So much beer, so little time at the Newtown Beerfest

NEWTOWN BOROUGH - A good beer is a marriage of a perfect blend of brewed hops, malt and barley. Its taste can be light and crisp like a summer breeze or dark and brooding like a Poe story. There exists a balance that must tantalize and also tease one’s taste buds. And when beer is wedded with a good cause, like helping the Newtown Fire Association, well, then, everything tastes even better.

2N WHH fiUsW GDy RI IDOO, Saturday afternoon, Sept. 22 the Newtown Fire Association held its third an- nual Newtown Beer Fest on the grounds of the Stocking Works off State Street in Newtown. The day was sunny and warm, and the perfect setting for trying some very excellent brews.

Newtown Fire Chief Carl FRUsyWH, RNH RI PDNy fiUHmen there proudly wearing their crewshirts for the day, “Stop, Drink and Roll,” said they were expecting 3,000 people that day. As the 2 p.m. start time approached, eager and thirsty patrons were lining up at the entrance.

The First Tap Session, during which -- for a little more money -- ticket buy-

could be the first to try some of the premiere samplings of the day, ran for 1 ½ hours before the main event. Blends like the Southern Tier Mocha, the Neshaminy Creek Imperial, S’mores Stout and the Vault Bourbon Barrel Stout ran quickly as patrons meandered from tent to tent, from brewmaster to brewmaster, trying and tasting the various offerings.

About 73 breweries, some local, some from far away, were there, each offering a unique taste, a unique experience for brew aficionado and amateur alike. For many of the patrons, it was an opportunity to try something new and to define or refine their particular tastes.

The Newtown Beer Fest serves as a fundraiser for the Newtown Fire Association, which operates out of two fire stations, one on Liberty Street in the borough and the other off Durham Road in the township. All 40 members of the association are volunteers, including Chief Forsyth and the association president, Michael Errico Sr.

Forsyth said that the funds raised from the event would be used to purchase and maintain the apparatus upon which so many of Newtown’s residents rely.

“We also use a portion of the proceeds to donate to local charities,” said Forsyth. He mentioned that one of the charities they are looking at this year is the Wounded Warriors Project, which provides services and programs to wounded veterans.

Photograph by Ann Cole Newtownís volunteer firefighters get ready for the start of their third Beer Fest. Fire Association President Michael Errico, last man on the right, expressed his thanks for the people who came out to support the fire association at the event. ìThank...

Photo by Ann Cole Brian Stone of Warminster, along with his daughter Ashley Casper, her fiancÈ Zach Smith of Warminster, and Ashleyís mother, Shannon, are celebrating Ashley and Zachís pending nuptuals at the Newtown Beer Fest with a bachelor/bachelorette party. Ashley...

Photo by Ann Cole Christina Monico of Holland, and her friend, Allison Morris of Newtown, were enjoying the “sunshine, good beers and good friends.”

Photo by Ann Cole Christie Ferguson, Holland, Roxanne Wilson, Warminster, and Jordan Dripps, Feasterville, were out enjoying the sunny day and the Fest. “It gets a lot of a local people together and we can to try new things,” said Jordan, ìItís awesome to be here with...