The Setup
Brewno is for 2–10 players, ages 21+. Everyone needs a drink in hand — beer, seltzer, cocktail, whatever. No judgments.
Deal each player 5 cards face down — that's the recommended starting hand. Don't look at them yet. The remaining cards form the Draw Pile in the center of the table, face down.
Place an unopened can next to the Draw Pile. The dealer flips the top card from the Draw Pile and tucks it into the brim of the can — this is the first card in play. The player to the dealer's left goes first. Play moves clockwise.
Taking Your Turn
On your turn, look at the top card in the Brim. You can play a card from your hand if it matches by number, color, or symbol — or slam down a Wild card to override anything.
Play your card face up in front of you so everyone can see it, then execute its action. Once the action is done, tuck your card into the Brim on top of the stack.
Can't play? Draw from the pile until you can. No skipping, no mercy.
Numbered Cards
Every number has an action. Play the card, do the deed, then brim it. The color doesn't affect the action — just matching.
1 – Waterfall: You chug. The player to your left joins, then the next, all the way around. Nobody stops until the person before them does.
2 – You: Point at any player. They drink.
3 – Me: You drink. Self-inflicted.
4 – Floor: Last player to point at the floor drinks.
5 – Guys: All guys drink.
6 – Chicks: All ladies (or anyone identifying as such) drink.
7 – Heaven: Last player to point up drinks.
8 – Date: Pick someone — they drink whenever you do for the rest of the game. Guys/Chicks cards count too.
9 – Rhyme: Say a word. The next player rhymes it. Goes around. First to fail or repeat drinks.
0 – Category: Name a category, give an example, pass it around. No repeats, no hesitating — mess up and drink.
Wild Cards
Wild cards match anything and let you set the next color. They're the chaos cards — use them wisely or vindictively.
Wild Swap: Choose any two players at the table — including yourself — and swap their entire hands. You pick who swaps with who, then set the color.
Brim Card: Make someone else tuck the card into the Brim instead of you — dodging potential explosion. You set the color after.
Drinking & Drawing 4: Next player draws 4 cards and chugs for 4 seconds. You count the seconds. Slowly or quickly — your call. Pick the color after.
Wild King: Invent a rule that lasts until another King overrides it. Example: "Drink every time someone says 'f**k'." Enforce it harshly. Then set the color.
Cracking the Can
Eventually it happens. Card after card gets wedged into the Brim until the pressure wins and the can cracks open. If it cracks on your turn — congratulations, you did this.
Cracking the can doesn't mean you lose. It means you drink. You must chug the entire center can, and you can't play any cards until it's finished. The rest of the table keeps playing around you while you handle your business.
The moment the can cracks, reset the Brim immediately — don't wait for the chug to finish. Place a new unopened can in the center, and take the top card from the old can's Brim and tuck it into the new one. The game keeps going right away with the new can in play while you're still chugging the old one.
How to Win
The goal is simple — be the first player to go out (empty your hand). Play your cards, execute the actions, and outlast everyone else.
The player left with the most cards at the end gets the honor of chugging the center can. Choose your targets wisely — the cards you send someone else's way might just come back around.
Scream BREWNO: Want to add more chaos? When you're down to one card, you must scream "BREWNO!" so the table knows you're on the edge. If someone else calls it before you do — draw 2 and drink. Stay sharp or pay the price.
Stackable Cards: If your table agrees, Draw 2/Drink 2 and Drinking & Drawing 4 are stackable. Stack two Draw 2s and the next player draws 4 and drinks 4. Two Draw 4s? That's 8 seconds of chugging. Good luck.
First Card Crack: On the rare occasion the can cracks when the dealer tucks in the very first card — table decides. Does the dealer drink it, or do you swap the can? Handle it before it becomes an argument.
Rhyme & Category Timer: No official clock. We recommend 5 seconds max to keep things moving, but if your table wants to be ruthless about it, that's between you and your friends.
The beauty of Brewno is that the chaos is customizable. Set your rules before the first card hits the Brim — and enforce them harshly.