CLEARFIELD – Thinking outside the box resulted in a new fundraiser for the Clearfield County SPCA.
On Saturday the SPCA held Octofurfest, a beer tasting event featuring craft brews from across the country. Attendance for the inaugural event was close to 300 people. As of Sunday, the event raised $3,000, though donations are still coming in.
“We are overwhelmed by the turnout and support for the SPCA. Oktofurfest heralds a new era for us and for animal welfare in our region,” said Beth and Rick Hallstrom. ” On this very high note, we will turn our attention to building the new shelter and planning Oktofurfest 2011, which will be October 20, 2012 at Florian Banquet Center.
“We are working on a website for Oktofurfest and next year will be even better.”
And now a word from the editor:
This kind of event is a win-win: it serves as a great fundraiser for the SPCA and opens new horizons to folks who might be “beer curious.” As a homebrewer, I’m familiar with varying styles and brands of beer. The selection, chosen by Jack’s Distributing, ran the gamut: hefeweissen to barleywine, wee heavy to witbier. When it was all said and done, the group I went with weighed in on which sample they dug the most.
JB: Brooklyn Brown Ale – smooth, not overly hopped with a good aroma and body.
DR: Post Road Pumpkin Ale by Brooklyn Brewery – toasted as pumpkin pie should; creamy and wasn’t too heavy.
KS: Pilzilla by Voodoo Brewing – Smooth and hoppy.
DK: Sam Adams Oktoberfest – Not bland; I don’t like strong beers and this one had good flavor.
Me: Pilzilla by Voodoo Brewing – Hoppy goodness at it’s best. It was tough to pick one that I liked the best, but Pilzilla blew me away. Other great beers included: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, which is a great example of the style, Merry Monk by Weyerbacher Brewing Company is a smooth big-beer, and Dead Reckoning Porter from Troegs had some great roasty taste as well as some wonderful bitterness.
Really, there was something there for everyone’s tastes.