The reason? According to organizers, Cincy Beerfest has grown too large to justify shutting down the city’s largest thoroughfare. Bad weather has also been a problem. At GABP, a venue the beer fest acquired after a long negotiation, street closures and porta potties blowing away in the wind will no longer be an issue. So here’s what you need to know about the summer Cincy Beerfest 2018:
Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer
Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer
1. The venue: Great American Ball Park
The fest will spread throughout the concourse from home plate to the outfield, spilling out to the fan zone, the area near the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame, and the observation decks overlooking the river. There will be no activity on the field itself, though organizers speculated that, once they’ve convinced the Reds’ front office that they’re not going to trash the place, there might be a “walking the bases”-type event in the future. For the time being, the only baseball-related activity will be a home run derby on a miniature baseball field in the fan zone, produced by Fifty West, co-sponsor of the fest as well as a participant.
2. The Beer: 150 beers to be exact
There will be two afternoon tasting sessions offering 150 beers from 65 local and national breweries. Examples from our locals and regionals include Alltech’s Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, Braxton’s Labs NE IPA, Dogberry’s Sir Griff English Strong Ale, Fatheads’ Bumbleberry, Fretboard’s Cool Meditation Imperial Stout, Grainworks’ Scottish Mist, MadTree’s Entropic Theory IPA, Christian Moerlein’s Exposition Vienna lager, Mt. Carmel’s Nut Brown, Fifty West’s Punch You In The EyePA, Municipal’s Approachable Blonde, Rhinegeist’s Kappa Flounder Hazy IPA, Rivertown’s I Carried A Watermelon gose, Tafts’s Nellie’s Caribbean Style Ale, Urban Artifact’s Gamma Bomb IPA, and many others.
Some familiar national brands are Bells, Sierra Nevada, and Angry Orchard. There’s also a pineapple from California’s Ace Cider, an amber and DIPA from Alaskan, a pumpkin/yam beer from Seattle’s Elysian, a gold pineapple IPA and mango blonde ale from Hawaii’s Kona, a tropical IPA from Atlanta’s Sweetwater, four beer styles from Guinness, including their classic stout, and many, many others.
There will also be a small selection of cocktails and White Claw hard seltzers.
3. The food and the fun
All of the concession stands will be open and serving the usual ballpark fare. There will also be a silent disco, airbrush tattoos, and live music by PartyTown, a local cover band that plays rock, country, pop and Top 40 favorites.
Early admission tickets are also available, gaining you admittance one hour before the regularly scheduled time at either session.
WANT TO GO?
What: Cincy Beerfest
When: Sept. 1, 1:30-4:30 p.m., 8-11 p.m.
Where: Great American Ballpark, 100 Joe Nuxhall Way, Cincinnati
Cost: $45-$50 (regular), $50-$55 (early admission), $20 (designated driver)
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