Pints in the Park brings the crowd despite change in weekend

By Grace King, Mt. Pleasant News

As people left work Friday evening, they trickled into the square, and by 5:30 p.m., contestants were steadily ladling chili into Styrofoam bowls, and beer sommeliers were discussing their brews.

After being rescheduled from Friday, Oct. 6 because of rain, Pints in the Park brought out a good crowd on Friday, Oct. 13, giving businesses and individuals the perfect opportunity to show support for the community.

Main Street Director Lisa Oetken said there were 15 chilies to sample, and eight beer stations with three different kinds of beer each. The change in date didn?t hamper the amount of contestants and breweries present. Oetken said it was ?kind of a wash? on who could and couldn?t make it.

Booths were set up around the square, and the judges sat in the middle at one of the park tables, checking their list as they slurped and stirred the chili, judging based on color, aroma, texture, flavor and spiciness.

?They say they can?t find anyone else to eat the spicy chili,? Bob Griffis said, which aside from just simply his enjoyment of the event is another reason he continues to come back as a chili judge.

Members of the Iowa Wesleyan University basketball team helped sell tickets and run chili to the judges throughout the night, to which Oetken said she was grateful for their help.

?Especially for (those of us) from Australia, it?s a good way to get to know people in the community,? Iowa Wesleyan student Jarryd Fernandes said, who also volunteered during the Old Threshers reunion at the beginning of September.

As Pat White asked about the chili being served at West Liberty Food?s station, she said that one of the first chilies she tried was so spicy it gave her the hiccups. Although White wouldn?t say which one that was, Trent Hobbs did say that KILJ was serving some really intense chili.

?They?ve got really hot and spicy (chili), like God almighty,? Hobbs said. But he didn?t let that stop him from trying the second kind of chili they were serving, which he said had really good flavor. Hobbs said he was going to help them win with his tip to them to combine the spicy with the one with really good flavor to have the best chili that night.

?Make sure the hot chili has flavor,? was words of advice given by Tory Meyer, of West Liberty Foods, who has participated as a contestant for six years.

In defense of KILJ, they did warn their customers by naming their chili ?Day of the Dead.?

?It was 3 p.m. this afternoon and we needed a theme,? Anna Greiner, of KILJ, said.

As Candice Becker, with Innovairre Co., served a second helping of chili, she said, ?It seems to be the only thing I know how to (cook). I don?t spend a lot of time in the kitchen.?

This was Innovairre?s first year at the chili cook off. Becker said they plan to participate in the future as a way to support the community. She was serving her mother?s recipe.

This was the second year breweries were invited to bring their best to the chili cook-off. As people walked around with beer in one hand and chili in the other, they said the combination helped cool down the spiciness of some of the chili, and in Kent White?s words, ?Beer goes good with anything.?

As Jeff Hoyer walked around with his wife Laurie, she told him to try another brew, and said, ?I know you?re more of a ?Bud Light guy,? adding that she wants him to expand his pallet and try something new.

?(Bud Light) is a little more mild compared to these beers,? Jeff said.

Ben Baxter was sipping Murderhorn from Backpocket, of Iowa City, when he said he thought they were the best example of variety and flavor. He was also partial to the buffalo chicken chili from the REC.

Heath Hoadley, with The Depot Brewery from Fairfield, said this was a great opportunity for some advertising as a new company that opened a little over a year ago. Paul Wheeler said that The Depot Brewery had gotten good response to their brews throughout the night.

People continued to mingle and finish off the beers until 7:30 p.m., even though a few raindrops were falling. KILJ took first place for hottest edible chili and Not Your Mommas judges pick. West Liberty Foods won best theme, serving turkey chili with an inflatable turkey at the end of their table, and finally, the REC won People?s Choice.