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Big Brew Fest draws thousands to benefit Newton Fire Museum

| 13 May 2015 | 10:30
    Photos by Scott Baker Mike Moran, of the Warwick Valley Winery, pours samples of several varieties of Doc's Hard Cider.
    Photos by Scott Baker Mike Moran, of the Warwick Valley Winery, pours samples of several varieties of Doc's Hard Cider.
    Rich Bostwick, of Lake Hopatcong, and Dana Pedersen, of Branchville, enjoy samples of the day's wares.
    Rich Bostwick, of Lake Hopatcong, and Dana Pedersen, of Branchville, enjoy samples of the day's wares.
    Angry Erik Brewing's brewers/owners Erik and Heide Hassing pour samples of their Hop the Fence India Pale Ale and Erik the Orange beers.
    Angry Erik Brewing's brewers/owners Erik and Heide Hassing pour samples of their Hop the Fence India Pale Ale and Erik the Orange beers.
    Steve von Grimm, of Newton, and Laura Cidgeman, of Fort Lee, pour samples of Clown Shoes Brewing's most popular beers.
    Steve von Grimm, of Newton, and Laura Cidgeman, of Fort Lee, pour samples of Clown Shoes Brewing's most popular beers.
    Live band Sick Star Nation provides live entertainment for the afternoon.
    Live band Sick Star Nation provides live entertainment for the afternoon.
    Tony Mandeville and Mark Merville, of Byram's Salt Gastropub and the Trout and the Troll restaurants, greet patrons with giveaways and raffles.
    Tony Mandeville and Mark Merville, of Byram's Salt Gastropub and the Trout and the Troll restaurants, greet patrons with giveaways and raffles.
    Renee Campbell, of Vernon, tosses a bean bag during a game of Cornhole with her friend, Brittany Schneider, of Pompton Lakes.
    Renee Campbell, of Vernon, tosses a bean bag during a game of Cornhole with her friend, Brittany Schneider, of Pompton Lakes.
    Maria Grizzetti, of Stanhope, tries her luck on the mechanical bull.
    Maria Grizzetti, of Stanhope, tries her luck on the mechanical bull.
    Newton Fire Museum director Dan Finkle helps check in festival guests.
    Newton Fire Museum director Dan Finkle helps check in festival guests.
    Rob Cottignies, of Fairfield's Cricket Hill Brewery, shows off a bottle of their flagship Jersey Summer Breakfast Ale.
    Rob Cottignies, of Fairfield's Cricket Hill Brewery, shows off a bottle of their flagship Jersey Summer Breakfast Ale.
    Newton Fire Museum director Dan Finkle with members of the Newton Fire Department Ladies' Auxiliary, who sold 50/50 tickets and pretzel necklaces during the event.
    Newton Fire Museum director Dan Finkle with members of the Newton Fire Department Ladies' Auxiliary, who sold 50/50 tickets and pretzel necklaces during the event.

AUGUSTA — The Newton Fire Museum has been closed since 2013, but that is expected to change after a little help from more than 1,500 eager beer drinkers. A Big Brew Fest fundraiser was held at the Sussex County Fairgrounds on Saturday, May 9 to benefit the museum restoration.

“We worked with the Town of Newton and ultimately decided the building is a treasure to us and worth saving,” said Newton Fire Museum director and event organizer Dan Finkle.

A lifelong resident of Newton, Finkle has been active on the Newton Fire Department since he was 18 and has been involved with the museum since 2005.

“Optimistically, we’re looking at the summer of 2016 to reopen the building to the public,” he added, “at least on some level.”

Working in tandem with the Town of Newton, who will be making repairs to the structure of the nearly 125-year-old building, the eventual renovation will be completed by volunteer work through donations and fundraising events like this past weekend’s festival.

Originally opened as the Newton Fire Department in 1891, the 150 Spring Street building was reopened as the Newton Fire Museum in 1979 before being closed due to structural safety issues in 2013.

Hooray for beer
During the event, guests had the opportunity to sample more than 200 craft beers and chat with some brewery representatives, including local standout Angry Erik Brewing, who had one of the largest lines throughout the four-hour event.

“Festivals like this expose us to a new audience that may not have heard of us or tried us yet,” said brewery owner and namesake Erik Hassing.

By giving the opportunity for a customer to try several varieties of beer at once, for one price, the festival helps to “expand the palates” of beer drinkers, he added.

“We deal in people,” said Allison Kohler, president and owner of JMK Events, presenters of Big Brew Festivals throughout northern New Jersey and New York.

A family-owned event planning business operating out of Morris County since 1972, Kohler’s company runs seven beer festivals, three food truck festivals and numerous antique festivals, all focused on helping raise money for noteworthy causes.

“Why not use these venues to put some good back out in the universe?” she added.

For more information about the Newton Fire Museum, visit www.newtonfiremuseum.org. To find out about the next Big Brew Festival, visit www.bigbrewnj.com.