On Friday May 17, Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Grade School 801 State Street in Alton will kick-off its annual ‘Spring Fling’ fund raiser event with an adults-only craft brew tasting. The event begins at 6:00pm behind the church and school and will feature 70 different ‘craft brews’ from around the region and country.
Offering tastes of 70 brews (mostly beers with a mix of hard ciders) wasn’t a daunting endeavor to Anne Fritz, of Robert “Chick” Fritz, Inc. Fritz Distributing, the largest beer distributor in Southern Illinois, began working with SSPP Spring Fling organizers 4 years ago. The early ‘Flings’ were held at the Sportsmen’s Club in Godfrey and offered tastings of a handful of specialty brews; two years ago the Parent Student Association (PSA) decided the event should be held behind the school and church and that the selection of beers for tasting should be expanded.
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Fritz said “As the region’s appetite for craft beer grew, we recognized that we were in a unique position to supply new tastes in beverages to those interested in alternatives to the most popular, nationally distributed beers.” As a third generation family member running the business, Fritz hasn’t lost sight of how the distributor grew to where it is today; “We’re the friendly distributor, we listen closely to our partner businesses we serve – we love that Sts. Peter & Paul’s PSA is interested in offering the public the chance to sample some of the craft beers available in the region, who knows, maybe this event will be the launching pad for the next best selling microbrew!”
Along with supplying product for the tasting, Fritz supplied the PSA with a massive tent and distribution trailer. 1,500 pints of beer was consumed at last year’s Spring Fling, this year, with great weather predicted, and Robert “Chick” Fritz’s warehouse just a few miles away, SSPP’s PSA will have all the supply they need to meet and surpass their goal of serving 2,500 pints.
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