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Dayton On Tap

Bring Your own Bucket Special at Bullwinkle’s

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I found this on Bullwinkle’s facebook page and wanted to share it with you all:

Many years ago, Bullwinkle’s used to have Beer-in-a-Bucket. But due to the unwillingness of those patrons of many moons ago, the buckets would “mysteriously” disappear from Bullwinkle’s until there were no more buckets for beer. One evening, a group of employees from the old Mound plant came down to enjoy a few buckets of beer. Sadly, no buckets were left. But these great drinkers had a brilliant mind with them and he said, “Well I want a bucket of beer. Point me to the nearest hardware store and I’ll get a bucket for myself and you can fill it up!” Given directions, our great man trudged off and returned victoriously with bucket in hand! “Ha-zah!” he was saluted by his co-workers. From that night on, this same man brought his bucket back to Bullwinkle’s so we could fill up that bucket with beer. Sadly, this great thinking man recently passed away, and his story was told to the Moose one night, during a break in trivia, about his ingenuity in bringing his own bucket. Thus, a new drink special and was launched and now is your chance to have some fun with us!

Bullwinkle’s is introducing BRING YOUR OWN BUCKET specials at Bullwinkle’s Top Hat Bistro! This isn’t just one night a week, it’s EVERY NIGHT! Yes, it’s your chance to have fun and get creative with this little dandy of drinking fun! The drink prices when you bring your own bucket are the following (ice is free of course):

  • Domestic Beers are $10 per bucket (or $2 a bottle)
  • Imports Beers are $15 per bucket (or $3 a bottle)

Fellow lovers of the barley and hops, this is also a chance for you to get creative with this new drink special! Yes, we’re encouraging you to start making this bucket of yours a continuously changing work of art. Customize it with stickers, paint it, if you loved doing macaroni art back in elementary school now’s your chance to do more! Decorate it as you see fit (please keep your bucket tasteful though, we do have families with kids who come here) but have a great time making your bucket your own. Are you an entrepreneurial type person? Create and design buckets for your family and friends!

To encourage creativity and uniqueness, Bullwinkles is  going to be holding  “Beautiful and Best Designed Bucket of the Week” on Thursday nights! Put your bucket up against the best the Dayton area has to offer and if you win, you’ll win a free bucket of beer for the night, on us. They’ll have judges there to decide which bucket is the best and if you win, you’re set for that round, or even a few rounds!

This special starts now, so stop by your local hardware store and pick up a good bucket that’ll easily hold 5 bottles of beer! Have fun and be creative! We’ll see you at Bullwinkle’s!

(just don’t forget your bucket)

This Weeks Beer Tasting Bonanza

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It’s long been known that Dayton offers an array of wine tastings that rival towns twice our size, but in the last few months our local taverns have really been stepping up the craft brews they offer.

Here’s a quick round up so you can taste your way across town- be sure to click on the link for more detailed information on each event.

Tues
5-7pm Abita Beer Tasting at Rue Dumaine

Wed
7pm – Mike Scwartz from Belmont Party Supply hosts the monthly Trolley Tasting
9 beers and munchies just $20- arrive early this sells out!

5pm – Archer’s Tavern taps a new craft beer each Wed night

Thurs
6:30pm  Goose Island Beer Dinner at Dorothy Lane Springboro

7pm  Dogfish Head’s Hellbound On My Ale Tapping at Spinoza’s

7pm La Tappe Isid’or Tapping at Chappy’s

Fri

5-7pm Arrow Wine Centerville‘s Weekly Beer Tasting
There will be more posted as the week goes on, so be sure and check back.  Did you know you can choose the Dayton On Tap header under DatyonDining and you’ll get a weekly listing of beer tastings around town that’s constantly being updated located on the right column!  And if you know of a place that serves up some great beers, add it below in the comments!  Cheers!

Saturday Beer Brunch

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Spinoza’s Pizza & Salads will present “Founder’s Cerise Cherry Fermented Ale” four days before the rest of the world!   In an exclusive agreement with Founder’s Brewing Company (Grand Rapids, MI), Spinoza’s will tap a keg of this unique seasonal brew at 10am this Saturday, May 28th, as part of their bi-monthly beer brunch events featuring hearth-baked breakfast pizzas.  The official release date of Founder’s Cerise is June 1st, so make plans for Spinoza’s Beer Brunch tomorrow morning and be among the first to taste this year’s batch.    Special musical guests Michael Teckenbrock & Brian Cashwell will be playing during this special event, which takes place this Sat, May 28th from 11am – 1pm.  Spinoza’s is located on the 2nd floor of the Mall at Fairfield Commons in the Sear’s wing.

