11th annual beer festival kicks off tonight

Big Red Liquors will host the party tonight and tomorrow night at the Monroe County Convention Center with its 11th annual Beer Festival. \nMidwest beer drinkers will assemble at the event from 6 to 9 p.m. Patrons can taste over 200 different domestic, import and micro-brew beers while strolling along the vendors' tables and chatting with various company representatives and brewmasters. \n"The beer festival is an opportunity for people to taste more expensive beers for less money," said Rob Williamson, promotions director for Big Red Liquors. \nTickets for the event are available at all Bloomington Big Red Liquors stores and also online at www.bigredliquors.com. Presale tickets for tonight are $20, or $25 at the door. Friday tickets are $25 and $30, respectively. \n"This is a fun event, and it's great for people," said Williamson. \nWilliamson said he expects a ratio of 30 to 70 of college students to local residents, as the event attracts a mix of both groups every year.\nBesides showcasing many national and international products, the Beer Festival will also advance the business of local breweries, such as Bloomington's Upland Brewing Co., the largest brewery in Indiana. \n"The festival is a fantastic event for us," Ed Herrmann, Upland brewmaster said. "The venue has driven our business since we started brewing." \nHerrmann will attend the event along with a few members of the brewing staff. \n"If anyone is interested in beer flavors, this event is great because of the worldwide tastes," said Herrmann.\nBig Red Liquors has been serving Bloomington residents for about 30 years. \n"This is our way of giving back to the community," Williamson said. \nThe two-day event hopes to raise the annual monetary goal of $10,000. All of the proceeds will benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington. The three-year contract the club has with Big Red Liquors will fund the local endowment of the national program, Skills Mastery and Resistance Training.\n"The program teaches older kids about drug and alcohol use and teen pregnancy, while younger kids are taught child protection and safety," said Joe Stebbins, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club.\nAccording to its Web site, Big Red Liquors has one of the largest selections of beer, spirits and wine in southern Indiana. With the company owning 11 stores in Bloomington and expanding in Bedford, Columbus and Terre Haute, the company promotes its focus on service, selection, savings and smiles. \n"If you enjoy drinking beer, come to the festival," Williamson said. "It's the best deal of the year"