Brewski a sell-out as hundreds come here again four outdoor fun and beer
by Dan McClelland
The Town of Tupper Lake Recreation Department’s second annual Brewski proved that without a doubt that despite the cold, people will come from miles around to celebrate with copious amounts of beer in the great outdoors in February.
The mercury didn’t quite make it to 20 degrees F. that day but bright sunshine prevailed, making the town’s second version of the popular winter event a banner success. Every one of the 1,200 participant tickets was sold- making it a sell out event before registration opened Saturday morning.
Recreation Director was very pleased how everything went and credited the event’s huge success with her cadre of able volunteers- particularly John Gillis and his maintenance team and the small band of Americorp volunteers working out of the Wild Center this winter.
Despite a shortage of snow, the 1.5 mile trail around the golf course had been packed hard by the groomers, making for great walking that day. Cross country skis and snowshoes weren’t needed but some Brewski-goers wore them anyway.
The grooming team kept the fires roaring at each of the almost 20 brewery stations, to provide the welcome warmth that cold but pleasant winter day.
This year’s event drew more brewers than in the ten or more ones in the past. The event was first held for several years in the Tupper Lake Municipal Park and later moved to the golf course to take advantage of the excellent trails there. Last year there were 16 companies dispensing the craft products- the most event at that point. Some earlier events, under the sponsorship of the chamber, drew ten or 12 brewers.
In the early days the brewers who participated donated their beer products. Some years they ran out of beer. But two years ago Laura LaBarge made the decision to pay the brewers for their beer, as insurance there would be no short supply.
At the end of the course (or beginning depending which way you headed out on the trail) the Lions were busy preparing their legendary hot dogs and hamburgs, smothered with Lions onions. Other Lions, like Tom LaMere and Scott Edwards coaxed more than a dozen team of three to try their luck at the Fire and Ice snow golf tourney. The half dozen holes were much more snowless than in the past, but participant numbers were up larger than any year the Lions have been sponsoring the event.
Scott’s team with his wife, Pam, and Spencer Lanthier, didn’t win this year, despite their track record of at least five or six wins. Newcomers Eddy West, Mike Kelly and Mike Zande were the winners and team to beat this year.
The other piece of the Lions role Saturday was the culmination of the club’s annual 50-50 raffle, which always nets the winner more than two grand. The lucky ticket this year was purchased by Linda Pickering, providing over $2,000 for her two grandchildren- Keegan and Emerson Pickering, children of Nicole and Kevin Pickering. The winners were announced after the Brewski down at Raquette River Brewing. Lions Cindy and Bob Lewis spent Saturday selling tickets in the pro shop.
One of the skillful elements of the town staff’s able event organization was keeping traffic to the east side of the Country Club road, making for safe and easy access up the mountain. Vehicles were lined up almost a mile beyond the golf course up Mt. Morris and all the way to the base of the town road at Route 30- something we’ve never seen in our many years operating and covering events in that area of town. Many of the subdivision roads off the Country Club road were also packed with cars.
Kudos to Laura and her staff and all the volunteers who helped them produce another first-class Brewski for Tupper Lake- bringing hundreds of visitors here in what otherwise would have been a sleepy winter weekend!