A Beer Lover’s Sunday!

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Starting at noon on Sunday, May 15th The Pub at The Greene will host the 5th PUBFEST featuring tastings of 25 beers not currently on the menu.  For the $35 advance ticket ($40 at the door) guests will get a souvenir tasting glass, and 20 sampling tickets.

“Tasting tables will be set up all around the room and along with the beer there will be 4 sparkling wines, 3 rums and a buffet featuring appetizers, salads, desserts and entree samples as well,” according to Assistant Bar Manager Erika Russ.  Guests will be provided with tasting notes for each product to help them remember what they’ve tasted- often the hardiest part about these events.  The folks from The Wharf will be set up on the patio for those that would like to purchase and enjoy cigars with their beer.

Special guests will be owner and brewmaster, Mike and Kathleen Dewey, of Carmel Brewing, a family owned brewery started in 2005 in Union, Ohio. Mt Carmel’s best seller is the Amber Ale, followed closely by their Nut Brown Ale.   Let’s hope they bring some samples of their new line of beers that will feature bigger flavors and higher alcohol. The first one — Hopton — is out now.  Mt Carmel recently negotiated a distribution deal with Heidelberg and has been appearing  more often on tap around the Dayton area more and more.

PUBFEST will run from noon to 4pm this Sunday, hope to see you there!
For more information, stop on by The Pub and ask your favorite bartender!

New Holland Beer Tasting

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The newest Darling of the District, Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery, will join the beer tasting craze that has been spreading throughout the better beer houses in the Miami Valley.  This Tuesday at 6pm you can join the tasting for $25, or get your ticket in advance to save $5.

BEERS FOR TASTING ARE AS FOLLOWS:
HOPIVORE
MAD HATTER
MAD HATTER OAK AGED
MAD HATTER IMPERIAL IPA
SUNDOG
ENVIOUS

If you haven’t made it to Lucky’s yet, it’s located at 520 East Fifth Street, in the building that housed John Henry’s, Blue Moon and the original Coco’s Bistro.  Their menu, like the decor,  is simple and well executed, featuring burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches and salads.  Menu items are welcoming for vegetarians and include vegan and gluten free items as well.  Service is friendly and accommodating – we may be the lucky ones to have this  new downtown eatery!

Beer- It’s What For Breakfast at Spinoza’s

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This Saturday morning head to the Fairfield Commons Mall for a  special Beer Breakfast featuring Dogfish Head’s seasonal classic “Aprihop Ale” at Spinoza’s. Brewed with luscious apricots and finished with whole leaf hops, this fruity, citrusy, cedar, thirst-quenching India Pale Ale is the fruit beer for the hop head. Available straight from the keg as beer god (Sam Calagione) intended or piped though an infuser filled with fresh raspberries for a unique flavor experience!

The beer starts pouring and the breakfast pizzas start baking at 10 am. Please call 937-426-7799 for more information and reservations.
Live music provided by David Simpson (old school/funk/R&B).

Menu:

9″ Breakfast Pizza

Available on whole wheat or original crust  $9.95

Hammerhead
Fresh eggs, mozzarella, gorgonzola, applewood smoked bacon, and Italian San Marzano tomatoes

Bull
Fresh eggs, fontina, mozzarella, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, and Italian sausage

Tiger
Fresh eggs, smoked gouda, mozzarella, black beans, roasted red peppers, chorizo sausage

Mako
Chopped corned beef brisket, hash browns, gruyere cheese, and diced tomatoes

Tropicana Orange Juice  $2    Champagne   $4      Mimosa   $5       Sangria   $4

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Savona to host Sierra Nevada Beer Dinner

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Reservations are now being accepted for a unique dining event at Savona Restaurant and Wine Bar to be held on Thurs, March 24th starting at 6:30pm,  featuring beers from the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company from Chico, California.  Chef Trevor Sutherland has paired each beer with each of the 4 food courses.  Menu is as follows:

