California Brew & BBQ festival returned to Santa Barbara

Hungry customers got to try some of the best BBQ in the 805 at the California Brew and BBQ Festival in Santa Barbara on Saturday.

Beer and BBQ lovers learned that chefs use chocolate Dr pepper and other secret ingredients,.

“We are soul cal smoke house in the public market. We have brought out crunchy sweet and salty,” Jason Carter from Soul Cal Smokehouse said.

The BBQ is a friendly competition. Over 45 breweries and kombucha and cider companies were represented in addition to local wineries.

“We just love the process of making beer. We have done jerky and sausage our whole life, and we thought it was a natural progressio,” Shalhoob Meat Company chef John Shalhoob said.

They also came out for a worthy cause.

The third annual event is a fundraiser for Surf Happens.

The nonprofit’s surf school’s mission is to provide programs for physically and emotionally challenged children who need some ocean love.

Winners of the third annual California brew and BBQ fest even win bragging rights until next year.