Blake Benedict, owner and head brewer at Reserve Artisan Ales, and Lindsay Benedict, marketing director, join Galesburg’s Morning News ahead of the 4th Annual G-ALES-Burg Beer Fest — this Saturday, April 11, at The Vault at Reserve Artisan Ales in downtown Galesburg.
The Benedicts talk about how the event has grown from 235 attendees in year one to a projected 600-plus this year, the personal story behind the Vascular Anomalies Alliance, and what makes G-ALES-Burg Beer Fest different from other craft beer festivals.
Topics covered in this interview:
- What to expect at the 4th Annual G-ALES-Burg Beer Fest
- 30-plus regional breweries — how they’re selected and who’s pouring
- Beer variety — light lagers, sours, barrel-aged stouts, wine, cider, mead, and whiskey
- Barrel-aged beer releases at the event, including a bourbon barrel stout collaboration
- Ticket availability update — VIP and early admission sold out
- The story behind the Vascular Anomalies Alliance and why it matters to the Benedict family
- $30,000 raised in three years — and the goal to do more
- Why G-ALES-Burg Beer Fest keeps growing when other beer fests are struggling
- The 300-cup beer pong setup and Saturday’s big-ticket raffle
Related: 4th Annual G-ALES-Burg Beer Fest is Saturday — and the story behind it goes deeper than craft beer