Brewery event raises over $43,000 for Uvalde

It all came together at the last minute. The Bandera Brewery Benefit for Uvalde was the brainchild of Co-owner and Head Brewer Johnny Oliver, who started calling a couple of friends who were brewers to see if they were interested, and before long he had 43 breweries ready to participate in a benefit for Uvalde.

After a call to TABC, where Oliver was informed that usually approvals for this kind of event take 10 days to process, the state group gladly pushed through the approval for the weekend event eager to support the cause.

By the end of the weekend, the event had raised $43,440.78 for the First State Bank of Uvalde’s Robb School Memorial Fund, according to Oliver, who says he expects the number to go up as checks from those unable to attend are being sent in.

“Words cannot express how grateful we are to each and every person who helped make our Uvalde benefit the success it was,” said Oliver. “This event was put together in less than a week, and we could not have done this without everyone’s help. Thank you to each and every person who participated, worked the event, attended, and spread the word about our benefit.”

He added Bandera Brewery encouraged others who could not make the event to donate online at fsbuvalde.com.

Last weekend’s event featured all kinds of beers from IPAs to Porters, Stouts, Ales and Lagers. Food was also available for patrons to sample with their beers. The choices ran from crawfish boils, to nacho’s to burgers and chicken wings. The group enjoyed a variety of snacks with the crisp, clean taste of craft beer.

Saturday’s crowd was huge, and Sunday shaped up to rival that number. People from all over Texas area came to sample the beer and talk with the brewers.

“This weekend, I talked with attendees, not just breweries, who came from Dallas, the valley, Amarillo, Houston, Austin, Laredo, and so many other places,” said Oliver. “All of Texas showed up to support our neighbors in Uvalde. It’s truly amazing.”

Melinda and John Olveda came from San Antonio to try out the craft beers. They followed Bandera Brewery on Facebook and were ready to help support the cause.

Even though this was their first trip to Bandera, they vowed to return to sample more beer. While they couldn’t yet identify a favorite brew, they noted that the Cibolo Brewing IPA was a star.

Robert Gonzales of Flix Brewhouse said the turnout for the event was “amazing.”

“There is no question that Saturday was a great day. We had cars parked all the way down the highway,” he remarked.

Vera Deckard from the Kunstler Brewery in San Antonio was looking forward to a great day. She said “this is a fantastic cause and we just love the Bandera

Brewing Company.”

Oliver said his first calls to local brewers brought in others who wanted to participate as well. Being a community focused business, the brewery was able to pull the event together. Even though not every brewer was able to attend, they all pledged to send a check to support the cause. All of the brewers and musicians who played for the group donated their time to the cause.

One notable supporter was Parkers’ Building Supply. The company provided bottled water for the event, donated dozens of items of tools and raffles and the president of the company even flew in to present a $6,000 check to Oliver to go toward the benefit.

Over 100 baskets were donated for the raffle and silent auction from businesses around Texas.

Bandera Brewery extended a very special thanks to the Bandera County Sheriff’s Department, The Castle Lake VFD, the Medina Lake VFD, and the Pipe Creek VFD.

“I have nothing but endless, heartfelt gratitude to everyone who worked and volunteered at the event, but would also like to give a specific, special thank-you to Elisabeth Cox, Roger Lewis, Daniel Tucker, Dr. Jim Baroffio, Jason and Kerrye Church, Robert Hatton and Keith Takacs,” said Oliver. “There is no way this event could have happened without the help of these eight incredible individuals.”

Breweries who participated included Bandera Brewery, Cibolo Creek Brewing Company, Guadalupe Brewing Company, Real Ale Brewing Company, Weathered Souls Brewing Company, Texas Beer Company, Free Roam Brewing Company, Martin House Brewing Company, Altstadt Brewery, Saint Arnold’s Brewing Company, Karbach Brewing Company, Second Pitch Beer Company, Pint and Plow Brewing Company, Basement Brewers of Texas, Alamo Beer Company, Busted Sandal Brewing Company, Roadmap Brewing Company, Dos Sirenos Brewing, Black Laboratory Brewing, Back Unturned Brewing Company, Independence Brewing Company, Tusculum Brewing Company, Sunset Hound Brewing Company, Southern Star Brewing Company, 5x5 Brewing Company, Scruples Brewing, Newsom Vineyards, Mad Pecker Brewing Company, Faust Brewing Company, Viva Brewery, Meridian Hive, Community Cultures Yeast Lab, Texas Craft Brewers Guild, Cactus Land Brewing Company, Freetail Brewing Company, False Idol Brewing, Flix Brewhouse, Gather Brewing Company, Javelina Watering Hole Brewing Company, Longtab Brewing Company, B52 Brewing Company, Kinematic Brewing Company, Kunstler Brewing Company, Four Corners Brewing Company and AquaBrew.

Participating groups, businesses and organizations included Drink Local Apparel,

Helotes Beer Garden Run, Marfe, Bandera County Chamber of Commerce, Lowe's Supermarket, Texas Floor Covering Inc., Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, Santikos Entertainment,

Beer is for Everyone, Anytime Fitness, Milwaukee Tool Company, Solid Wood Forest, Do It Best, Wes' Wolf Down BBQ, Brittany Hunkin Photography, Arthur Nagel Community Clinic,

Cheyenne Make Up & FX, Parker’s Building Supply, US LBM Foundation, Zero Gravity Bouncers Party Rentals, Momentum Physical Therapy, Buddy's Septic Systems, Shotgun Sports Bar & Grill, Boots & Shoots, Dogleg Ranch, Stonebridge, Walt Wilkins, Red Horse Saloon, SBP Photography, Zumba Fitness with Babs, Advantage Plus Home Care, Old Guard Beard, LLC, Rust-Oleum, Outlaw Outfitters Apparel, Outlaw Barber Shop, Nocturnal Printing,

Mojo Guide Service & Outfitters, Husqvarna, Hill Country Strike, Luna Beer Girls, Craft Beer Girls SA, Sonoran Snow Balls, Silver Sage, 11th Street Outfitters, Kona Shaved Ice, Cravorites

TasteBuds Gourmet, Ride & Rise Above, Jennifer D'Spain, Wendy Elizabeth Jones, The Regimes, Dan Gonzalez Band, Three Til Midnight and Doc Williams.