1st course: Kellerweis steamed mussels /brie cheese / crispy prosciutto
Served with: Kellerweis-one of the only American Hefeweizens made using the traditional Bavarian style of open fermentation.
2nd course: Braised pork belly/ hydro Bibb lettuce / horseradish pale ale vinaigrette
Served with: Pale Ale – “the flagship beer, the one that made Chico famous. It is a flawless beer that opens with bright, perky high notes of maltiness and orange blossom and segues into a delectable hoppiness.”– Elaine Louie, Premier Beer—A Guide to America’s Best Bottled Microbrews
3rd course: Grilled pork chop/ fried white cheddar polenta/braised greens/tarragon mustard sauce
Served with: Torpedo IPA-a big American IPA; bold, assertive, and full of flavor highlighting the complex citrus, pine, and herbal character of whole-cone American hops.
4th course: Gateau Saint-Honoré Nouvelle w/ chocolate/ cherries
Served with: Bigfoot Barleywine 2011-  robust malts take over and notes of brandied cherries, dates, cocoa, leaf tobacco, and caramel come to the fore.

Advacne reservations are required and can be made for  $55 per person by calling Savona at 610- 9835.  The restaurant is located at 79 S. Main Street in Centerville, just south of State Route 725. Don’t forget to tell them DaytonDining sent you!

The Darker, Richer Side Of The Beer Spectrum, The Stout.

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My brother and I were hanging out with an Ireland native a few years back, chatting and drinking beer. St. Patrick ’s Day was right around the corner, and  we asked him if the Irish drink green beer, like we do here in the United States. He looked at us and answered “No self respecting Irishman would be caught drinking a beer light enough to be dyed green.” St. Patrick ’s Day is the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself to the darker, richer side of the beer spectrum, the stout.

Initially, stout referred to any beer that was stronger than normal. For years, stout pale ales and brown ales were brewed in many parts of England. Stout was first associated with the darker,  porter style of beer in London in the 18th century by Arthur Guinness, and eventually instead of referring to the drink as “stout porter”, people started referring to the drink as “stout”. There is very little difference today between stouts and porters. Porters tend to use malted barley, and stouts use unmalted roasted barley. Some say it is the amount of water that is added when brewing. There really is no consensus at to a true difference. What you do get from stouts (and porters) is generally a deep, rich, roasted flavor with a hint of bitterness, much like you would get from a full bodied coffee or a dark chocolate.

Stouts have been gaining popularity in recent years, but there are still plenty of misconceptions about it. Many of them came from marketing campaigns before calories and carbs were bad. Stouts were long advertised as filling and healthful, especially milk stouts (brewed with milk sugars, which do not ferment well and lower the alcohol content) and oatmeal stouts (which adds oatmeal to the list of ingredients, giving it a sweeter taste and thicker feel). They were sold to athletes, workers, and nursing mothers because of their high carbohydrate content. While stouts still have a higher than average amounts of carbs, the calorie count and alcohol content can be relatively low. Guinness weighs in at 4.1% alcohol by volume (ABV), which is about the same as you would get in a Bud Light. Guinness also has just sixteen more calories than Bud Light in a 12 oz. bottle. Guinness is almost as light as Bud Light.

Guinness has been judiciously used in this article because when people think of stout, they think of Guinness. If you are going out for St. Pats that is probably the stout you have on your mind, but hold up. Maybe you should explore a little. Chappy’s Tap Room and Grille has a wide range of stouts, such as Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout (a personal favorite), Rogue Imperial Stout, and much hailed Lion Stout. If you are a little closer to downtown, South Park Tavern has its own selection of great beers, including Young’s Double Chocolate Stout and Murphy’s (a little lighter and sweeter than Guinness). If you are planning a little party at your place, you can stock up at Belmont Party Supply, where they have a full range of fine stouts from all over the world. Mt. Carmel Stout and Great Lakes Brewing Company’s Edmund Fitzgerald are delicious Ohio stouts, and Samuel Adams Imperial Stout is a smooth, rich treat for your taste buds. Southern Tier Brewery, also available at Belmont, offers delicacies such as Chokolat, Crème Brule, and Mokah stouts.

