Do you want to host a party that sparks your guests’ interests, keeps them laughing and is easy for you to plan? Put that wine bottle back in the cellar and host a guided Ontario craft beer tasting in the comfort of your own living room.

After doing several guided tastings with friends, I’ve got a few suggestions on how we can make your exploration of Ontario craft beer an evening they’ll keep talkin’ about.

• Invite friends you’ve always wanted to introduce to one another - Do you have friends who you think will “click” but haven’t had the perfect moment to introduce them to one another?  Or are you just too dang busy to throw a party for every group of friends in your little black book? Well, hosting a guided craft beer tasting is the perfect opportunity to bring different people together over a beverage that everyone loves!  They may just leave being the very best o’ craft beer drinking buddies.

• Encourage your guests to share their favorite beer stories - Everyone  in your tasting has a special place in their memory reserved for a beer experience. Perhaps it was accidentally reaching for their dad’s lawn-mower lager when they were five.  Or, maybe they were a closet home-brewer in university. Maybe they’ve even admittedly been a wine drinker their entire life.  What ever their story, chances are you want to hear it.

• Pair your craft beer with artisanal cheese or chocolate - One thing you’ll learn at your tasting is that everybody has a different palate – some may get notes of fruit from their ale, while others coffee.  Well, everyone experiences food and beer pairing differently too!  But, here’s a hint: try pairing beer with rich finger-food like chocolate or cheese, the carbonation of the beer will scrubs your tongue, making it easier to decipher the delicate or robust flavours. You’ll also be surprised to note that some beers compliment food, while others bring new flavours out of the beer.

• Make a night out of it - In today’s Toronto, you are a busy bee!  And, since you don’t get to see your friends that often, why not make a night out of your guided craft beer tasting?  Invite your friends to stay for dinner and wash it down with their favourite craft beer of the evening.  I suggest keeping it simple, throw some locally-made sausages on the BBQ or make a vegetable ratatouille in your crock pot.  Either way, your friends will certainly be happy they stayed.
• Don’t want to cook, why not cater - Okay, fair enough. You’ve been cooking all week and want to make your guided beer tasting as stress-free as possible.  There are excellent caterers available in Toronto, but here are a few that are sourcing from Certified Local Sustainable farmers (drink craft beer + eat local food = mmmm!): Cafe Belong, Chez Vous Catering, Enville Catering, Hearty Catering, Magic Oven, Morrell Catering, Sequel Catering and Vert Catering.

• Start a craft beer club Nows your chance… Let this guided beer tasting be the start of your adventures in craft beer! Make a date with your buddies to visit a local brewery, host your own beer and chocolate pairing, or try your hand at home brewing.  Once you enter the world of craft beer you never go back.