Crowds of people gathered outside Lincoln Square Mall's south parking lot in two lines. The clear sky and warm day was reflective of the people's spirits as they waited to enter the parking lot. They were eager to sample the different types of chilies and beers for the 2nd annual Champaign County Beer Tasting and Chili Cookoff.

Upon entering the venue, people paid the $5 admission fee, received an admission bracelet and showed their ID if they planned to sample the different types of beers available. The first 500 people age 21 and over received a small commemorative glass with which they could sample the different types of beer. A large crowd formed in the beer tent shortly after the event started.

Sam Awdish, representative of Stoney Creek Beer, served patrons two different types of beer at his booth: a German style lager and Vanilla Porter, the first vanilla-brewed beer.

Awdish explained that the vanilla beer is available from the Detroit-based brewing company and is brewed from Madagascar vanilla beans. He also said he enjoyed the beer-tasting event.

"It's one of the benefits of the job," he said.

Jamie Tiezzi and Lindsey Boehm volunteered at the event helping pour beer. Tiezzi said they were volunteering to help raise money for the Crisis Nursery.

"We heard there would be a big turnout so we wanted to get involved," she said. Tiezzi acknowledged the social aspect of being a volunteer. "There's a little bit of everyone here with all the different people," she said. "We get to drink beer and help others. It's like a big party."

Though there were more beer samples than chili samples for patrons, chili cookoff participants received a fair amount of attention for their original chili recipes. Steady lines formed at each booth until the pot of chili was gone.

Chris Alwes, the winner of the chili cookoff, said he thought the cookoff would provide some good publicity for his new bar, Crane Alley, on Main Street in Urbana. His recipe, which he calls "Chris's Chili," was also accompanied by a cheese and cilantro dip.

Alwes was busy serving chili to the patrons when he received the news.

"I love to cook, but I can't cook at home because I'm working all the time," he said. "I used about 10 different recipes and just fly by the seat of my pants."

Alwes, who said he has been cooking since the age of three, said the special ingredient in his chili is love.

"If you love what you do, your food will be good," he said. "It's all about passion."

Randy Coad's chili, "Firestarter," is made with several varieties of chili peppers which he describes as "home grown in the garden with love." The Rantoul resident said his special recipe evolves over time, and that he adjusts to the taste as it evolves.

"You just marry the flavors as they come," he explained.

Coad's wife, Cheryl, said they use Tabasco, Anaheim and Serrano chilies, but the hottest ones they use are the Habanero variety. She agrees that their recipe changes over time.

"Randy's the chef…it's never the same chili twice," she said. "The recipe's in his head."