By GEORGE JOHNSTON | gjohnston@redbluffdailynews.com | Red Bluff Daily News
PUBLISHED: August 16, 2021 at 4:12 p.m. | UPDATED: August 16, 2021 at 4:13 p.m.
RED BLUFF — A pandemic hibernation could not stop a strong return of the Red Bluff Brew Battle Saturday at River Park.
More than 100 microbrew beers were featured for sampling during the festival, which had about 400 people in attendance 30 minutes after doors opened at 4 p.m. The event, hosted by Red Bluff Active 20-30 Club, was scheduled to run 4-8 p.m.
Club President Courtney Abbassi said organizers expected more than 500 people to attend.
“You know, we expected it to be a bigger year with a pandemic and everything,” Abbassi said. “Everybody gets to get out. We are happy with the results. People look excited to be here.”
Besides beer tasting, there was a taster’s choice beer competition, live music, food trucks, lawn games and live painting by Tehama Creatives.
The Red Bluff Active 20-30 Club is a nonprofit organization, and all proceeds from the festival will go to support youth in the community. The club in 2019 donated funds from the festival to the Big Splash Park project proposed for River Park.
Abbassi said no one has approached the club yet about donations. The club is waiting to see whether anyone comes to it with an idea.
Cody Marshall was working a booth and pouring beer from Sudwerk Brewing Co. Dock Store, a brewery out of Davis. Things were a bit slow at the beginning for the booth, but Marshall reasoned that was because people were pacing themselves and did not want to go too fast with a triple India pale ale.
“I think this event is awesome,” Marshall said. “I think local craft brewers have really taken off in the last 10 plus years, and so I think this is a really good way for people to really drink beers that maybe they have never had before, but they can not get a hold of and also support a local nonprofit at the same time.”
Liz Ramos was at the event and invited her friends from Livermore along. Ramos said she liked the brews being offered. In between samplings, she and her friends played giant size Jenga and beer pong.
“We are having a great time,” Ramos said.
Ramos said she would recommend the event to anyone interested and old enough who wants to sample different types of beers.