As you all have probably noticed over the past couple of months, DCBeer got involved with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Brewer’s Ball this year. We did this for a few reasons. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is a great cause, and they put together a terrific event that is in our wheelhouse of bringing craft beer to as many people as possible. We used our contacts here at DCBeer to provide the Brewer’s Ball with what I was told repeatedly last Saturday night was the best lineup the event had ever seen. Not only was the craft beer a success, the event itself was overall a tremendous, record-setting event. The 7th Annual Brewer’s Ball raised just over $250,000 to fund Cystic Fibrosis Foundation research!
The event was held in Nationals Park’s Stars and Stripes Club. It was a gorgeous venue and had plenty of space for the over 800 attendees to mingle and mix while sharing some delicious beers and food. This was a great event and one that we definitely encourage you to attend next year if you weren’t able to this year. Thanks to all of our readers who went to the event and made it great! Also, a huge thanks to all of the breweries and brewery representatives that were on-hand to talk about their beers! It was especially great to see Jon McIntyre of Heavy Seas, Lee Marren of Stone Brewing Co., the venerable Steve Jones of Oliver Ales, Tom Cadorette and Casey Hollingsworth of Dominion and Fordham Brewing Companies, Brad Phillips of Sierra Nevada, Steven Cardello of Duvel and Brewery Ommegang, and of course Port City Brewing Co. founder and CEO Bill Butcher and one of his brewers, Jonathan. A number of other great breweries were there, including Gordon Biersch, Starr Hill, Vintage 50, Dogfish Head, Hops Grill and Brewery, Tuppers Hop Pocket Beers, Magic Hat Brewing Company, Woodchuck Hard Cider, and Rust Belt Brewing Company. Next year we fully hope and expect that the rest of the DC breweries will be represented too!
The event program was really amazing. To hear folks who are living with cystic fibrosis and those who have lost family members to this disease talk about what the hope that cystic fibrosis research means to them was absolutely incredible. One of the quotes that stuck with me through this program was, “We already have the science to cure cystic fibrosis, we just need to fund it.” When you know that the cure is out there waiting to be found, it makes events like Brewer’s Ball, which bring hope to those with cystic fibrosis one pint at a time, that much more meaningful. If you weren’t able to attend the Brewer’s Ball but would still like to donate to the cause, click here for my donation page!
DCBeer’s West Coast Beer Basket, which was one of two beer baskets that we donated for the charity auction.
The other DCBeer basket, this one a Belgian beer basket, which was very well received by bidders in the auction!
Attendees looking at auction items at the event
Thanks so much for your support of DCBeer as we’ve participated in Brewer’s Ball. We’re looking forward to helping out next year! Cheers!