This Year's BierBuzz Event

The BierBuzz Masquerade took place on Oct. 18, in the Inland Empire Brewing Company, home of locally handcrafted ales. BierBuzz took the idea behind beer festivals to another level by hosting an event that was a combination of craft beers, food, music, and costumes. Young adults (over the age of 21) and senior citizens all came together to enjoy the specially crafted beers the participating companies made specifically for the event. From panda to Pooh bear, costumes and dancing bananas, this event was full of individuals ready to sample seasonal and holiday inspired craft beers. BierBuzz kicked off at 5 p.m., inviting its VIP admission members to access over 20 rare beers specially crafted for the event and more than 40 beers throughout the whole night. Over 27 different breweries attended the event including Wicks Brewing Co., Goose Island, Hangar 24, and BrewCakes who catered BBQ sandwiches, mac and cheese and some delicious cupcakes all incorporating a special ingredient: beer C.J Sillers’ love for craft beer and baked goods were the inspiration for BrewCakes. He explained that even though everything on their menu is made with craft beers, wine, or alcohols, their food and desserts are still family friendly. This gastropub is located in Redlands, and participants at other events like BierBuzz. Among the participants was Vanessa Ambriz, who has been volunteering for two years for Sanctum Brewing Company, along with Jason Stevens, Co-founder of Sanctum. Ambriz expressed her love for the atmosphere of local events like BierBuzz, saving she liked helping out at these events because she is able to socialize with other beer lovers and indulge in what the other companies have to offer. Sanctum brought their “Autumnus Chai Pie” beer for the VIP, 9 blonde beer with apples, chai spices, and cinnamon graham cracker. As the night began to fall and more people started to arrive, the variety of people increased. A group of bananas did not waste any time and broke the ice as the band played. Bananda Bynes, Bananderson Cooper, Banangelina Jolie, and Antonio Bananderas danced the night away to Papa Fish and My Own Holiday. Raymond Aguilera, a Riverside resident, said he loves “beer and beer fest events.” He mentioned the growth of the craft beer industry and thinks it’s great to have such a large assortment of beers to choose from. He personally liked the Pumpkin Spice beer from Inland Empire Brewing Company. In attendance were also the parents of the owner and founder of the Inland Empire Brewing Company, Beryl and Ernest Murphy, who supported their son and enjoyed a few beers before the night ended. Adriana Lara and her husband’s love for handcrafted beer drove them from the Los Angeles area to enjoy a night of beer tasting. When asked why the couple drove over 50 miles to attend BierBuzz their answer was, “There’s just more breweries out here than there are in L.A.” They admitted that some events may be bigger in scale when compared to the events in Riverside, but they explained that sometimes bigger doesn’t mean better. The coordinators of this event took into account the dangers of drinking and driving and provided their guests with safe options to get home. Besides offering a lower designated driver admission fee, they also set up an Uber booth for those who would need a safe ride home. A table was also dedicated for those guests to intended on driving after having a few drinks. Their “Wreck Check” table offered their Breathalyzer services and gave the participants their Blood Alcohol Content level. While these tests were administered for entertainment purposes, they still gave the attendees an idea of where stood if they intended on driving later that night. Family and friends engaged in a night filled with costumes, music, food, and unique thirst-quenching beers.