In case you think we don't pay attention to the requests for #content that we get, we're providing this quick list of SAVOR Do's and Don'ts in response to a request we got from Twitter. Note that we won't respond to all of your requests. For example, the repeated attempt to get us to do a "Wild Safari Beer Pairing" post is not going to happen. We have no idea what pairs well with zebra, and we don't want to find out.

Anyway, there are apparently some first-timers for SAVOR out there who want to know what they should expect and if we have any tips or tricks for them.

It turns out, we do! Here we go. Follow these instructions TO THE LETTER and you are guaranteed* to have the greatest night of your life except for junior prom.

First of all, safety first: DO take Metro, taxi, or have a designated driver get you home. You will not be in any shape to drive yourself or others home after SAVOR. You paid this much money for tickets, an extra $20-30 for a cab is not going to hurt you.

DO eat a meal before you go. Although SAVOR is billed as a food and beer experience, we've found it difficult in prior years to get a full meal (especially considering the amount of high-gravity beer) out of the event. You don't want to go gut-bustingly full, after all there will be food there that you'll want to try, but if you go famished, you will probably turn into a sloppy mess within the first hour, and everyone will judge the everloving shit out of you.

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DON'T spend the whole night hunting a carefully tailored list of beers. Pick a few "must-haves" and then just mingle. You might think this is odd advice coming from a site that curates a Top 25 Can't Miss Beer List (which is coming sometime today, probably), but our list is intended to help you find some of those "must-haves." Realistically no one gets all 25. Not even us, and we are pretty good at things.

DO chat with the brewers who are at SAVOR.  When you talk to brewers — not talking to brewers at SAVOR borders on idiocy by the way — try to shut up and listen. For you, this is an interest, a hobby. For them, it's a craft, and they're experts. Don't offer them your sensory evaluations or thoughts on production methods unless you also happen to be an experienced, professional (ideally paid) brewer. It can be tough to listen more than speak when you've been mainlining double-digit ABV barrel-aged imperial stouts, but it's important to do it because you will definitely learn something.
 
DON'T chat so long with the brewers that your conversation creates a massive line for beers. The crowd will be angry when you do that my friend, like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli!
 
DO proactively mix in some lower alcohol beers since SAVOR tends to skew high on the ABV scale, and you're in it (or should be) for the long haul.
 
DON'T try to try everything and succumb to a FOMO mentality. Life will still go on if you miss a couple, and you'll enjoy yourself more when it isn't just about the beer but moreso the experience.
 
DO get pours of beer and hit the cheese table to do some pairings.

DON'T pregame. If you still want to drink more after SAVOR, there are plenty of after parties.

DO make sure to talk to a brewer from a producer you've never heard of before.

DON'T do what Donny Don't does.

DO show up on time.  You paid lots for the night, might as well make the most of it.

DON'T dress like a schlub, but DON'T trot out the tux and tails, either. Aim for a comfortable in-between.

DON'T carry a ton of stuff. You're bound to lose/drop things.
 
DON'T check in every beer on Untappd or try to take detailed notes. It minimizes the number of beers you try, and you're bound to lose precision in your tasting notes as the night wears on.
 
DO have fun. SAVOR is great. Try to be, like, in the moment and stuff.

*Not a guarantee.