Craft beer fans flock to 2nd annual Brewvival

A good excuse to have fun.

That’s what Chris and Christina White of Jacksonville, Fla., called the second annual Charleston Brewvival in North Charleston on Saturday.

The visiting couple soaked up suds and sun with about 1,800 other craft beer lovers during the balmy event that featured 38 breweries from across the nation, some laid-back music and brilliant late-winter sunshine in a field across from Coast Brewery.

Seven new breweries joined the lineup this year, many from as far away as California, said Jaime Tenny, one of the organizers and co-owner of Coast Brewing Co., which co-sponsored the event with the Charleston Beer Exchange.

The craft beer culture is growing in Charleston, and breweries across the nation want to be a part of it, she said.

“They are saying, ‘We need to get our beers there,’ ” Tenny said.

Charleston boasts three microbreweries — Coast, Palmetto Brewing Co. and Westbrook Brewing — and a fourth, Holy City Brewing, is in the works.

Looking around Saturday, Tenny, like most of the other participants, was all smiles.

“The crowd is great,” she said.

About 500 more people mingled under the beer tents this year than last. Hugging, laughing and guzzling down glasses of specially brewed beer with names such as Happy Ending, Sexual Chocolate and Big Sloppy Monster, everyone was having a good time.

Sporting an aviator hat and goggles, Chris Winn of Palmetto Brewing Co. of Charleston poured a couple of beers and said with a smile, “It’s not the worst kind of work you could be doing.”

Edward Westbrook of Westbrook Brewing in Mount Pleasant said most brewers bring their special blends to beer festivals.

“The beer is the best I’ve seen at any festival, and I’ve been to a lot,” he said.

“I’m impressed with how many different breweries they brought in,” Andrew Balsman of West Ashley said, after receiving a Banana Split Chocolate Stout from Thomas Creek Brewery of Greenville.

“It’s amazing,” said Molly Coffey of James Island. “There are a lot of good craft breweries here.”

Katherine Edwards of Mount Pleasant really liked the Oatmeal Cookie and Graham Cracker beers by Cigar City Brewing of Tampa, Fla.

“I love it,” Edwards said of the event. “The music is good. The food is awesome and, yes, we have a designated driver.”

David and Susan Black thought ahead, too, arranging a shuttle service to take them home to Mount Pleasant.

“When you come to a beer fest where it’s all-you-can-drink beer, driving is not really responsible,” he said.

Special tickets for designated drivers also were sold.