Breweries have become synonymous with music fests. Urban Artifact hosts a two-day Hip Hop festival called Overcast from Aug. 31-Sept. 2 (see Spill it on page 31 for more), but on Sept. 22, Cincy’s ladies of Rock get their chance to shine at the brewery’s Moxie Rock. Acts include Kristen Kreft of the Perfect Children, Endive, Flying Underground and Oh So Luminous. Music starts at 9 p.m.
From Sept. 7-9, Grainworks Brewing Company will celebrate one-year in business with the Grainworks One-Year Music Festival at their West Chester taproom. Over three days, check out 10 live acts, eat a lot of pork from Brew City Sausage and Lyon’s BBQ (among other food vendors), try some shaved ice and imbibe special beer releases.
Sept. 15 sees the return of Fifty West’s annual Fifty Fest, a celebration of local food, music and, of course, brews. More than 80 craft beers — both local and regional — will be available, including rare tappings, plus a cocktail booth and food trucks. They’ll even have a petting zoo. Tickets cost $7-$35; kids 12 and under are free. Grab a pack of Fifty West’s Pluot Coast to Coast, peel the label and see if you’ve won a free entry to the fest.
New Beers
• Taft just released Nebulosity, a hazy IPA, in cans and on draft at the Ale House and Spring Grove Brewpourium.
• Recently, Fretboard released a couple of new beers. Juicy Improv is an unfiltered grapefruit IPA, and Rockin’ the Rhein is a Märzen (or Oktoberfest) larger. Try them at the taproom.
• Bellevue’s Darkness Brewing brewed a special milkshake pale ale beer for the 19th anniversary of Newport’s Crazy Fox Saloon. Dancing Beer contains citra and zythos hops and vanilla, almond, pineapple, orange and cranberry juices and lactose. Find it on tap at the Crazy Fox.
• Braxton’s latest is Garage Beer, a premium lager that’s available in cans and on draft at their taproom.
Events
• On Sept. 1, Fifty West will host Brews + Bulldogs: Round 2. No, humans won’t be fighting dogs. It’s a fundraiser for Queen City Bulldog Rescue. Tickets are $25 and include a pint glass, a beer ticket and a raffle. Adopt a bulldog or just sit in a baby pool with one. Well-behaved dogs are welcome.
• Come to Listermann on Sept. 5 for Cat Trivia, taking place in their biergarten. They’ll tap a collaboration beer with Ohio Alleycat Rescue; $1 per pint will go to help the kitties. Trivia starts at 7 p.m.
The brewery is also throwing a three-day 10th-anniversary bash Sept. 7-9. Friday’s event will feature more than 20 breweries from around the world and special bottle releases. Saturday’s event will focus on Oktoberfest, and Sunday will be a family day with zoo encounters. Tickets for Friday cost $59.99-$69.99.
• On Sept. 7, Braxton will officially launch Oktober Fuel, a German lager, at the taproom. Expect a biergarten atmosphere, with live music and food.
• Taft’s Ale House and Fifty West will team up on Sept. 8 for the Great American Beer Rush. Not only will they release two collaboration beers, but teams of four will compete in an Amazing Race-style bar crawl throughout downtown Cincy. Tickets are $25 per person. Washington Park is the starting point, and through a series of clues (and beers), teams have a chance to win a grand prize.
• In September, Rhinegeist will give their fans a chance to participate in two kinds of VIP tours. The tour on Sept. 11 involves beers paired with The Rhined’s cheeses. Tour the brewery and sample unreleased beers complemented by cheese. The cost is $35 per person.
On Sept. 21, for $40, again take a behind-the-scenes tour of Rhinegeist, but this time tourists get to sample five rare sour and/or funky beers.
• Moerlein’s The Brewer’s Table occurs on Sept. 14. For $16, get a flight of Moerlein beers alongside food pairings. The event takes place at Moerlein Lager House.
• On Sept. 15, Old Firehouse Brewery in Williamsburg, Ohio will throw a fourth-anniversary party. Check their Facebook for updates.
• If you’re not anniversaryed out by this point, go to Mason’s 16 Lots Brewing Sept. 14-16 for their one-year anniversary party, which will be Oktoberfest-themed. They will have German food, music and nine new beers, including their Oktoberfest Märzen.
• Pump for Pups, a fundraiser for the League for Animal Welfare, returns to Streetside on Sept. 16. Workout with the trainers from Cincy 360 fitness, and then drink some beers and check out adoptable dogs, provided by the League. The $20 ticket gets you a free beer, a workout and a Pump for Pups T-shirt.
Contact Garin Pirnia: letters@citybeat.com
This article appears in Aug 22-29, 2018.
