Soroptimist International of Bidwell Rancho Microbrew Festival

The Soroptimist Microbrewfest is a FUNDRAISER. This fundraiser provides and funds a LOT of services for the local community i.e. free mammograms, scholarships, and equipment or donations for schools, domestic shelters, homeless shelters, etc. Thankfully, the local musicians, food vendors and micro breweries attend this event. It is their donations, time, and the help of volunteers that makes this event so successful. Thank you to all who support it!!!

This is the first time I attended this event, and I was surprised to see that the Chico Unilocalers hadn’t reviewed this yet.
I recently attended the San Francisco Beer Festival and was intrigued by the amount of discontent in so many of the reviews. Most of the unfavorable positions were from those that are deeply invested brewing process and were offended by those who were there to just get drunk. Well, let me say this: They would have hated Chico!
One thing I noticed right away is that a lot (if not MOST) of the beer is being poured by festival volunteers and NOT representatives of the actual brewery who can discuss the intricacies of their product. Yeah, this was about getting drunk! The irony is that the first thing you’re handed as you walk through the door is a pint glass made of, well… GLASS!!! It doesn’t take much rocket science to see how this is going to turn out!
Luckily, we were greeted with nice weather, mid 80’s with a few light clouds mixed in here and there. The reason I mention this is because some of the volunteers had told us tales of pouring beer in 108 degree heat! Yeah, that’ll change things up a bit.
I can say that I had a good time and that the products from Ale Industries stood out for me. I’m not such the beer snob, so knowing myself like I do, I’ll probably be back.