How To Play: Brew

If you’ve ever tried to tame a forest while your friends ruin your plans with bad luck and wild dice in Brew, you know it gets chaotic fast. This guide will give you a quick outline of the game rules (so you can call out cheaters at your table) and my best tips for winning. Gather your dice, grab your potions, and let’s get rolling!

Overview

What’s in the box

• 1 Forest Board
• 4 Player Boards
• 20 Dice (5 per player color)
• 1 Season Die
• 80 Ingredient Tokens
• 28 Potion Cards
• 42 Creature Cards
• 36 Forest Cards
• 4 Reference Cards
• 12 Forage Tokens
• 50 Energy Tokens
• 1 First Player Token
• Rulebook

How To Play Brew: Rules Summary

Game Setup

1. Place the main forest board in the middle of your table. Resisting the urge to use it as a dinner plate helps (trust me, I tried).
2. Shuffle the forest cards and deal four out face-up. Put the rest nearby.
3. Shuffle the potion cards and reveal four. Set the rest aside.
4. Each player chooses a color and takes their matching dice, a player board, and a couple of starting resources. (If you fight over colors like my friends do, arm wrestle for it.)
5. Place the day and night dice in the center. Make sure everyone can reach them without knocking over their drink.

Gameplay

1. On your turn, roll all your dice (just hope they don’t all roll off the table).
2. Take turns placing one die at a time onto the board, using its power to gather ingredients or claim forests.
3. You can brew potions by spending the right ingredients. Drinking potions is allowed, but only in the game!
4. Rescue and tame creatures for special powers, which I always forget about until someone else wins with them.
5. Repeat turns until all dice are used up, then start a new round. Try not to mess up the board when reaching for snacks.

Winning

1. The game ends after four rounds, or if you run out of forest cards. It comes faster than you think!
2. Add up points from tamed creatures, claimed forests, and leftover potions. Some potions are worth points, some just taste good (in the game, again!).
3. Whoever has the most points wins and gets bragging rights until the next game night.

Special Rules & Conditions

1. Some creatures and potions have unique powers. Use these to mess with your opponents, or forget to and regret it later.
2. If there’s a tie, check who has the most ingredients left. If still tied, well, have a rematch!
3. House rule: Winner has to provide snacks next time!

That’s the basics of How To Play brew. It’s easy to pick up, but tough to master. If you ever forget a rule, just make something up and see if anyone notices—that’s what I do!

Best Brew Strategies

Mastering the Dice: Your Secret Weapon in Brew

Know Where Your Dice Belong

First off, don’t just throw dice onto the board like spaghetti on a wall. Instead, choose spots that block your opponents and boost your goals.

1. Place dice on high-value forests to deny others and score points.
2. Claim potion spaces early if you see a combo brewing.

Outsmart Your Friends

Try to predict what your sneaky friends want. Then, plop your dice right where it messes up their plans!

1. Watch their favorite forest types.
2. Block places that set up their combos.

Adapt on the Fly

If someone ruins your perfect turn, don’t stress. Shift your dice focus and snatch up whatever points you can. Flexibility wins games. That’s how I snuck a win last Friday—sorry, Greg!

1. Switch to gathering resources if forests get crowded.
2. Use those resources for a late-game comeback.

When teaching friends how to play brew, always remember: dice control wins games and friends (and possibly cake).

Mastering Resource Management and Timing in Brew

Plan Ahead, Stay Ahead

When I first played Brew, I thought hoarding stuff would win me the game. Nope. Instead, think about what you need for your next move. If you plan ahead, you can react to what your friends do.

1. Look at what your opponents collect.
2. Grab resources that block their moves.
3. Keep an eye on the round’s end and act before it’s too late.

Timing Is Everything

Every turn counts. Once, I waited too long and lost out on a key resource. Don’t repeat my mistake!

1. Claim important resources early in the round.
2. Don’t wait to use items that give you an edge.
3. Pay attention to your rivals’ actions.

Adapt on the Fly

Nothing ever goes as planned. Keep your eyes open and change plans when needed. The best Brew players adapt fast.

1. Switch resource targets if blocked.
2. Use How To Play brew tips to stay flexible.

Unleashing Creature and Potion Combo Power in Brew!

After many wild nights playing Brew with my pals, I found that creature and potion combos can tip the game in your favor. First, always watch for clever overlaps between creature abilities and potion effects. Next, plan ahead and adapt as new options pop up. Here’s how to master the art:

Pick Creatures That Boost Your Potions

1. Choose creatures that match your favorite potion colors.
2. Target creatures that let you reuse or redraw potions.

Time Potions for Maximum Effect

1. Drink potions at the last possible moment for surprise moves.
2. Save big potions for when creatures amplify their effects.

Stack Synergies for Big Gains

1. Combine creatures that double potion effects with potent brews.
2. Collect sets that let you chain potion actions together.

How To Play brew becomes much easier when you chase these combos. Trust me, my friends still complain about my deadly wolf-potion combo from last week!

Ready to Brew Up a Win?

So there you have it—my top tips and tricks for Brew. My friends will never let me forget the game where I accidentally brewed a potion that gave Larry an edge. Spoiler: He gloated for three whole turns. Anyway, remember: careful dice placement, smart resource grabs, and those sneaky potion-creature combos are key. Every game has a new twist, so stay sharp and flexible. If you’re wondering how to play Brew, just roll with it and have fun—win or lose, your group will have a blast. May your forests flourish and your potions always go to plan (unlike mine!).

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