Nothing brews a sense of camaraderie like the largest, most diverse sampling of beer in town.
Hundreds of visitors, ages 21 and up, flocked to Gainesville's Magnolia Parke for the Greater Gator Beer Festival Saturday afternoon despite the threat of rain.
More than 40 companies and about 35 volunteers offered samples and exotic selections from as far away as Israel and Russia to the crowd for a $25 entrance fee.
"We try to go out of our way to get some of the more obscure beers and give people a treat," said Charles Fazio, who founded the event with his wife in 1997. "Who knows? They may find a new favorite here."
Brands such as Shipyard Brewing Co., Bieres de Chimay and the Hops Restaurant brand graced the long aisles of tables, offering flavorful choices for tasters' eager palates.
The event originally took place at the Sun Center near the Hippodrome State Theatre on the last Saturday of March, Fazio said.
It outgrew the space very quickly - within two years, he said. Now it's in its twelfth year.
The first October event, in 2007, came about after people requested for the fest to happen more than once a year.
Dave Guender, the director of sales with the SweetWater Brewing Co., said the Gainesville fest offers the greatest exposure in Florida for the company.
His company presented a six-beer selection that included a special edition that was freshly brewed and packaged last Friday.
Gabe Martinez, a Gainesville resident who graduated from UF last December, attended the Beer Fest for the first time Saturday and said he enjoyed the large selection.
"The thing that I'm most impressed with is that they give you a tow and a ride home for free if you get too loaded," Martinez said.
