Hundreds of beverages are available to sample at the 2026 San Antonio Beer Festival, and most of us only come equipped with a single mouth.
That means it’s good to have a plan for tackling the city’s original beer fest, which takes place Saturday, Oct. 17 at Hemisfair. It’s also wise to take a few precautions to maximize enjoyment of the day and avoid pain the day after.
Let’s run them down.
1. Stay hydrated. To paraphrase Thomas Jefferson, some truths are self-evident. The founding father drank a good bit of wine but usually added a little water to it as he grew older. Hydrating is key to enjoying a festival that includes an abundance of great beer, meads and seltzers. Drink water and alcoholic beverages on a one-to-one ratio at the minimum. And remember, you can always make non-alcoholic beers part of the hydration process while keeping the party going in your mouth.
2. Plan for a safe ride home. While getting that bot- tle of water and purchasing tickets for extra samples, remember that designated-driver tickets are just $20 and a rideshare is sometimes not that much more.
3. Watch out for the sun. The fest is outdoors in South Texas, so pack sunscreen and a hat even though it’s October. Hot, red, painful skin sucks.
4. Make a plan. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, but pick something to anchor your tasting. Set a goal of sampling from five breweries you have never tried before. A lot of U.S. brewers have also improved their lager game, so don’t hesitate to frolic among the Fest-style beers most popular this time of year in Germany — the sweeter Märzen lagers we most commonly call Oktoberfest brews in America or the thirst-quenching pilsners with their many regional interpretations.
5. Branch out from beer. Even if ales are the main attraction, taste some of the alternatives available, including a variety of meads. Fermented honey is at their core, but the craft has come a long way from the somewhat frightening versions evoked in Beowulf. Seltzers also remain popular as a lower-calorie alternative. You can also follow a theme like fruit beers, explore how different breweries use a particular hop or just sample brews from booths near the musical act you most want to hear.
6. Keep supporting the brewers. Breweries from across San Antonio, the region, the state, the U.S. and the world are represented in the festival. They brought a piece of their tap rooms to you, so do them a favor and drop by their tap rooms at a later date if you liked what you sampled. Craft brewers depend on loyal customers, and any out-of-town trip becomes more lively with a brewery visit.
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