If you do plan on going out and celebrating with a traditional pint of fresh poured Guinness, then heading over to The Dublin Pub should be your location of choice. They pride themselves on pouring the Perfect Pint, and it is a very unique ritual to drinking Guinness. It takes 119 seconds to pour it, and The Dublin Pub has made it part of their art. Their kegs have the appropriate blend of nitrogen and carbon dioxide to ensure the waterfall effect that is also part of pouring the Perfect Pint. If you are still on the fence about trying a straight stout, The Dublin Pub also offers quite a few variations. Guinness layers nicely on a variety of beers, such as hard cider (Black Velvet or a Snakebite), Blue Moon (Black and Blue), Newcastle (Black Castle or Black and Brown), or the traditional Bass (Black and Tan). The young lady I spoke with said they would layer Guinness on most any beer they had, as long as you ask nicely.

On St. Patrick’s Day, we get to be a little Irish. Celebrate that little part of by introducing yourself to a traditional Irish beer. There are plenty of options out there, and many establishments have their beer lists online for you to look over.  And remember, no beers that are dyed green. Slainte!

East vs West Beer Dinner

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When you talk about an East Coast/ West Coast rivalry  coming to The Farifield Commons Mall, most people will be thinking about rap music.  But beer brewers are just as competitive about their products. Restaurateur Glen Brailey will host a dinner that brings the feud to his Beavercreek eatery on Tueday, March 15th at 7pm.  Guests will be able to sample and choose sides between New Hampshire’s Smutty Nose Brewing or California’s 21st Amendment Brewing.  Guests will need to make advance reservations by calling Spinoza at 937.426.7799.  Your ticket to the feud will run you $26.95  plus tax & gratuity.

Here’s the menu for the event:

WELCOME

Smuttynose Maibock (draft)

(Big Beer Series) Style: Maibock / Hellesbock ABV: 7.7%

Maibocks are a traditional Teutonic seasonal specialty. The Smuttynose version is brewed to be hugely malty and subtly finished with a variety of continental hops and an eye-pleasing russet brown color.  This particular keg has been cellered since May, 2009.  How will it taste?  We’ll see…

Paired with

Baked Wild Boar “Pockets” with Aged Gruyere and Tarragon Aioli

SALAD

21st Amendment Bitter American (can)

Style: American Pale Ale ABV: 4.7%

Like our founding fathers, arguing over a few pints of ale, this seasonal session ale provides the perfect forum to air all your grievances. This extra pale ale has lower alcohol but all the flavor and hop aroma you expect from a much bigger beer.

Paired with

Japanese Salad of Artisan Lettuce Mix, Wasabi Peas, and Ponzu Ginger Dressing

PIZZA FIRST COURSE

Smuttynose Finest Kind (draft)

Style: East Coast IPA ABV: 6.2%

The citrusy hop flavor coming from a mixture of Simcoe and Santiams is pleasantly balanced by a smooth bitterness from the Amarillo hops. The beer itself is light bodied and crisp with a golden color that will throw a slight haze.  At 65 IBU’s, this is definitely not a training-wheels IPA, but is meant for hop lovers looking to satisfy their craving in a way that’s not easy to find.

Paired with

Sopressata Pizza with crushed San Marzano Tomatoes, Mediterranean Sea Salt, Garlic-infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Fresh “Fior di Latte” Mozzarella, Peppered Salami, and Fresh Basil on a thin crust

INTERMEZZO CHEESE COURSE

21st Amendment Monk’s Blood (draft)

Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale ABV: 8.3%

Paired with

French Morbier Cheese & Snofrisk Norwegian Mountain Semi-Hard Goat Cheese

PIZZA SECOND COURSE

21st Amendment IPA (draft)

Style: West Coast IPA ABV:

Deep golden color. Citrus and piney hop aromas. Assertive malt backbone supporting the overwhelming bitterness. Dry hopped in the fermenter with four types of hops giving an explosive hop aroma. With an IBU of 70, many refer to this IPA as Nectar of the Gods. Judge for yourself.

Paired with

Spanish Chicken Pizza with Spinoza’s Original Crust, Smoked Chicken, Chorizo Sausage, Sauteed Red Onions and Mozzarella on a base of Sundried Tomato Tapenade

DESSERT

Smuttynose Wheat Wine

Style: Wheat Wine ABV: 10.7%

A recently created American style, wheat wine, as its name implies, is a strong ale made with a substantial measure of malted wheat as well as barley. Close cousin to barley wines, wheat wines are typically strong, full bodied, deep gold to amber in color and feature a subtle soft tangy flavor derived from their wheat malt.

