The 2016 Asbury Park Beerfest drew thousands of people to the historic Convention Hall on Saturday. Watch video
ASBURY PARK - They came from far and wide. They came to quench their thirst and delight their taste buds. They came for beer - lots of it.
More than 3,000 people poured into historic Convention Hall and the Grand Arcade on Saturday during the first two sessions of the annual Asbury Park Beerfest on Saturday.
The event, which was scheduled to continue Sunday, draws dozens of craft beer vendors from around the world and even more varieties of brews.
For smaller breweries, such as Belford Brewing Company from nearby Middletown Township, the Asbury Park Beerfest provides an opportunity to introduce their brews to thousands of potential customers.
This was Belford Brewing Company's first visit to the Asbury Park Beerfest since it opened in August 2014.
"It's good to be here, because the beefest gets people out and there are people who haven't been able to get to the brewery yet since we've been open, so they have an opportunity to see us and talk to us here. We get to hear from people who like our beer, but also the people who don't like our beer. We turn their feedback into research and ways to make our product better," said Kevin Enny, who owns and operates the brewery with his brother, Mike.
Belford Brewing Company was one of several New Jersey-based breweries featured during this year's event.
"I think a lot of people are out looking for the Jersey beers lately, because New Jersey is up and coming in the craft beer industry," Enny said. "Everybody pretty much made a mad rush to the New Jersey section today, which I think was great."
On Sept. 8, 1934, the ocean liner the SS Morro Castle caught fire and beached near Convention Hall, killing 137 people.
More than 81 years later, the Cherry Hill-based brewery Forgotten Boardwalk was pouring a smoked porter named Morro Castle, along with its Funnel Cake Boardwalk Ale and 1916 Shore Shiver IPA.
"This is really the perfect event for us," the brewery's owner Jamie Queli said. "A lot of beers have a Jersey Shore theme and the Morro Castle literally happened right behind this building."
Forgotten Boardwalk only opened up 15 months ago, but this year was its second visit to the Asbury Park Beerfest, and last year it took home the prize for best brewery.
"This beerfest is really good exposure for us, because this is the first time that a lot of people will be trying our beer," Queli said. "I think people are also trying more and more craft beers lately, so this is the perfect environment for people to try different styles of beer and sort of expand their palates."
This was Ocean Township resident Erica Becker's fourth visit to the Asbury Park Beerfest, and this year she sampled beers with a large group of friends
"It's close to where we live, so we get to be here with all of our friends and see other familiar faces. Plus, there are a bunch of different breweries so we get to try beers that maybe I probably wouldn't be able to try otherwise," said Becker, who said the Coffee IPA from Flying Fish was one of the best beers she tasted Saturday.
Hoboken resident Kristen Scrivens said her group of friends attends the Asbury Park Beerfest every year because some of them live in Asbury Park and the rest have summer homes in nearby shore towns.
While Scrivens said one of her favorite beers at the Beerfest was the Strawberry Beer by the Belgium-based brewery Fruli, she said the best part of the festival every year is getting to try wide variety of beers and then head out to other Asbury Park businesses afterward.
"Oh, we're definitely going to Porta next!" Scivens declared.
Rob Spahr may be reached at rspahr@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheRobSpahr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.