Annual Beerfest Raises Money For Local Charities

Photo: Indiana Public Media

Samples are unlimited at the 2011 Beerfest in Bloomington, Indiana.

The 19^th annual beer tasting event at the Bloomington Convention Center is dedicated to raising money for local charities.

Organizer Matt Colglazier says Beerfest also provides an opportunity for breweries, big and small, to get the word out about their products.

“The great thing about Beerfest, Big Red Beerfest especially is the broad range of beers,” Colglazier says. “We’ve got basically the whole history of brewing here. We’ve got the companies that were foundational in brewing and then we’ve got the breweries that are only two months old. So it really runs the gambit in terms of what we can offer to people who come here.”

Head Brewer Floyd Rosenbaum says Beerfest is a great way to stay in touch with his customers.

“It gives us an opportunity to get our product out for people to sample and make a decision whether they like it or not and then give them an opportunity to come down to the brewery and be a part of our BBC team,” says Rosenbaum.

The event featured 331 beers. Bloomington Brewing Company has been taking part in Beerfest for just more than a decade.