Lakewood Ranch beer festival at Sarasota Polo Grounds brews up fun despite rain

LAKEWOOD RANCH -- The brews were flowing Saturday afternoon and folks couldn't get enough.

Hundreds poured into the Sarasota Polo Club Saturday afternoon for the annual Lakewood Ranch Beer Festival to sample about 80 craft beers and food from local restaurants.

Elisha Byerly and Megan White sat near the tents while they tried a sample of the wares and listened to the local band Pitbull Toddler rocking on the stage.

Surprised, they said the McKenzie Ciders were their favorite at the festival.

"I loved them. I liked it better than any other cider I have ever tried before," Byerly said. "Our husbands are not into ciders and they like them, too."

White said the food selection also had been great.

While the rain put a damper on the games that had been planned, the drinking, eating and music played on.

"Mother Nature tried to stop us," Pitbull Toddler shouted as they transitioned into another song. "But we're not going to take it."

Jimmy Whisen was enjoying the event as he watched the storm clouds in the distance.

"It's a good selection," Whisen said. "It's good for Florida to get in line with everybody."

Craft beers and local breweries are growing popularity locally now, he said, as they are in other parts of the country. It's a nice set-up, how it all leads up to the band," he added.

The festival had been held in the Lakewood Ranch Town Center in previous years. Some in attendance didn't care for its relocation to the Polo Club.

Monte Erwin and Wendy Pearson had attended the festival previously, but said they did not enjoy the way it was set-up at this year, they said.

"They way the stage is set up, there's isn't much room to stand in front of it," Erwin said.

The narrow path with tents on either side, also made it difficult to get through, they said. "We waited 15 minutes for a beer," Pearson said. "We love Pitbull Toddler though."

Neither did the couple like the parking situation, especially in light of the weather.

"You have to walk so far," Erwin said. "I don't mind the walk, but if it starts to rain, people aren't going to be happy."

It did downpour at least once during the four-hour festival, but it didn't wash the crowds away. As the afternoon wore on, people continued to come despite the threat of rain and muddy grounds.

The festival had something to offer for everyone, even those who didn't like beer.

Mary Roberts, not a beer fan, was having a good time just the same.

"My husband and friends are here and they like beer," Roberts said. "They are having a good time."

Meanwhile, she said she was enjoying all the food tastings. Her favorites were the offerings from Cedar Reef, Pinchers and Lee Roy Selmon's.

Jessica De Leon, Herald law enforcement reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7049. You can follow her on Twitter @JDeLeon1012.

This story was originally published September 28, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Lakewood Ranch beer festival at Sarasota Polo Grounds brews up fun despite rain ."