Paired with

Zeppoli  – “Italian Doughnuts” served warm with powdered sugar

Hey Hop-Heads – This One’s For You!

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The Hoptimum was created during on of Sierra Nevada’s “Beer Camps,” a new program where people — usually beer distributors, retailers and others — spend two days at the brewery’s pilot brewhouse learning about the brewery and making their own small batch of beer.  After the success of the single batch, beer camp Hoptimum, Sierra Nevada tweaked the formula for a commercial release, which they describe as follows:

Hops, hops, and more hops are the stars of this big, whole-cone Imperial IPA. Resinous “new-school” and exclusive hop varieties carry the bold and aromatic nose. The flavor follows the aroma with layers of aggressive hoppiness, featuring notes of grapefruit rind, rose, lilac, cedar, and tropical fruit — all culminating in a dry and lasting finish.

Hoptimum: the biggest whole-cone IPA we have ever produced.

alcohol content 10.4% by volume BITTERING hops German Magnum
beginning gravity 22.8 Plato AROMA hops Simcoe & New Proprietary Variety
ending gravity 4.5 Plato DRY hops Simcoe & New Proprietary Variety
bitterness units 100 TORPEDO hops Citra & Chinook
yeast Ale malts Two-row Pale, Golden Promise, Munich & Wheat

Get your Hoptimum fix at at:

Chappy’s – keg tapping at 7pm on Thurs, Feb 10th

Spinoza’s – keg tapping at 6pm on Fri, Feb 11th

Adoration Winter Ale debuts at Chappy’s

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Not far from the birthplace of baseball, in Copperstown NY,  is one of our countries most unique microbrewery’s. Set on a former hop farm in upstate New York, Brewery Ommegang was born with the philosophy that truly unique ales must be built from the ground up. Brewery Ommegang is the place where brewing is an art and partaking is a passion.

And just in time for some holiday swilling, Ommegang Adoration, brewed in the authentic style of Belgian winter, or noel beer, is dark, strong, malty and assertively spiced, will make it’s debut at Chappy’s Tap Room & Grill.

At 10% abv Adoration is not a lightweight beer, and is best sipped before a roaring fire, or on a sleigh ride over the hills to Grandma’s house. (But let someone else drive.)  Even at the strong abv, the beer is well-balanced and not at all hot or fiery. The dark malts give it lush, malty flavors and aromas, strongly complemented by the five spices, including coriander, cumin, mace, cardamom and grains of paradise. Hopping is modest, as befits such a beer.

According to the brewery’s Larry Bennett, “The idea was to do a traditional, Belgian-style winter/Noel/Christmas beer in the US. Few breweries here attempt to make one in the traditional Belgian style.  It’s malty, spicy and dry. It’s 10% abv but has no obvious alcohol burn.”

And here’s a head’s up, next Wed, Dec 29th at 7pm Chappy’s will tap Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence.  I’ll be there, will you?

Beer Tastings Times Two

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Dayton Liederkranz Turner Presents:
A Celebration of Winter Style Craft Beers

Enjoy the next edition of the Liederkranz’s highly successful beer tasting parties. Sample 10 different Winter Style Craft Beers in our Authentic Rathskeller.

The  Sampling Tour will begin at 7:00 p.m. led by Liederkranz member, Mike Schwartz, beer aficionado, home brewer, …and owner of Belmont Party Supply,Dayton’s leading purveyor of fine beers and brewing supplies. The Bierfest will include free snacks and door prizes.

Food, including brats, a variety of beers, and other drinks will be available for purchase.

The Official Bier List:
Breckenridge Christmas Ale, Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome, Great Divide Hibernation Ale, Young’s Double Chocolate Stout, 21st Amendment Fireside Chat, New Holland Cabin Fever, Southern Tier Old Man Winter, Sierra Ne…vada Bigfoot, Bell’s Winter White, Troegs Mad Elf

Preregister for a Discount: $13 Members • $15 Guests
Price @ the door: $18 per person
Admission for Designated Drivers: FREE!

