The Ohio Craft Brewers Association (OCBA) has some unique gift ideas for the craft beer enthusiast on your holiday shopping list. The inaugural Ohio Craft ExBEERiences Auction features dozens of beer-centric experience packages donated by Ohio breweries and other supporters of the state’s brewing industry. Available experiences include canoe and bike trips with brewers, private brewery tours, opportunities to create and brew new beers, and much more.
The Ohio Craft ExBEERiences Auction will be held online from Dec. 3-12, 2020. Many of the donated experiences are designed for individuals or small groups in order to comply with protocols designed to reduce the spread of coronavirus. 
Several have an outdoor component or can be redeemed at a future date when public health conditions are favorable. Proceeds from the sale of each package benefit OCBA, the non-profit organization formed to promote, protect, diversify and unify Ohio’s craft breweries.
In normal times, OCBA relies on income from popular beer tasting events like Winter Warmer Fest in Cleveland and Six One Pour in Columbus. OCBA uses those funds to advocate for craft beer-friendly legislation at the Ohio statehouse, provide educational resources to member breweries, offer valuable marketing reach through programs like the Ohio On Tap app, and to facilitate collaboration and cooperation among Ohio’s breweries so they can continue to make world class, award-winning beer.
With state and local restrictions on large gatherings still in place to slow the spread of coronavirus, OCBA has been forced to cancel several fundraising events in 2020 and 2021. To generate revenue crucial to furthering the organization’s mission, OCBA has launched several new campaigns this year. Ohio Brew Haul was rolled out in May to encourage craft beer fans to order beer for carry out and delivery from their local breweries. Ohio Pint Day followed in October with more than 110 breweries offering a collectible pint glass with art by Adam Hernandez. OCBA is also offering limited edition sweatshirts in connection with next year’s planned Winter Warmer Cask Day, to be held in place of a large public tasting event.
“Craft beer has always been about more than just the liquid in the glass,” said OCBA executive director Mary MacDonald. “Our members have graciously donated their time and effort to create these unique experiences to connect with craft beer fans. We greatly appreciate the support of our breweries and Ohio beer enthusiasts as we continue to navigate the challenges brought on by the pandemic.”
Founded in 2007, the Ohio Craft Brewers Association is a nonprofit guild that exists to promote, preserve, diversify and unify Ohio’s craft brewing industry. We aspire to be recognized as the industry leader at both state and national levels for preserving the art of making high-quality, unique craft beer; to serve as the unified voice for craft brewers across the state; to advocate on behalf of the Ohio craft beer industry; to contribute to systemic, local community development by driving economic and job growth, while creating experiences that bring people together; and to serve as a beacon for local production and manufacturing through craft beer, resulting in diverse choices for consumers.
