The Etiquette Mistake To Avoid When Drinking A Beer Flight

When you order a beer flight to taste a variety of craft beers in one sitting, after the tray of glasses is placed onto your table, now is not the time to start chugging. Beer flights are intended to give guests a sample of different brews — not be used as a vehicle to get smashed quickly. Consider your assorted glasses of perfectly poured beers akin to a wine-tasting experience. You can compare flavors, aromas, and tastes of the different brews at a leisurely pace while taking notes on which beers suit your palate. 

Don't be shy when talking to waitstaff about the kinds of beers that are offered with each flight. Some bars and restaurants will let you choose which beers make up your unique set of drinks, while other breweries set out to intentionally design curated tasting experiences for their customers. Try not to let preconceptions of certain types of beer color your tasting experience. It's good to come to beer tasting with an open mind. If the brewery or bar has selected the choice for you, look to sample the beers in the order they are presented — probably left to right. You may find your beers arranged in a continuum of light to dark, for example, so starting with the lightest beer and moving your tasting quest towards the darker pours is a standard tasting tactic. 

If you notice that a particular pint pleases your palate as you taste the beers presented in your beer flight, you can ask waitstaff for an additional, separate order of that beer. Then, with a full pint in hand, you can chug your delicious beverage without needing to worry about breaking any sort of etiquette rules. Plus, with an idea of what you'll be drinking for the rest of the evening, you can pair food orders accordingly with the beers that have ended up on your table.

Tempted to help the brewery team out and combine some of the poured beers into one glass? You may want to think twice before mixing beers. Leave the beer pouring to the professionals and enjoy the sample arrangement of drinks as they were given before you start taking creative license. You don't need to buckle up to sip slowly and enjoy this kind of flight.