For More Info

South Park Tavern will be having it’s first

Barrel Aged Beer Festival

Saturday, November 20th from 2:00pm to 6:00pm.  There will be over 20 Rare Barrel Aged Beers On Tap! We will be raising money for Dayton’s Resident Home Association. Tickets are $40.00 each and will include a souvenir glass, entertainment, pizza, salad, and a pig roast!  This is a limited ticket event!

Here is a list of the the beers that will be on tap for the Barrel Aged Beer Fest

  • New Holland’s Pilgrim’s Dole
  • Founders Backwood Bastard
  • Founders Curmudgeon
  • Bell’s Hell Hath No Fury Oak Aged
  • Bell’s Hell Hath No Fury [Not Oaked]
  • Aecht Schlenkerla Oak Smoke Wooden Cask Firkin
  • Clipper City Below Decks Cabernet Wine Barrel Aged Firkin
  • Rogue John John Hazelnut
  • New Holland Oak Hatter
  • New Holland Envious
  • Southern Tier Cuvee
  • Southern Tier Unearthly Oak Imperial IPA
  • Jolly Pumkin Oro de Calabaza
  • Jolly Pumkin La Parela
  • Flying Dog Barrel Aged Gonzo
  • Weyerbacher Insanity Ale
  • Great Divide 15th Anniversary Ale
  • Goose Island Matilda
  • Goose Island Dominigue
  • Founder’s Newaygo County Cherry
  • Founder’s Nemesis [Not Oaked]

For More Info

Bell’s Hell Hath No Fury this Thursday

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Chappy’s Tap Room will open a rare keg of Bell’s Hell Hath No Fury Ale – 7.7% ABV  this Thursday night at 7pm.   They’ve also got one case of bottles of Bell’s The Oracle DIPA – 10% and they will offer 6 oz. tastes of this very limited ale.

Originally conceived along the lines of a Belgian Dubbel, Hell Hath No Fury… Ale morphed during development into something entirely different. Blending a pair of Belgian abbey-style yeasts into a recipe more akin to a roasty stout, Hell Hath No Fury… Ale offers up warm, roasted notes of coffee & dark chocolate together with the fruity & clove-like aromas.

Bell’s take on the West Coast-style Double India Pale Ale, The Oracle places hop intensity first & foremost, making only the slightest concession to malt & balance.  The fireworks start with the floral aromatic punch of two separate dry-hop sessions with Amarillo and NZ Pacific Jade. Resinous, citrusy hop flavors mixed with aggressive bitterness from a massive kettle addition deliver on that aromatic promise.

Tap into Craft Beer Fundraiser

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Miami Valley Beer Fest
features Big Beers and Barley Wines!
 Saturday, Oct 9th from 2-6pm the Roundhouse at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds will  be filled with unique and interesting beers that you won’t get a chance to try anywhere else.

In 2009 Mike & Donna Schwartz, owners of Belmont Party Supply, teamed up with Resident Home Association to bring Miami Valley Beer Festival to the Dayton area. Planning for a boutique, quality event, the first year was a great success. Over 300 people attended  and this year the goal is to double the event, yet still keep it intimate.

Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Admission includes a tasting glass, door prizes, raffles, live entertainment and allows you to sample 20 unique craft beers.  Live music will be provided by skilless villains.  Food will be available for purchase, provided by local restaurants like Chappy’s and Thai9.

You can pick up tickets at Belmont Party Supply,Brewtensils, 5th Street Wine & Deli, Blind Bob’s, Boston’s Bistro, Chappy’s Tap Room, Harrigan’s Tavern, Jimmie’s Cornerstone Bar, King’s Table, Miami Valley Wine & Spirits, One Eyed Jacks, Oregon Express, Peach’s Grill, South Park Tavern, Thai 9, The Pub and Trolley Stop.  Tickets are also available online. All ticket proceeds benefit The Resident Home Association (RHA). Learn more by viewing the video.

Mike Schwartz of Belmont Party Supply & Aaron Spoores of Cavalier Distributing

What advice do you have for first time attenders?
This is not an event where you should show up to the bar two hours early and start pre-gaming.  Come with a fresh palate as you will want to enjoy every nuance of this fundraiser.   Drink Responsibly..   there are a lot of beers to try, most with elevated alcohol percentages.  Make sure you get some food.  There are great area restaurants involved so have a bite.  Deja Blue is a sponsor so make sure enough water.   Dress accordingly..  this event is inside the roundhouse but it is not heated..  This is a giant part of the ambiance and the experience.

