Which I’ve done all too often. Many times I’ve “gotten up” at 1-2 AM to make my flight home…
Yes…don’t do that! I aim for nothing less than noon. 
If you went to NHCs in San Diego and before, you would instantly recognize him, and his wife Annette.
I made that mistake last year…that was a rough morning. Luckily this year I can sleep in.
Monitor your drinking. I was mostly a drunk fool for my first conference, less so for my second one and never really drunk for my third one. There is a lot of great beer, if you aren’t completely enjoying a beer then just dump it (but not in front of the brewer). Drink as much water as you do beer. Also tell people to only give you short pours. I make a point of only drinking 2oz or so of a beer unless it is absolutely fantastic. During my first conference there were a couple of guys that were absolutely hammered 30 minutes into club night (frat boy hammered), don’t be that guy. Plus, the more you monitor your alcohol intake the easier it will be to wake up for the talks. You learn a lot of great stuff from the talks as well as have some great beer at them. The conference is awesome and you are going to have a great time.
WISE WORDS! I was “that guy” at my first conference, too. Fortunately (?), health issues have forced me to really cut back on my drinking. I don’t start til noon now and try to limit myself to less than 3 pints total over the course of the day. Not saying that anyone else should follow that policy, but I do think that to a degree less is more.
I think everyone is “that guy” at some point. 
I try and be very careful at these big beer events since it’s a marathon and not a sprint. Even still, by the end of conference I’m exhausted by the mix of beer, socialization (hey, introverts lose energy socializing!) and lack of sleep. It usually takes me a day of peace and quiet to catch up to myself.
It really doesn’t help when they schedule a mead seminar at 9 in the morning with lots of free samples, but if you go slow you can make it.
Crispy told me at a conference once that he sampled every beer at club night. He used a very, very small glass.
I will say that these days I’m betting that would be an impossible task unless one was using a nano glass. I’m not even sure you could get around the taps in the time for club night.
Don’t you recall Crispy’s nano mug? Can’t be more than an oz.
Looks like I’m bringing a shot glass to Philly!
Last year, I was kind of “that guy” at the BN anniversary party. Definitely drunk but not the obnoxious frat boy drunk. I tend to get quieter. The next night I went a lot easier, sticking mostly to sours that were offered. I also drank my rinse water between fills, which I think helped.
Friday was more towards Wednesday ( man I have a short memory ), and Saturday was steady but without overdoing it. Good thing too since I won a medal. Can’t imagine what I would have done if I had been too far gone ( trip on stage, hug Charlie, rub Gary’s head, etc ;D).
I’m always “that guy” regardless. I have a reputation to uphold.
The last night of NHC last year was fun. But I had to drive, so I stayed sober.
That’s a very good excuse. Drunk driving is especially stupid. So, fwiw I’m not “that guy”.
Take good notes in the tech, sessions. You will always go - “I remember Ray/Stan/Greg/Vinnie/Matt/Denny/Drew saying something important, what the heck was it?”. Notes written in the back of the program help.
Jeff, with me I think the word is “goofy”, not “important”!
I defy anyone to name one thing important I’ve said!
Giving some of the guys here some shout outs, and they shout back!
How would anyone know after they go deaf from all the f bombs?
Thanks for trying, Jeff!