Visiting a brewery in your area with a group of friends presents you with all sorts of enticing drink options. While some people order a glass of their favorite beer, another option is to order a flight of beer. A flight of beer features a number of small servings of different beer types, typically presented on a stylish wooden stand or tray. The brewery will likely have some specific flights you can order, but you may also have the option to customize your flight with a few beers of your choice. Here are three reasons to try beer in this way.

An Ability To Try Several Varieties

Perhaps the most common reason that beer lovers order a flight of beer is that it gives them the ability to try several different beer varieties. While you could theoretically order a couple of different beers in regular-sized glasses, you likely wouldn't want to drink more than a couple. With a flight of beer, however, you can easily consume smaller portions of several different beers—for example, perhaps having four, five, or six varieties. It can be enjoyable to sample different varieties. If you encounter one that you really enjoy, you might opt for a full-sized serving of it during your next brewery visit.

An Opportunity To Learn

Ordering a flight of beer can often be an educational opportunity, which can be exciting for any beer enthusiast. Many breweries design their flights of beers so that there's information about each of the beverages displayed on the wooden stand. Your server can also talk to you about each of the products, giving you some information about how the brewery produces it and what makes it unique from other types of beer.

A Chance To Track Your Drinks

Lots of breweries hand out scorecard-style sheets that list the names of each of their beers. When you order a flight of beer, you can do several different things with your scorecard. You'll not only check off that you've consumed the drink, but you can also give it a rating and jot down any comments you have about its flavor. At some breweries, a staff member can validate your scorecard. Once you've made several return visits and have tried small portions of each of the brewery's drinks, you may earn a prize such as a sticker, fridge magnet, or T-shirt. This can add another fun dimension to your brewery visits.

Visit your local brewery to see what different flights of beer they offer.