Chico >> For homebrewers, visiting Sierra Nevada Brewery is like being a kid in a candy shop.
That’s what Charles Williams had to say about his visit to the brewery for the American Homebrewers Association rally on Sunday afternoon. Williams and others got a special look at the brewery facilities during VIP tours offered during the event.
The American Homebrewers Association hosts a series of rallies nationwide to give homebrewers the chance to check out local breweries and connect with other local beer enthusiasts. Sunday was the first time in nearly 10 years that the association hosted the event at Sierra Nevada, and those in attendance said that the brewery made a great location for the event, particularly because brewery founder Ken Grossman started as a homebrewer
“There’s an excitement and I would say a lot of that stems from Sierra Nevada,” American Homebrewers Association events coordinator Matt Bolling said. “The fact that people live in the shadow of one of the best breweries in the world prompts an interest in brewing.”
More than 200 people came to Sunday’s rally at the brewery where they went on a special brewery tour, sampled beer, met Sierra Nevada brewers and shared a coast-to-coast toast via video conference with ralliers in North Carolina.
Those in attendance said they particularly enjoyed the tour, which highlighted spaces they hadn’t seen during standard tours of the brewery.
“This kind of started the craft beer community in some ways,” Williams said of Sierra Nevada Brewery founder Ken Grossman. “Imagine a kid in a candy store, this is an adult candy store.”
Throughout the tour, brewers smiled in delight as they learned about how the brewery works, its sustainability efforts and overall efficiency.
“This is the kind of insanity that homebrewers live for,” Williams said.
Tour guide Andrew Kokinakes said that people enjoy touring the brewery whether they know nothing about beer or they are passionate homebrewers like those who visited on Sunday.
“It’s a lot of fun because I get to talk about beer with people,” Kokinakes said. “I get to (share) my passion or if they’re already knowledgeable I get to get more in the advanced stuff. It’s fun across the board.”
Along with brewery tours, those in attendance also met with beer enthusiasts from various brewing organziations in the north state. Paradise Brewers club founder Blake Morillas and president Tim Haas came to Sunday’s event to share their club with those in attendance as well as their love of beer.
“It’s an art you can drink and get buzzed off,” Morillas said. “I’ve gotten my mom into it. It’s a fun hobby.”
Morillas and Haas added that as homebrewers, they enjoy sharing their craft with others and showing people how easy it can be.
“It’s a fun social experience,” Haas said.
“If you can dream it, you can make it,” Morillas said. “My favorite is when you go to a brewery and think, ‘I could have made this even better.’”
Reach reporter Dani Anguiano at 896-7767.
