The dog days of summer are upon us, and breweries are continuing to release new drafts, cans and bottles — but not at the pace they were during the spring. However, some new beers include The Queen City Brewery of Cincinnati’s James Nut Brown Ale (named after the Funk legend) and Bircus Brewing’s Raspberry Buffalo Chip, aged in a wine barrel. A wide-range of beer events during the next few weeks includes music festivals, dinosaur education, brewery anniversaries and dog-friendly activities.
NEW BEERS
• On July 28, Streetside will release their latest bottle: Tequila Mockingbird. The beer was aged in barrels that previously held red wine and then cask-finished tequila. The result is a margarita-ish wild ale with notes of key lime, agave and sea salt. The cost and limit are TBD.
• A couple of weeks ago, Urban Artifact released its seasonal Fire Iron, a Midwest Fruit Tart brewed with 1,500 pounds of pink guava, 500 pounds of bananas and 400 pounds of passion fruit. The beverage is available in cans and on draft at the taproom. But on July 28, they’ll release cans of six Fire Iron variants, including Lime Daiquiri (with lime zest and lime juice) and Packin’ Heat (with jalapeño and habanero peppers).
EVENTS
• In case you haven’t noticed, Rhinegeist has a life-size, nearly complete Galeamopus dinosaur skeleton on display in the taproom. On loan from the Cincinnati Museum Center to raise awareness and interest in its future Dinosaur Hall in Union Terminal, the never-before-exhibited 50-foot-long sauropod fossil will be at the brewery through the summer. On July 25, the brewery is hosting an Insights Lecture with paleontologist Dr. Glenn Storrs, who will detail how “18 years of work resulted in the collection, conservation and preparation of a one-of-its-kind skeleton.” Paleontologist Greg Liggett will also be on hand to give insight into the history of fossil management, and Rhinegeist’s Chief Science Officer, Jim Matt, will discuss the science behind Rhinegeist’s Galeamopus-inspired Belgian beer Brittlebrain, brewed in collaboration with the Cincinnati Museum Center.
• Head to Delicio Coal Fired Pizza on July 27 for a six-course beer-pairing dinner. For $25, you get six items from Delicio and six beers from West Side Brewing. RSVP on Facebook: facebook.com/deliciocoalfiredpizza.
• Grainworks in West Chester hosts a seafood boil on July 28. Tickets cost $10-$35 and include a plate of crawfish, crab legs, corn on the cob, shrimp, clams, red potatoes, langostino lobster tails and Andouille sausage. Food will be served in two sessions: 3:30-5:30 p.m. and 6:30-8:30 p.m. More info: facebook.com/grainworksbeer.
• Fibonnaci turns 3 on July 28 and will commemorate the occasion with an on-site food truck, live music and by releasing their first bottled beer. Beer line-up details are TBD.
• Also on July 28 (is this the busiest beer day of the year?), Swine City hosts Tossing for Tatas, a cornhole tournament to raise money for their friend Sandi Paxton, who was diagnosed with breast cancer. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the entry fee is $45 per team, or $25 per individual. Proceeds from the tournament and bar sales will be donated to Paxton.
• On Aug. 1, Braxton — a super dog-friendly brewery — will host Pones + Pups. Inspired by the photo series “Dancers & Dogs,” dancers from Covington’s Pones studio have posed with adoptable pups from Louie’s Legacy Animal Rescue for photographer Sarah Laubacher. See the collaborative photos at this event, get a portrait taken of you and your own dog, meet adoptable dogs and listen to live music from Aaron LaVigne. A portion of Storm sales will benefit Pones and Louie’s Legacy.
• On Aug. 4, DogBerry teams up with Greenacres Farm for a five-course farm-to-table dinner. DogBerry will provide the beers, and Jeff Thomas Catering will make dishes using meat and produce sourced from the farm. While there, learn about Greenacres’ education programs and equine center. Tickets are $99 each. More info: facebook.com/dogberrybrewing.
• Also on Aug. 4, MadTree will release the next cans in its Sensorium series. Orators is a double dry-hopped unfiltered IPA with passion fruit and Historians is a Berliner Weisse with blueberries. The 16-ounce cans will only be sold in MadTree’s taproom, and a limited amount will be available on draft.
• Municipal Brew Works’ second annual Ales for Tails takes place on Aug. 11. Alongside beers, food trucks and live music, the event will offer 50 percent off dog and cat adoptions, $10 pet microchipping and host a pet parade. Proceeds benefits Hamilton’s Animal Friends Humane Society.
• Urban Artifact has two music fests coming up. On Aug. 10, they’ll host a benefit show for the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition. Donate $5 to check out local bands including Eugenius, J Dorsey Band, Mara Moon and more. On Aug. 25, the brewery will put on BeWILDerfest, a “beer boutique festival that celebrates ‘wild’ music and beer.” Acts include New York City’s Cults, Columbus, Ohio’s Saintseneca, Brooklyn’s Gangstagrass, locals Dawg Yawp and Chuck Cleaver of Wussy. The bands will play on three stages, including outdoors. Ticket prices range from $16 to $50 for VIP passes.
• Pie and beer? Yup. On Aug. 11, Brink Brewing will host a homemade pie-baking contest. Contestants must make sweet pies (no savory ones) from scratch, including the crust. O Pie O’s founder Louis Ginoccio, writer and editor Stephanie Meinberg and Brink’s co-founder Mark Landers will judge the pies based on appearance, texture and taste. Winners receive crowler fills and various Brink swag. Register on Brink’s website. Contest is limited to 60 pies.
• On Aug. 18, Hops in the Hangar takes place at the Middletown Regional Airport, where local breweries including FigLeaf and Grainworks will pour their brews. The point of the event is to gather craft beer lovers and aviation enthusiasts — in a hangar. Professional skydivers will jump from planes while people point at them, drink beer and eat food-truck cuisine. Ticket prices range from $20-$45 and include beer samples. It’s discouraged to steal a plane and fly drunk.
