For all of the years that I’ve gone to the annual Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Beer Fest, I’ve never once thought about how the little wooden tokens get into their little plastic bags. You see, when you enter this magical place, you receive a bag (or plastic cup) full of little wooden nickels. In the fine tradition of barter, these nickels can be traded for beer samples.

But never once did I pause and wonder how the magical tokens ended up so neatly in their little homes. (Okay, I’m usually thinking other things at the Beer Fest, like, “What should I try next?” “Omigod, I have to go to the bathroom now!” and “I hope White Castle is still open!”)

But my friends…you never have to waste even a single brain cell wondering about this issue, for I am hear to tell you.

Last Thursday, Jeff and I decided to head out for a beer at the Corner Brewery. As soon as we walked in, a friend of ours yelled, “There they are!” and immediately hustled us to the TV longue and sat us down at a table. Within seconds, piles of wooden nickels appeared before us. My friend instructed us to put them into stacks of six and then put two stacks of six into the baggies that my other friends were labeling. He then said the magic words, “And just tell them to put you on the guild’s tab when you order beer.” Score.

While enjoying our free beer, Jeff and I put the tokens into stacks, bagged them and then boxed them up. And we were just two people out of a sizeable crowd who worked for over three hours bagging up 14,000 tokens. Yes, beer friends, we worked on 14,000 tokens just so you will be able to enjoy beer samples at the Michigan Beer Festival.

Tubs of tokens (Picture taken by the author)

Seriously though, a lot of work goes into a festival like this and I never stopped to think about it before. If you get a chance, stop by the Michigan Brewers Guild tent at the festival and say hey and thanks. And oh, if you want to tip the people who put together the baggies, well, feel free to say thanks with tokens….

Do you like my token checkers game? I played it by myself and won every game!

(Picture taken by the author)