Camp Brewhaha: zip lines, archery and a lot of beer
By JoAnna Kopp
May 24, 2016
Adult summer camp is a thing — and it’s the best thing ever. On May 6-8, I had the pleasure of attending Camp Brewhaha, a 21-and-older summer camp hosted by the Alamo Drafthouse and Do512.
Camp Brewhaha took place at Camp Champions, located right on Lake LBJ. Photo by JoAnna Kopp
The two-night, three-day, all-inclusive sleepaway camp took place at Camp Champions near Marble Falls, a summer camp that normally hosts camps for kids. From Lake LBJ, Camp Champions looks like the funnest place on Earth: There are personal watercraft, a multi-level rope swing, a giant blob, kayaks, canoes, volleyball, basketball and about every other outdoor activity you can think of.
Campers put their agility and endurance to the test at the Pirate Ropes Course. Photo by JoAnna Kopp
The activities went on all day. From 10 a.m.-1 p.m., campers were invited to try their hand at “Arts & Farts & Crafts,” test their agility and coordination on a pirate-ship-shaped ropes course or choose between swimming in the lake or the swimming pool complete with waterslides and a lazy river. Later in the day, there was a Wiffle ball game, archery, rock-wall climbing, a zip line, a nature hike and so much more.
Glenda McKinney and Eric Bramblett are camp enthusiasts who came to Camp Brewhaha after attending the first one last October. Photo by JoAnna Kopp
I came across Glenda McKinney and Eric Bramblett as they were stepping out of their cabin. The two are older than the average twenty-something camper. They are film enthusiasts who learned about the event from the Alamo Drafthouse.
“Just because we’re in our fifties doesn’t mean we’re too old to have fun,” McKinney asserted. “You haven’t lived until you watch drunk guys try to paddleboard.”
The cabins were co-ed, so the campers were mixed in with complete strangers — unless they planned ahead and got the same cabin as a friend.
“There’s a lot of girl power in my bunk,” said Drew Moncada, another Austinite, who chose his cabin at random. The co-ed cabins didn’t make him shy or stop him from making new friends.
'Let’s just say stuff happens in the woods,' said Drew Moncada after I asked how he enjoyed his first night at Camp Brewhaha. Photo by JoAnna Kopp
Cheeky merit badges were handed out as campers participated in various challenges. Photo by JoAnna Kopp
As I observed each event, I noticed coolers filled to the brim with an assortment of Karbach brews. Campers were welcome to help themselves to as many beers as they liked. Alamo Drafthouse employees in neon pink shirts were acting as moderators at the events, handing out cheeky merit badges for activities. In yellow shirts, though, were actual Camp Champions counselors.
Archery was one of the many challenges at Camp Brewhaha. Photo by JoAnna Kopp
I spoke with Annie Verzwyvelt, a high school senior approaching graduation. She was standing on a bench at the archery arena, shouting orders and keeping everybody in line — people were mixing alcohol and archery, after all. I asked how she felt about supervising drunk adults compared to the Girl Scout camp that had been held the previous weekend.
'This is definitely my favorite job I’ve ever had,' said 18-year-old Annie Verzwyvelt, a counselor at Camp Champions. Photo by JoAnna Kopp
“I love working with kids, seeing them smile after accomplishing something. There are more safety issues with the kids. You have to guide them around and make sure they’re following the rules. It’s different with adults,” she said, “At the rock wall, we call ‘fail’ the F-word — I’ve been hearing a different F-word this weekend.”
Frankie Carusa, a bartender in Austin, and Cameron Mangiafico, a nurse in Cedar Park, kick back and watch people soar through the air at Camp Brewhaha. Photo by JoAnna Kopp
I talked to Frankie Carusa and Cameron Mangiafico, campers who were lounging in the grass and watching the ‘eagle' activity in which a group of campers ran a tether that pulled another camper up 20 feet in the air. When the tether was released, the camper would start swinging like a pendulum.
Campers were able to fly like an eagle in the 'Screaming Eagle' feature at Camp Brewhaha. Photo by JoAnna Kopp
Carusa never went to summer camp when he was younger, which is why he came out to Camp Brewhaha. Mangiafico came out because the experience was nostalgic for her; it was everything she had done as a kid.
“I just love that as adults we can do it as we should have done. The camp counselors aren’t corralling you around and telling you what to do. You do what you want to do,” she said.
'That was the most fun I’ve ever had. I’d recommend it to anybody,' said Daniel Derity (right) after he and Cori Robarge were pulled on a tube behind the jet ski. ‘The driver said we survived his worst.' Photo by JoAnna Kopp
As the sun set on Saturday, I heard the sound of bagpipes, which felt like the cherry on top of a real summer camp experience. I tracked down the guy on the pipes, Andre De la Reza. To my surprise, he was a regular camper.
Andre de la Reza and Lyzz Donelson, firefighters from Austin, played their bagpipes at sundown on Saturday. Photo by JoAnna Kopp
“When I was packing up for camp, I couldn’t not bring my bagpipes,” he explained. "I am president of the Emergency Service Pipes and Drums Association. We are a nonprofit made up of police, firefighters and paramedics. We play the bagpipes for heroes that died in the line of duty, all across Texas.”
Holiday Mountain started a dance party in the mess hall at Camp Brewhaha. Photo by JoAnna Kopp
At night, things didn’t wind down. Austin electronic party band Holiday Mountain performed a show in the mess hall, starting a dance party complete with a disco ball and strobe lights.
“I never went to summer camp as a kid,” vocalist Laura Patiño lamented to the crowd, “so performing in this cafeteria and imagining the meals I could have had … that’s something else.”
The Alamo Drafthouse Rolling Roadshow prepared several camp themed movies to show at Camp Brewhaha. Photo by JoAnna Kopp
Outside in the sports field, the Alamo Drafthouse Rolling Roadshow set up film screenings of camp-themed movies throughout the night: “Meatballs,” “Addams Family Values,” “Wet Hot American Summer,” “Sleepaway Camp,” “Moonrise Kingdom” and more. The huge blow-up screen made it feel like I was in a real theater. I was blown away by how crystal-clear the sound quality was.
The tickets for Camp Brewhaha are $325 per person. The price seems steep, but consider that the open bar, breakfast, lunch, dinner and all activities are included in the price of the ticket.
Camp Brewhaha will be returning in the fall from Oct. 28-30 for “Halloweekend.” Get your tickets for the weekend at Camp-Brewhaha.com.