If you have been in Winston for any length of time you have surely heard of Foothills Brewing and have likely been there for lunch or dinner. What you might not have experienced, though, is the fun of Foothills on a Thursday night.

Every Thursday night, the brewery fills to the brim with Wake students and townies alike, all eager to engage in the ultimate test of skill. No, I am not talking about their drinking abilities; I am referring to their knowledge of all things obscure.

Trivia night at Foothills is a group activity which involves teams comprised of four participants— although the more friends the merrier and the higher your points-earning potential. The first round begins right at 9 p.m. with 10 questions announced over a microphone near the front of the bar. After hearing each question read aloud, teams formulate their answers and write them down. Answer sheets are submitted at the end of the round and points are given for each correct answer.

This continues for four more rounds, with point values per question increasing with each subsequent round. As the point values increase, though, the difficulty level of the questions increases as well.

If you think you are up for the challenge, brush up on your Trivial Pursuit and plan on heading to Foothills this Thursday night. In order to enhance your experience, here are a few recommendations:

Arrive early. The high ceilings and open spaces are great for ambiance but do not help with acoustics. Sitting near the back of the restaurant will put you close to the announcer and prevent your team from straining to hear each question.

Use that extra time to chat with your friends and enjoy an appetizer. The advantage of Foothills is that it is a restaurant as well as a bar, so move past bar nuts and enjoy a plate of nachos, calamari or onion rings.

Order a brew. Even better than just eating, try the Foothills Sampler which includes one smaller-sized sample of each of six Foothills brews. The Torch Pilsner and Pilot Mountain Pale Ale are favorites. All six are only $6.95.

Bring a diverse team. As the name trivia implies, the questions asked cover an extremely broad range of topics. Having members on your team who are well-versed in sports, pop culture, current events, history and more will make your night more enjoyable and your team more competitive.

Regardless of your idea of a perfect Thursday night, trivia has something for everyone. For the closet nerd, it is a chance to demonstrate your superiority. For the poor soul with early Friday classes, you can go out and still be home by midnight. For the “Thirsty Thursday” crowd, trivia can kick-off your night before you head to other bars. Or for those who just want to spend time with friends, trivia night provides an opportunity to unwind after a long week.

For TV fanatics, the only downside of this event is its overlap with “The Office” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” If you can make the sacrifice, however, it will be well worth it, even if you are not a trivia pro.