Update Thursday, June 21, 10:38 p.m.

There will be a merchandise tent at Beerfest where you can submit chances to win raffle prizes:

• Keystone Homebrew Supply has donated two homebrew starter kits
• Chillco has donated six cooler buckets that will be filled with VIP beer and ice
• Blankin Equipment has donated four Phillies tickets in Section 116
• Cigar Cigar has donated an eight-pack of Macanudos Cigars
• Out A Hand Brewing has donated beer and a shirt
• Prism Brewery has donated beer swag
• Round Guys Brewery has donated beer swag
• Blue Dog has donated beer swag

At the Keystone Homebrew contest Thursday night, first place winner was Tom Bastian of Bastian Brewing in Skippack, and third place winner was Blake Morris of The Brewing Network in Nazareth.

Bastian was a third-place winner in the Belgian Specialty Division at 2012's War of the Worts XVII.

Morris was first place Best of Show at 2011's War of the Worts XVI, as well as first and second place winner in Foreign Extra, American Stout category, third place in German Wheat and Rye Beer category, first place in Belgian Specialty and first place in Sour Ale. Bastian took third place in the Foreign Extra, American Stout category; second place in the American IPA category; second place in the Spice/Herb/Vegetable Beer category; and third place in the Christmas/Winter Spiced Beer category at War ofthe Worts XVI.

Both will sample their beers at Beerfest.

Earlier Story Below

While enjoying the 100 brewers tapping kegs at the third annual Lansdale Beerfest on Saturday, remember two things: hydration and transportation.

"We want to make sure people have a transportation plan," said Beerfest co-organizer and Lansdale resident Drew Stockmal. "There's no reason someone who had too much to drink should get behind the wheel."

With the location of Beerfest being next to Madison Parking Lot in the grassy fenced-in area bordered by Richardson Avenue/Third Street, the SEPTA line provides a convenient answer to safe transportation. 

Organizers and volunteers at Beerfest will know how to get you a taxi as well.

Stockmal and co-organizer Ray Liberto - who have created the nonprofit Lansdale Area Fundraising Society, or LAFS - have looked to another resource for safe transportation: Designated Driving Services, a nonprofit transportation services company in Horsham.

"They have a bus and they will also have a couple minivans," said Stockmal. "They reached out to us and said they were available."

Stockmal said there are plenty of safe resources for people to get home after Beerfest. 

There's always that designated driver resource as well.

"Designated driver tickets are cheap," Stockmal said.

As far as hydration goes, there will be water galore - for a fee - at Beerfest. Designated drivers get free water the entire day.

"We want people to be safe," Stockmal said.

More Room, More Beer

The Lansdale Beerfest returns with more tents, more brewers, comfortable music and less food vendors.

"One big difference this year is the capacity of the field: we are utilizing the whole field this year," said Liberto. "We have four tents versus two tents last year."

Each of those four tents measure 120 feet by 40 feet, erected by Anthony Party Rentals. Last year, the fest had a 50-foot by 100-foot tent and a 120-foot by 40-foot tent.

"It's tight," Liberto said of the capacity during a site visit Wednesday afternoon. "We have to make sure we place the tents in the right areas so we can give access to emergency vehicles."

Stockmal said the brewers have peaked at 100 this year, nearly 35 more than last year.

Of those 100, about 10 are home brewers.

"A lot saw what a great event it was, so we have a bit more in selection this year. It's more the craft brews than the mass-produced beer," Stockmal said. "There are some new ones this year to keep it fresh. There are names you've never seen at our event."

Some of those names are bringing some top-notch potables.

For instance, Hill Farmstead Brewery out of Vermont (@HillFarmstead) has its Ephraim Imperial IPA, ranked No. 2 on a list of Top Buzz Beers.

Here are the breweries appearing Saturday at Beerfest:

• 21st Amendment Brewery
• AleSmith
• Allagash Brewing Company
• Anchor Brewing Company
• Angry Orchard Hard Cider
• Arcadia Ales
• Ballast Point Brewing Company
• Bear Republic Bewing
• BottleTree Beer Co.
• Breckenridge Brewery
• Brooklyn Brewery
• Central Waters Brewing Company
• Cigar City Brewing
• Clown Shoes Beer
• Coronado Brewing Co.
• Corsendonk Beer
• Crispin Cider
• Dark Horse Brewing Co.
• De Struise
• Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales
• Estrella Damm
• Evil Genius Beer Company
• Fegley's BrewWorks
• Firestone Walker Brewery
• Fish Brewing Company
• Founders Brewing Company
• Free Will Brewing Company
• Full Pint Brewing Company
• Goose Island Beer Company
• Great Divide Brewing
• Great Lakes Brewing Company
• Great Swamp Brewing Company
• Green Flash Brewing
• Harpoon Brewery
• Hill Farmstead Brewery
• Innis & Gunn
• Jolly Pumpkin
• Kind Beers
• Kona Brewing Company
• Lagunitas Brewing Company
• Lancaster Brewery Company
• Lavery Brewing Company
• Leinenkugel Brewing Co.
• Long Trail Brewing Company
• Magic Hat Brewing Comapny
• Maine Beer Company
• Manayunk Brewery
• Mikkeller
• Murphy's Brewery
• Neshaminy Creek Brewing
• Old Forge Brewing Company
• Olde Burnside Brewing Company
• Oskar Blues
• Otter Creek Brewing
• Palm
• Port Brewing Company
• Prism Brewing Company
• Rodenbach
• Rogue Ales
• Round Guys Brewing
• Roy Pitz Brewing Company
• Samuel Adams
• ShawneeCraft
• Sixpoint
• Sly Fox Brewing
• Stone Brewing Co.
• Stoudts Brewing Company
• The Lost Abbey
• Thomas Creek Brewery
• Tröegs Brewing Company
• Victory Brewing Company
• Voodoo Brewery
• Warsteiner
• Wells & Youngs Brewing
• Weyerbacher Brewing Company
• Widmer Brothers Brewing
• Yards Brewing