What makes this festival different from Ale Fest?
First off, both are great events for the Craft Beer Movement.    Ale Fest I think has an attraction to a wider array of drinkers.  They offer something for everyone.   Pedestrians, Experience and Geeks.   Where Miami Valley Beer Fest sort of cuts out the Pedestrian level.  MVBF is set up to basically only be a 500 person event that focuses on Big Beers and Barley Wines.   Which isn’t a bad thing..  its really kind of neat..  its chillier outside which screams “BIGGER BEERS” We will have Port barrel aged barely wines, Russian Imperial Stouts aged in 16 yr old Scotch Whiskey Barrels, Belgian IPA’s, smoked porters, trappist ales, old ales and even a Punkin beer.

I hear there will be some really special beers featured,  can you tell us about them?

The whole list is special, but the highlights are:

Cask Conditioned Flying Dog Ragin Bitch. This beer is dry hopped with simcoe hops. Cask conditioned ale is unfiltered and unpastuerized. Yeast is active going through secondary refermentation. Its also naturally carbonated..

Variety of barrel aged Barley Wines. Calvados, port, cabernet, bourbon, and aged scotch whiskey barrels.  To see a bigger list of featured beers, click here.

AND NOW A CHANCE TO WIN FREE TICKETS…

We have THREE PAIRS OF TICKETS to give away!.  Simply comment on this post and tell us about your favorite craft  beer and we’ll randomly choose winners on Friday, Oct 8th .  Be sure to enter your correct email address, (which will not be made public).  We’ll contact the winners by email and post their names here as well!

UPDATE:  Ticket Winners Trang, Kim and Shannon will be enjoying their brews tomorrow courtesy of DaytonMostMetro.com!


DAI Oktoberfest 2010 – Bringing Together Art, Music and Beer!

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Yes, it is that time of year again – time for one of the biggest and most popular festivals in the Dayton Region… welcome to the DAI Oktoberfest 2010!  This festival is as old as me (now 39 years old) and happens 9/25 – 9/26 outside of the Dayton Art Institute, with a popular Friday night preview party the night before.  And DaytonMostMetro.com has FREE TICKETS to give away – details at the end of this article!

I had the pleasure of talking to this year’s co-chairs – Margo and Greg Rubertus, long-time volunteers and associate board members with DAI.  Oktoberfest is quite a production, with 15 subcommittees and over 800 volunteers.  In fact, this year so many people volunteered that they had to turn away around a hundred people!  This year the festival is presented by MillerCoors and features several domestic & specialty beers, 10 different craft beers, a cask opening (Saturday 1pm), beer & wine tastings and sixteen unique international beers with Spaten as this year’s German Beer Sponsor.  But this event is not just about beer – since it is a DAI event, one can find a dazzling display of artisan pieces, unique food items, kid-friendly art activities and live music on two stages.  And even if it rains, the tented area between the International Beer booth and the Main Stage has been extended to provide guests with a more enjoyable atmosphere, no matter what Mother Nature might bring!  A good thing, because the DAI Oktoberfest 2010 expects over 30,000 attendees!

Another great addition to this year’s event is a bigger, better-than-ever Craft Beer Tent. Both the size of this popular tent and the number of craft beers offered have been increased. Savor a delicious craft brew while catching the big game on a large-screen TV – it doesn’t get much better!

The Home Brew Beer Contest is back by popular demand, to highlight some of the area’s most talented artists in the libations medium. Though samples are not available for public consumption, pre-appointed guest judges will decide who has Dayton’s best home brew through multiple tastings at Oktoberfest!

The MeadWestvaco FamilyFest provides free art activities and games for the kids from noon – 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Kids may also sign up for the free ProLiance Energy Museum Kids Club.

Free parking and shuttle service are available for Oktoberfest on September 25 and 26. Park at Imperial Packaging Corp. on Edwin C. Moses Blvd. (about one mile east of UD Arena) and take the free shuttle to and from Oktoberfest. Visitors may also park downtown and take the free RTA Oktoberfest shuttle from stops along Main Street, Second Street and Fifth Street in the Oregon District.

