Oconomowoc Rotary Club invites you to drink for a good cause at Brewfest on Feb. 9

Posted: Jan. 21, 2013

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Karen Magedanz of Oconomowoc won the 99 Bottles of Beer raffle at Oconomowoc Rotary's 2012 Brewfest. "I can barely get my arms around this thing," Magedanz laughed.

Submitted Photo

Karen Magedanz of Oconomowoc won the 99 Bottles of Beer raffle at Oconomowoc Rotary's 2012 Brewfest. "I can barely get my arms around this thing," Magedanz laughed.

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City of Oconomowoc - For the price of the $40 admission, the Oconomowoc Rotary Brewfest may offer just the elixir you're looking for to help cure those wintertime blues.

As the holidays pass and the long days of winter stretch ahead in a seemingly endless manner, the annual Oconomowoc Rotary Brewfest held on Saturday, Feb. 9, at Olympia Resort, offers a great opportunity to make a difference in the community and the world, while enjoying an evening with friends.

Now in its seventh year, the evening assures you won't go hungry. It includes hors de oeuvres, a choice of two meal stations, a chocolate fountain dessert station and a snack station.

In addition, it hosts two dozen vendors who provide a wide variety of beers, wines, vodkas and handcrafted sodas to sample throughout the night.

"The exotic beers seem to be the most popular. People enjoy the opportunity to try something really different from what they usually have," explained organizer Mike Herro.

"It is nice to be able to sample lots of different flavors without having to purchase any one beer," he added.

 The event not only exposes participants to a variety of beverages, it also serves an important charitable purpose as well.

Half of the proceeds from the event will benefit local causes, while the balance will go toward the organization's international effort to eradicate polio.

And that goal is near.

According to the Rotary website, in 1988, Rotarians worldwide raised $247 million for PolioPlus, more than double their fundraising goal of $120 million.

The World Health Assembly passed a resolution to eradicate polio, setting up the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

At that time more than 125 countries were polio-endemic. Now, just three countries remain polio endemic: Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria.

"Besides great beer and wine, good food and a chocolate fountain, here's another reason to go to Brewfest: When polio gets wiped from the map, you can be one of the 'cool kids' who helped defeat it," explained organizer Megan Welsh.

"It's beer - with purpose," she added.

Welsh said they are expecting 400 people to attend the event this year.

"If the weather is good we should be close to that. Last year we had 363 at Brewfest," she noted.

Vendors attending the annual event are coming from the Milwaukee, Madison and New Glarus areas to offer samples of their libations.

"There are always some new ones," Welsh said.

Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick& hosted_button_id=D9NRPX4C 45JR2.

Vendors

Enjoy drinks from two dozen vendors from around Wisconsin and beyond.

Flying Dog

Lagunitas

Big Sky Brewing

Oskar Blues

Assorted Beers by Beachwood

Beers of the World, two tables

LoDuca Brothers

Vino Etcetera

Rhinelander

Ale Asylum

Bells

Big Bay Brewing

Breckenridge

Great Lakes

Lake Louis

Sierra Nevada

Three Floyds

Tyrannena

Tomer's Tap

Jones Soda

Sweet Mullets

Pink Duck Vodka

Brennan's

Eat your heart out

Food is as big a part of Oconomowoc Rotary's Brewfest as the brews, here's a look at the fare.

Hors de oeuvres, 6 to 8 p.m. - Artichoke and spinach dip, pretzels, snacks

Taste of Italy Station, 6 to 8 p.m. - Pastas with sauces, chicken, Italian sausage, bread sticks

American Station, 6 to 8 p.m. - Hamburgers, brats, potato salad

Chocolate fountain, 7 to 9 p.m. - Milk chocolate with dipping items

Snack station, 8 to 9 p.m. - Pretzels, snacks, pulled pork sandwiches, tacos, nacho dip, cheese and sausage.