How To Play: Brew

Welcome, fellow potions lovers and dice rollers! If you’ve ever wondered why you keep losing at Brew (like me, that one time I let my friend Dave steal ALL the berries), this guide is for you. I’ll give a quick outline of the game rules and sprinkle in my top tips for winning. Ready to stir things up?

Overview

What’s in the box

• 4 Forest Boards
• 1 Main Board
• 54 Dice (12 per player, 6 Elemental, 6 Forest)
• 20 Forage Cards
• 40 Creature Cards
• 18 Potion Cards
• 24 Energy Tokens
• 40 Berry Tokens
• 40 Mushroom Tokens
• 40 Crystal Tokens
• 12 Scorch Tokens
• 4 Player Aid Cards
• 1 Season Marker
• 1 Rulebook

How To Play Brew: Rules Summary

Setup

1. First, hand out one character board and six dice to each player. Everyone needs their own set. No sharing. We tried that once and chaos followed.
2. Mix up the forest cards and put four out in the middle. I always forget to shuffle. Don’t be like me.
3. Lay out potion cards (six on display), creature cards (six as well), and resources within reach. Keep the snacks close too. That’s not in the rules, but it should be.
4. Give each player three berries to start. Don’t eat them, save them for the game.
5. Pick a starting player. Let’s be honest, it’s always the person who last brewed a drink, right?

Gameplay

1. On your turn, roll all your dice. Then, place one die at a time on either a forest card or the village board. Think hard. My friend Dave plays fast, but he loses a lot.
2. If you place in the forest, you can gather resources or claim control. In the village, you can trade or activate special actions. Read the spaces carefully. One time, I gave away all my resources by mistake. Oops.
3. After all dice are placed, collect resources and activate spots. Then, use those goodies to brew potions and tame creatures. Pay the cost, take the reward. Feels good every time.
4. Drink (activate) potions for a special boost or to mess with your friends. Best part of the whole game.
5. End the round when everyone runs out of dice. Clean up, refill the display, and prepare for the next round.

Winning

1. After four rounds, count all your points from creatures, controlled forests, tamed creatures, and leftover potions.
2. Whoever has the most points wins. If there’s a tie, high five both winners. Or argue about it for half an hour. Up to you.

Special Rules & Conditions

1. Element dice can only be placed on matching spots. Don’t try to sneak a fire die into a water spot – we see you, Trevor.
2. Potions break the rules. Use them whenever the bottle tells you. I once saved one until the last second, and it won me the game. True story.
3. If two players tie for forest control, nobody gets it. It’s brutal. Plan ahead or you’ll end up with nothing but regrets.

That’s How To Play brew in a nutshell. Once you get going, it’s a wild, resource-grabbing, potion-chugging ride. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Best Brew Strategies

Mastering Dice Placement & Timing in Brew

Roll With a Purpose

Every roll counts in Brew. Don’t just toss dice and hope for the best. Plan your moves. Think ahead while others get distracted by their snacks.

Pick Your Spots Wisely

1. Always target the most contested forest early.
2. Claim spots with bonuses before your opponents can blink.
3. Watch what dice types others have left to block their big turns.

Perfect Your Timing

1. Wait until the last moment to play your best dice.
2. Sometimes, forcing others to act first lets you swoop in for the win.

If you want to know How To Play brew like a champ, keep your dice plans tight and seize the best moments!

Mastering Resources in Brew: Sip, Swap, and Score!

Gather Wisely

1. Focus on the best resources early. If you see something everyone wants, grab it before Gary does. No mercy for Gary!

2. Balance potion ingredients and forest goods to avoid getting stuck later.

Use Potions Effectively

1. Activate those potions when you can ruin someone’s perfect plan. Timing matters more than style points.

2. Don’t hoard potions—spend them like you’re on a game show and there’s free coffee at the finish line.

Trade and Convert

1. Swap extra resources at every chance. That berry you ignore today will cost you the win tomorrow.

2. Convert resources to fill objective cards, boosting your score with little effort.

I tested all of these tricks during my last Brew night. I ignored my own tip once and saw my lead vanish. Don’t do that. Learn from my pain! By the way, if you want to know how to play Brew, follow these resource tricks and you’ll beat your group in no time.

Unleash Epic Wins: Mastering Creature and Potion Combos in Brew

1. Stacking Creature Powers

Creatures boost your actions, but only if you stack wisely. Try to:

1. Pair movement creatures with resource gatherers.
2. Chain effects for extra dice or rerolls.

2. Potion Timing Magic

Potions can break the game if you play them right. Next, always:

1. Pop a potion just before a key placement to block rivals.
2. Save resource potions for creature powers to maximize punch.

3. Combo Like a Pro

Finally, use both together for crazy results. For example:

1. Use a potion to place a die, then trigger a creature for double benefit.
2. Mix a creature with a potion that copies actions for extra turns.

After a few games, I found these combos left my friends crying into their meeples. For more tips, just yell “How To Play brew” at me and I’ll share my secrets.

Final Thoughts: Brew Like a Pro

After a dozen games, two spilled drinks, and more pretend potions than I care to count, I can say Brew is a wild ride. If you plan your dice, manage those resources, and cook up the right creature-potion combos, you’ll out-brew your pals. Remember, no strategy survives first contact with your weirdest friend, but hey, that’s the fun! Now get out there and show off your new How To Play brew skills!

Want to know what we think of Brew? Read our detailed review of Brew here