New Patron to the Faire, Feeling like a Rube

[Chromag9]

First off, my very first visit to a Renaissance Faire was awesome.  I went with my wife and had our two kids in tow.  We were all just dressed as patrons, being our first visit and all.  We didn't ask any stupid awkward questions (is that hot?  how do you fit in that?  etc etc) - we at least knew better than that 

We went into one merchant's area and were just looking around and he asked if it was our first time.  I said yes, and he nodded and said "ahh I could tell."

Later that day we went by a merchant who was selling these really cool metal mugs (tankards?).  They looked like they were stainless or something, shiny metal (pewter?), and very cool.  He went on to tell me that if I purchased one of these (for $45, or two for $80) that we could take it around to the pubs and for the same price as the little cups they sell they would fill the mugs instead, and something about every third beer being free or something.

Was he trying to pull one over on me to get me to buy his wares because he, like the other merchant, could tell we were new to Renaissance Faires?

Is it because we were dressed in jeans and t-shirts and light jackets?  I have no idea.  Either way, it was a great experience and the kids loved it!

[Merlin]

Newbies are easy to spot.....   LOL

Some places will pour you a bit more if it's in a local stein but lots of the places have bottles so it's no more or less.

Hard to say.....

[Ambrosine]

It may depend on the Festival you were at. At my home festival of BARF they will fill our mugs for the same price of the smaller cups and every type I purchase is always from keg not bottled. Always a little jealous of my husbands mug since its actually larger then mine  I have to say though I have never heard of the third beer being free. Sounds like my type of festival if it were indeed true!

[Merlin]

I think the third beer being free is a play on the liquid math.

If you get 10ounces in a paper cup but the mug actually holds 14 ounces.... every third beer would entail 42 ounces for the price of 30 ounces in a paper cup ...thus implying, and actually being, a free beer.

[Chromag9]

Newbies are easy to spot.....   LOL

That's what I figured

I think the third beer being free is a play on the liquid math.

If you get 10ounces in a paper cup but the mug actually holds 14 ounces.... every third beer would entail 42 ounces for the price of 30 ounces in a paper cup ...thus implying, and actually being, a free beer.

That actually makes sense.  They were indeed pouring the beers out of keg taps.  We're planning on going back in a couple weeks for a BBQ and microbrew tasting event so I think the merchant with the mug will be our first stop!  Thanks for all the friendly information.

[will paisley]

I think the third beer being free is a play on the liquid math.

If you get 10ounces in a paper cup but the mug actually holds 14 ounces.... every third beer would entail 42 ounces for the price of 30 ounces in a paper cup ...thus implying, and actually being, a free beer.

That actually makes sense.  They were indeed pouring the beers out of keg taps.  We're planning on going back in a couple weeks for a BBQ and microbrew tasting event so I think the merchant with the mug will be our first stop!  Thanks for all the friendly information.

First thing I would do is ask the barkeep if there is really such a program/practice, and which mugs it applies to.  At larger faires, this usually only applies to the faire's commemorative mug, and may only apply to the initial purchase (meaning that they sell the mug at the pub itself).  If it applies to any mug bought at the faire, you could probably find a cheaper mug at a different vendor (though the cheaper mugs are likely to be ceramic, and would be rather painful to have dangling from a belt, which is where it would reside if you ever start wearing garb).

[Dinobabe]

Growing up at Bristol they would put food/drink in your provided vessel.  Last time I was there they wouldn't do it!  I immediately dumped the contents in my own vessel.  Don't feel right walking around in garb with a white/red checked paper carton!

[DonaCatalina]

It depends on the faire and sometimes the beverage. At TRF my daughter always got as much soda water as she could fit into her pewter tankard.
But the adult drinks were the same bottles for everyone.

[Dinobabe]

Grandma's booth was right next to the strawberry daiquiri/pub.  Free daiquiris at the end of the day!

[Baron Dacre]

Growing up at Bristol they would put food/drink in your provided vessel.  Last time I was there they wouldn't do it!  I immediately dumped the contents in my own vessel.  Don't feel right walking around in garb with a white/red checked paper carton!

They might have imported the practice from RPFS as Bristol is owned by the same company or health laws in Wisconsin might have changed. I usually just dump the paper cup into my own wooden cup right away...

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

I usually get Sasparilla at Bristol, and the gals put it in my own pewter mug and charge the same price as a paper cup.  I don't work there or know any of them, so I just assumed they would do it for anybody.  As of last summer, they still did this for me.

[LadyFireKissed]

Where I am at they actually keep some cups below the counter for each drink and for those who amnt to put it into thier own, they put it into their cups, put it into yours and then reuse the cups,  that way people can use their own and the girls dont get shorted per say, and it cuts down on trash.  At least I saw that when I was there.

[renren]

First of all, welcome to the wonderful world of ren faires!
After attending for a few years, and dressing in garb, the look on a new person's face at faire is very familiar, sort of a "trying to take it all in" expression, maybe with a little, "Wow!" mixed in!

[robert of armstrong]

I know at MiFR and MdRF, they put the drink in a cup, then you pour it into your own vessel.  The person (or corp or whatever) want to be able to keep tabs on who many drinks are being sold, and the easiest way (if not the most accurate) is by keeping track of the number of cups of drink sold.  It tells them how much money should be in the till at the end of the day.

[RSLeask]

Different rules for every faire.  As was said earlier, better to ask the local barkeeps... they're pretty good about not letting you get taken for a ride.

Unless it's the end of the day and you really, really need one...