"We are hoping to get that beer geek who really appreciates beer," Stockmal said. "We want to get their attention."

Stockmal said there are brewers that pull out beers for this one time of the year that never see the pour in a pint glass at other beer festivals.

Keystone Homebrew in Montgomeryville will sponsor another beer tasting competition this year, albeit with a little amendment.

Liberto said the business will host a competition tonight at its location on Route 202. Brewers can bring their kegs, tap them and get in the contest to be the Top 10 brewers in the competition Saturday at Beerfest.

Rock 'n' Roll & Roasted Pigs

While Wednesday was a scorcher and Thursday is a little bit worse, Liberto said the heat will break at 85 degrees for the event. 

Aside from that, Liberto is also looking forward to the music.

Booked acts include Find Vienna, The Fredos (featuring Lansdale resident Joe Calarco) and Lisa Bouchelle

As far as food goes, attendees can dine on delicacies from Blue Dog, Goomba's, Smoke Rack BBQ and Righteous Pretzels. Premier sponsor Blue Dog will have a 3-pig roast throughout the day. Goomba's will offer pulled pork sandwiches, hoagies and meatball sandwiches. There will also be popcorn and beef jerky.

Security will also be beefed up this year at the festival.

There's also a revamping of the ticket booth area. It will now be located outside the gates, allowing more room for people piling into the event.

"We got good feedback from the police, and that was one suggestion," Liberto said. "It's better logistics for the flow of people."

At the entrance, volunteers will use a new scanner technology courtesy of TicketBiscuit.

The Benefits of Booze

Beneficiaries of this year's Beerfest include Volunteer Medical Service Corps of Lansdale, Lansdale Public Library, Manna on Main Street, Lansdale Farmers' Market and Variety Club Camp in Worcester.

"We'd love to give those folks $25,000, $30,000, plus some extra to fund other events during the year," Stockmal said on behalf of LAFS. "We want to get people to the downtown in Lansdale. People are excited about what we are doing and we want to give back to deserving charities."

Liberto said LAFS wants to create strong community events like Under the Lights Car Show and Bike Night.

"We want to have that type of presence and impact," he said.

Beerfest isn't without its sponsors this year: Keystone Homebrew Supply, Centennial Blueprint, Blankin Equipment Corp., Blue Dog Pub, Chaplin's Music Cafe, Cortazzo Custom Construction, The Animal Nanny of Lansdale, Molly Maguire's, Media Mark Spotlight, Hatfield Beverage, Famous Smoke Shop, Hajoca, Kenneth Lahner CPA, Lansdale Tavern, Michael Panachyda Architect, Riccio and Associates, Stan Stockmal-State Farm, StudioBytes, Szekely Chiropractic Center, US Piping, West Point Nursery, Wilson's Hardware and Sustainable Waste Solutions

No Tap Out of Tickets, Yet

Stockmal and Liberto estimate about 3,500 people will come out on Saturday.

Last year, they had 400 walk-ups, and Stockmal estimated they will hit about 600 walk-ups this year.

VIP tickets have already sold out at 500 tickets. They went for $65 each.

General admission tickets are still available at $35 each. You can buy them by clicking on this highlighted link.

There are also designated driver tickets at $10 and VIP designated driver tickets at $20.

"We're at 2,400 in ticket sales now," Stockmal said. "We should hit 3,000 by the end of the week."

VIP ticketholders get in at noon. General admission ticketholders can enter at 1 p.m.

Beerfest runs from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in the grassy area next to Madison Parking Lot in Lansdale, off West Main Street and Wood Street. Taps shut off at 4 p.m. sharp.

• No one without a ticket and proper photo identification will be allowed to enter.
• No one under the age of 21 will be admitted.
• Tickets are transferable; however tickets are non-refundable.
• The festival is a rain or shine event.

Beerfest will also honor veterans again this year. Liberto said about 30 veterans are expected to show up. Each one will get a military-style Beerfest hat.

On Wednesday afternoon, the tents were halfway erected. Stockmal said they are way ahead of the game.

"It feels good," he said. "We love this space. It's a shame we didn't have more room. We want to focus as much as we can on the beer."

Check out LansdaleBeerFest.com for more details.

Read more:

• A Beer Lover's Paradise