Illiana Mayfest - Crown Point, IN

Tony and Rick studying beer options

We missed it last year but we sure are glad we made it to the Illiana Mayfest this year!  Our great friends Rick and Steve were able to join us for an afternoon of tasting delicious beers and lots of laughter! 

Rick knows a little something about pacing himself so early in the afternoon he purchased a pretzel necklace!  The pretzels are great for keeping a little food on your stomach as well as cleansing the palate from one sample to the next.

Many of our favorite microbreweries were represented:  Crown Brewing,  Backroads, Moylan's, Breckenridge, Broad Ripple Brew Pub, Mad Anthony's, 3 Floyd's, Figure Eight, Shoreline, and Flossmoor Station.  But we got to sample beers from two new pubs - Sun King and Flat 12, both from Indianapolis.

Tony, Ryan, Drew (l-r)

Tony got to spend a little time with his son, Ryan.  Ryan has become quite the craft beer connoisseur.  He has even collaborated with us on a beer which was aptly named Rye-Pa.

We have attended several beer tasting events and we all agreed that this one seems to have been the best organized.  The logistics were well planned and there were plenty of food options, restrooms and fresh air.  The event was held at the Lake County Fairgrounds in a great building and the D. J. played great music.