Throwing A Craft Beer Gala That Matters

If you think it’s easy pulling off a major craft beer event – you’ve never done it. Even harder is putting on something “that matters” for an important cause. That’s why DC’s Brewer’s Ball which took place over the weekend is so special.

It was a craft beer event done right on every level…

Any well-executed craft beer event is a combination of people, place and vibe. And when great beer and smart cuisine mixes it up with attractive young urbanites getting buzzed in their uptown best – you’re almost guaranteed a great time.

Place and Vibe

The 12^th Anniversary Brewer’s Ball returned to the National Building Museum in the Washington, DC again this year. And if you’ve ever attended a SAVOR, then know what a magnificent setting this is.

Built in the late nineteenth century the National Building Museum is one of the city’s most spectacular works of public architecture and the Great Hall is its centerpiece. It’s an incredible space, (so enormous that you could fit a football field into it!) and with elegantly lit gigantic Corinthian columns towering over the night’s celebrations.

Food and craft beer stations filled the room as far as the eye could see, and in spite of the sell-out crowds there were never any lines. And unlike so many craft beer events nowadays, most of the people serving the food and pouring the beer were actually from the breweries and restaurants they were fronting. They knew everything about the foods they were serving and were passionate about the beers that they poured. And everyone seemed excited to be part of the evening’s festivities and that enthusiasm ignited the room and made for one big party.

The People

Part of what makes the craft beer industry so much fun are its fans and the people who work in the biz -and it seemed like everyone from the mid-Atlantic’s brewing community turned out for this worthy celebration.

DC Beer’s Editor Bill DeBaun was seen speed-talking, trading beer talk and making merry with Katherine Marisic the Federal Affairs Manager for the Brewers Association.

DC brewing legends Bob and Ellie Tupper were at all the smart tasting stations -so we deliberately made a point of hanging with them for a while.

We met a lot of fun people who work at the Beer Institute – and there were plenty of young political hill staffers, in for the cause, understandably letting their hair down.

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Erin Leahey never stopped moving and, along with her team, she made sure that everything came off flawlessly. This night was a huge operation and she pulled it all off with arena rock show efficiency.

The Beer

As always the beers were incredible…and all hope of moderation was unfortunately lost.

We drank too many Cherry Blossom Lagers with Fordham & Dominion’s Casey Hollingsworth (It’s not our fault he just kept filling our glasses!). And we had several Easy IPA’s with Flying Dog’s Nate Eckert.

But things only accelerated from there…

Tammy Portnoy poured us too many sours at the Union Brewing station – she wouldn’t take no for an answer. Duvel Moortgat’s Brad Lawrason insisted we have “just one more” Rosetta, Ommegang’s brilliant new Kriek – so of course, we did.

The variety of the beers showcased at this year’s Brewer’s Ball was truly amazing and did our best to get to all of them.

The Cause

When the evening came to its eventual end, we joined the buzzed masses exiting into the chilled night air. And while filing out, we happened to overhear a couple talking about a family member’s personal struggle with Cystic Fibrosis.

It was a sobering shot of reality at the end of a wonderful night. And we were once again reminded of the evening’s true purpose…

Just another thing that this year’s Brewer’s Ball got exactly right.

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Picture photo credits: Doug Van Sant