By Gabbie Burton
Contributing Writer

Before yet another sold-out crowd of beer lovers, the Kennett Brewfest returned to Kennett Square for its 28th year on Oct. 4 and brought with it new brews, new food, new fun and new patrons.

Although this was not my first Kennett Brewfest, I was coming with the caveat that I have never been much of a beer drinker. It is my belief that men only drink beer to reduce the risk of ridicule from other men until eventually they become so accustomed to the taste they start to like it. This peer pressure has now seeped across gender lines and created a society of beer lovers, although I remain a hold out.

While I have consumed and even enjoyed some beers, it has admittedly been few and far between. Accompanied by my friend Ariana, we arrived on a mission to achieve the impossible or perhaps just the inevitable: become beer connoisseurs.

We started our mission in the safe territory of ciders, sipping reliable names like Revolution Bees and Old Stone Cider trying and enjoying the seasonal fall flavors offered by both. As we continued our lap around, we were distracted by a bright pink tent that read “not pizza” that attracted our attention.

We learned that “not pizza” is a Pottstown based beverage company making canned vodka drinks and are the first spirit-based drink accepted at the Kennett Brewfest.

“It’s a conversation starter,” said co-owner Chris Lerch of the name choice. “It draws people in, and they want to learn more.”

After an indulgent espresso martini sampler, we forced ourselves to focus on the task at hand and attempt to become beer lovers. We ignored the man dressed as Where’s Waldo? and the pretzel necklaces to find our one true beer, a most difficult endeavor that required extreme focus.

Amid the blur of people dressed up in Lederhosen, Phillies’ gear and elaborate costumes, Ariana identified a crowd forming in front of Imprint Beer Co. holding glasses of an opaque green liquid. We joined the line and learned that the beer is what Imprint calls a “Schmoojee,” a thick, smoothie-sour beer. The pale but vibrant green color of the beer earned it the name “Go Birds,” automatically making it a crowd favorite.

Although Imprint ran out of cans before we had our chance to try it, one attendee shared his sample with me. While it is technically considered beer, it tasted like a piña colada. When we finally got to the front of the line, I tried their Blood of the Schmooj, another smoothie sour, this one dark red with berry flavors. I found both of Imprint’s “schmoojees” delicious and surprising for what I typically thought of as a beer. I realized I would have no problems becoming a beer lover so long as they were combined with a smoothie, but it was time for us to take it up a notch and test our beer palettes even further.

We decided to head over to 2SP, a familiar brewery based in Aston but with pubs local to us in Jennersville and Kennett Square. We sampled their Weiss Wit, a blend of a Berliner Weiss and Belgian Wit, and while that description meant little to us in our lack of beer knowledge, we enjoyed them for the fact that they were not overpowering or heavy.

My last beer of the day came from Stubborn Goat Brewing in West Grove, which opened this past June and was at their first Kennett Brewfest. Brewer Kenny Monroe recommended the Hopfenfest, a Märzen that he described as their twist on an Oktoberfest beer.

This beer ended up being my surprise favorite of the day. As I typically lean towards lighter beers, the darker color of the Hopfenfest made me feel nervous at first glance. However, at first sip, it felt smooth and full but not bitter, something I could drink a full glass of more than just once or twice.

While my friend and I only tried a fraction of the 84 breweries on display at the Kennett Brewfest, we were able to sample a little bit of everything from all over the beer map. From sours and stouts to IPAs and espresso martinis, the Kennett Brewfest had a little something for everybody, including the two newest beer connoisseurs.

Ticket proceeds from the Kennett Brewfest benefit Kennett Collaborative’s community programming throughout the year, including the KSQ Farmers Market, Third Thursdays, and Holiday Light Parade. The Kennett Winterfest will take place on Feb. 28, 2026. To learn more, visit www.kennettbrewfest.com/winterfest.

To contact Contributing Writer Gabbie Burton, email [email protected].