Madera celebrates the green at annual Brewfest
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune
Cathi Warnock, left, visits with Daniel Riley and Cindy Vail.
Leprechauns, four-leaf-clovers and a hearty Irish dinner of corned beef and cabbage highlighted the Madera Rotary Club’s annual Brewfest on March 13.
Area breweries and San Joaquin Winery showcased their products for the beer and wine tasting. Hors d’oeuvres came from the Sugar Pine Smoke House, which served smoked pork belly bites and chicken wings.
Authentic Irish folk music, also known as Irish Trad, was performed by the Lady of the Lakes band. Spirited games of darts, foosball and corn hole were enjoyed throughout the evening.
Amid so many event cancellations due to Coronovid 19, the Rotary Club party operated under restrictions imposed by the Madera County Health Department and the Madera District Fair. Tables were set with only six chairs for a maximum attendance of 250 guests.
A directive from Rotary International and received on Sunday advised all clubs to postpone or cancel their upcoming events until further notice. Weekly club meetings are suspended until the end of March at which time they will reevaluate, according to Rotarian Diana Barden.
Specialty drinks, served by Chris DaSilva, included shots of Jameson Irish Whiskey, Bailey’s Irish Crème, cups of Irish Coffee and a Chocolate Leprechaun. This mixed drink consists of Bailey’s, Crown Royal and Kahlua served on a stem and dusted with ground chocolate, DaSilva said.
Breweries in attendance included Three Monkeys and Riley’s Brewing of Madera, Drakes Brewing of San Leandro, Full Circle Brewing of Fresno, Dust Bowl Brewing of Turlock and Tactical Ops Brewing of Clovis.
True to its name, 90 percent of the employees at Tactical Ops are military veterans.
A silent dessert auction added to the proceeds that will benefit scholarships through the Madera Rotary Foundation.
