Best of SC Craft Beer Festival showcases 60 local breweries

At this point, South Carolina is a beer state. In just 10 years, the state has amassed nearly 100 craft breweries, 40 in Charleston alone.

The economic impact these breweries have on the state, not to mention the flavor they add, is to be celebrated at the first annual Best of SC Craft Beer Festival Saturday, Oct. 15. The event, put on by the South Carolina Brewers Guild, will bring together 60 member breweries for an afternoon of tasting, music and a celebration of South Carolina beer.

“It’s going to be a great opportunity for us to showcase our best beers from our members, to showcase their beers to the general public,” said Campbell Mims, association manager for the SC Brewers Guild.

The Brewers Guild has seen its numbers grow and with it, its role. This year begins a new legislative cycle, which means the guild is poised to advocate for the state’s craft brewing industry. Much of the focus is on Modernization, Mims said, creating a space where smaller brewers can thrive.

The event will include some 200 different beers to taste and a chance to chat with brewers, learn about what’s new and hear about what’s to come.

The goal is to make the festival an annual event, Mims said, as a way to help familiarize people in South Carolina with the growing number of small businesses and small business owners in their state. Many of the Guild’s legislative focus in the coming years will be on modernizing the state’s beer laws, Mims said.

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“A brewery on a Tuesday or a Saturday it’s a place you bring your family or your dog; they really are like community-driven local businesses,” Mims said. “That’s a huge aspect that is driving the growth of craft breweries across the state.”

The First Annual Best of SC Craft Beer Festival will take place 2-5 p.m., Oct. 15 at Junction 800, 800 Gervais St., Columbia.

Tickets are $55 for general admission and $85 for VIP.

For more visit www.scbeer.org.