take whale pours, bro.

 

Really good beer is just not that hard to find to justify this kind of behavior.

 

I always ask the people at the table if they mind if I try something. If they say no, then just walk away. If they say yes (which has happened every time to date), then you get to try that beer.

 

at my table if it is opened and you come in and are respectful, it's all fair game.

 

Call me crazy but where I have been if we didn't drink all of the beer in a bottle it is because we didn't drink all of the beer. Have some.

 

Spit never swallow, always locate your spit buckets prior to tasting, ask the host if unsure. Thanks Dear Abby!

 

If I'm envisioning your situation correctly, there were some unattended bottles left at a table with nobody sitting there? I probably wouldn't help myself to the beer, but if somebody was around, I don't think I'd be too bashful about asking. "Hey, I saw you had a bottle of such and such...I've never tried it, but I've been wanting to...mind of I pour a sample?"

I just wouldn't want to be the creeper who helps myself to bottles at random tables. Even if they were finished with them.

 

If i was a homeless beer geek living in Grand Rapids, id totally hang around Founders to get my fix.

 

Hmmm... dumpster diving for beer.

 

I was with the guys up front who brought the beers. We were using little plastics cups the whole time. There were far more bottles opened than our group could hope to finish so we thought we'd leave them for folks farther back in line to try. Anything that was supposed to be "saved" was packed back into coolers and run out to the cars around 10:50.

 

PS - we were in line at 9 for the Black Party and 7 for the KBS draft release.

 

Throw some bows and go straight for the sours!

 

I wouldn't do it for the same reason I wouldn't eat the last few fries that some random person left on their tray at McDonald's - it is not socially accepted and I would feel like I was eating/drinking somebody else's garbage.

BUT if what TimfromGR says is true, then apparently the bottles were left there for others to help themselves, in which case my beliefs on socially acceptable behavior would have me missing out on some fine brews that were actually intended for me.

 

I wouldn't "take a swig", but it sounds like an open-game tasting table to me.. a small pour in a glass is probably fine, never hurts to ask the closest dude (please and thank-you go a long way at a beer tasting!).

Please please please, unless it's specifically offer it to you to "kill" or something, do not drink right out of the bottle (for the exact health concerns you mentions) for anything on a tasting table! Nothing will get a shin-kick (or an un-invitation for future pours) faster than taking a pull directly from a bottle meant to be shared with others!