By DOUGLAS W. MOTLEY

Senior Writer

Despite drizzle, light rain, fog and a chilly breeze at the beginning of last Saturday’s Corks & Hops craft beer and wine walk, the adverse weather didn’t discourage the public from participating in the next to last such event this calendar year.

According to Crestline Chamber of Commerce President Michelle Hake, the number of tickets sold, about 400, was consistent with the previous month’s sales.

Event check-in, as usual, was at Arrowhead Credit Union on Lake Drive, where ticketholders could get their peel-off-tag wrist bracelet, as well as purchase a ticket, if they hadn’t done so already. New for this year are the required wristbands, which now have 10 peel-off tags, each good for one pour of craft beer or wine, instead of the punch-card previously used at each of 10 pour stations located along the Lake Drive business district and the west end of Crest Forest Drive in Top Town Crestline. This new feature has proven to speed up the wait time at each of the 10 pour stations.

A last-minute change in the number of pouring stations occurred on Aug. 31 when The Rustic Cottage in Top Town closed its doors, resulting in only nine pour stations at this year’s event.

At the event staging area, the Little Bear Valley Blues Band was entertaining the crowd of ticketholders and others visiting pop-up vendors, such as the ever-popular Cousins Maine Lobster truck. The Alpine Mountaineer began interviewing attendees like Jenna Tourje-Maldonado from San Juan Capistrano; she was sampling a fine old-world zinfandel that she characterized as “fruity, but sour.”

Whiskey Sunday entertained folks at Ace Garden Center with their classic Americana tunes.

The next of nine pour stations was at the Crestline Café’s outdoor tent, which featured Alta Alella Rose, imported from Italy, and Modern Times Brewery from Point Loma with its popular MT Pilsner. Continuing southward along Lake Drive, the next pour station was on the outdoor patio of the Stockade Grub and Whiskey restaurant where various beers, ales and wines were available for tasting, including Kumusha Cabernet, imported from South Africa.

Sycamore Ranch and Vineyard owners Richard and Elizabeth Krumwiede exchanged greetings with the Alpine Mountaineer.

Meanwhile, across the street at the Ace Garden Center, folks were lined up at the Sycamore Ranch Vineyard and Winery booth sampling various wines and hard ciders produced in nearby Dart Canyon. Other pour stations on Lake Drive included those at Bizzyland Gardens, Molly’s Art Gallery, Trinket Trader and Encompass Antiques.

The Millen family, who have been visiting Crestline since 1939, were in Top Town enjoying Corks & Hops for only the second time.

Mountain Transit’s free weekend trolley made stops at all the pour stations along Lake Drive and in Top Town Crestline, where one more pour station was operating at Hearth and Sage Antiques. Attending Corks & Hops for only the second time was the Millen family – Mike, Judy and their daughter, Melissa – who were visiting their vacation cottage on Cedar Lane. “We’ve been coming up here since 1939, when we bought property in Crestline for $100,” said Mike.

While Higher Ground Coffee House was not a pour station, it was a trolley stopping point, where adults could sip coffee and lattes and kids could play in a jump house, which was one of the advertised features.

This year’s final Corks & Hops event is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 7. Tickets can be purchased in advance by logging onto www.corksnhops.com.