For the 5th year in a row The Montessori School of Dayton will host a craft beer fundraiser, which will take place Sat, Jan 30th at the school. This year Dayton Brew Ha-Ha showcases world-class beer produced in the Midwest. Proceeds from the event will go to the school’s capital improvement fund.
While the East and West coasts are generally thought of as brewing epicenters, the Midwest has been not-so-quietly producing our own superstars. From established breweries like Founders, Bell’s, Jackie O’s, and Upland to rising stars like Rhinegeist, MadTree, and North High, to all of local breweries that dot the Miami Valley, the Midwest has become a beer scene that rivals both coasts. Kevin J. Gray, co-chair, explains that, “The goal of the MSD Brew Ha-Ha is to help showcase the remarkable brewing talent of our region. Most of the breweries at the event are easily within half a day’s drive from Dayton or less. There has been tremendous brewery growth in the region, so we’re pleased to present not only established breweries, but also newer ones that people haven’t had a chance to try yet.” The beer list will showcase approximately 50 beers from the region and is curated to appeal to those new to craft beer, hardcore beer geeks, and everyone in-between.
New this year, a VIP hour that starts at 5 pm. VIP attendees will receive an additional 5 beer tickets, appetizers, and will have early access to rare beers in a much smaller, more intimate crowd. We’ve been given an exclusive peek at some of the specialty beers you can expect:
The Brew Ha Ha Braintrust: Brandy Gorham, Michael Taylor and Kevin Gray.
The 5th anniversary will also see an expanded silent auction. Silent auction items include craft beer-themed gift baskets, as well as larger items like date night packages (that include dinner and babysitting), a meat smoker, a tennis club package, and an overnight in a local B&B just to name a few of the many items up for auction. You’ll also find games of chance, like beer ring toss, spin to win and a floating beer pond for prizes to amuse yourself with. You can also pick up a souvenir Brew Ha-Ha t-shirt.
With all the great beer available, you’ll want to grab some some good eats and One Bistro will be on site with a variety of beer-inspired food options available for purchase. One Bistro is a “pay it forward” restaurant located in Miamisburg, where patrons pay what they can afford or trade service for food. The event will also feature complimentary desserts and coffee at the end of the evening.
Fitting for an event held in an elementary/middle school, craft beer education will be a focus of the evening. Curious about what to try? Tasting guides will be provided to help attendees navigate the room and find beers that match their favorite flavor profiles. Attendees can also talk to one of the roving Beer Ambassadors, who can steer them in the right direction. Those interested in beer history can chat with Carillon Brewing to understand Dayton’s role in brewing. Want to learn to brew beer? Members of DRAFT, the Dayton Homebrewing Club, will be on hand to discuss beer making at home. The program will also include clone recipes of several of the event’s beers, recipes put together by the staff of BrewTensils homebrew supply.
How To Go:
The school is located in Kettering, at 2900 Acosta Street. The event takes place at the school on Jan 30, 2015 from 6-10 pm, with the VIP hour starting at 5pm. General admission tickets are $35 and VIP are $50 (while they last). Tickets and more information are available online at brewhahadayton.com.
About the School
Montessori Center of Dayton (MSD) was originally founded as a non-profit Montessori School in 1964 offering a true Montessori education to children between three and nine years old (pre-K through 3rd grade). In 2008, the school made the decision to purchase the current building with the intention of further expanding the curriculum to serve students from the toddler years (18 months) through the eighth grade. Through the purchase of the building, MSD has been able to expand and modernize the classrooms, refurbish the gymnasium and school stage with new flooring, stage curtains and lighting, and add to the extracurricular activities including art, foreign language (Spanish), band, chorus, theater arts and will soon add sporting activities.
DMM Ticket GiveAway:
We love to share Dayton’s best events with our readers, so if you’d like to enter our drawing for a pair of tickets to Brew Ha-Ha, just like like this article, fill out this form and leave us a comment telling us about your favorite beer or why you should win. We’ll post our winner here Saturday, Jan 23rd. [form 55 “DMM Contest Entry – Generic”]