Oktoberfest hours are noon – 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 25, and noon – 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 26. The museum’s galleries will be open noon – 6 p.m. on Saturday, with guided tours available from 6 – 7:30 p.m. The galleries will be open noon – 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Advance tickets for Oktoberfest are $4 for adults and seniors and $2 for students (ages 7-18). Tickets purchased at the gate are $6 for adults, $4 for seniors (60+) and $3 for students (ages 7-18). Children 6 and under are free.

Oktoberfest advance tickets may be purchased online at www.daytonartinstitute.org/oktoberfest, at the museum’s Visitor Services Desk during regular museum hours, or by calling 937-512-0136. Advance tickets may also be purchased at Arrow Wine & Spirits (all locations), Bee Gee’s Mini Mart, Culinary Company, Cuvee Wine Bar & Cellar, Dorothy Lane Market (all locations), Dublin Pub, LexisNexis and South Park Tavern.

The annual Oktoberfest Preview Party takes place Friday, September 24, from 7 – 11 p.m. Preview Party guests enjoy complimentary draft beer and wine, live entertainment by local favorite Velvet Crush, and great socializing and networking in a casual, less-crowded atmosphere. Guests will also have the first opportunity to purchase beautiful hand crafted wares by local and national artisans. The museum galleries, including the special exhibition Modern Masters from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, will be open to Preview Party guests from 7 – 10 p.m.

Space is limited and advance purchase of tickets for the Preview Party is recommended. Advance tickets are $45 for museum members and $55 for non-members. All Preview Party tickets purchased at the gate are $80.

Preview Party advance tickets may be purchased at the museum’s Visitor Services Desk during regular hours, by calling 937-512-0136, or online at www.daytonartinstitute.org/oktoberfest.

Oktoberfest 2010 receives support from Presenting Sponsor MillerCoors, Preview Party Sponsor Steve R. Rauch, Inc., Supporting Sponsors Clear Channel Radio, Liberty Savings Bank, MeadWestvaco and ProLiance Energy, and Patron Sponsors Arrow Wine & Spirits, Coca-Cola, Dayton City Paper, Grandview Hospital, Greater Dayton RTA, Imperial Packaging Corp. and Time Warner Cable.

AND NOW A CHANCE TO WIN FREE TICKETS…

We have SIX PAIRS & THREE FOUR-PACKS to give away, good for either Saturday or Sunday.  Simply comment on this post with your favorite things about Oktoberfest (or what you look forward to if you’ve never been) and we’ll randomly choose winners on Wednesday September 22.  Be sure to enter your correct email address, which will not be made public.

UPDATE (9/23/2010): Congratulations to Shana, CJ, Andrea, Mike, Brian, Kim, Melissa, Zack, Jane – you all have won DAI Oktoberfest tickets!

12th Annual Dayton AleFest – Win Tickets!

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Dayton’s first annual Beer Week kicked off this past weekend with a “beer pride parade” down Fifth Street in the Oregon District, and it continues all week with several beer tastings, tappings and events happening at several venues across the Dayton Region.  The finale is of course the 12th Annual Dayton AleFest at Carrillon Park – one of the most popular festivals all year in Dayton (and if you’ve been to our many other festivals here you know that is saying a lot!).  Founder Joe Waizmann has been organizing these beer festivals in cities across the Midwest for many years including Columbus, Indianapolis, Cleveland and Chicago.  The festival’s homebase continues to be Dayton, with two additional annual festivals added here – Winter AleFeast (3/5/2011 – which pairs delicious craft beer with gourmet food) and Cask AleFest (4/30/2011).

The first Dayton AleFest was a small affair in Kettering, with 30 breweries, 60 beers and about 175 attendees.  This year, it is by far the largest beer event in Dayton with 100 breweries, 300 different beers and an expected crowd of over 4,500.  We have a ways to go before reaching the numbers of the Great American Beer Festival in Denver with over 2,200 beers and 49,000 attendees, but Daytonians do like their beer so anything is possible.

So how would you like to get your hands on a pair of free Dayton AleFest tickets?  We’ll be giving away a pair of free tickets ($80 value) to a lucky winner – simply take our DaytonMostMetro.com Reader Poll and choose your favorite place to drink beer, and then comment below that and let us know what YOUR favorite beers are.  Make sure you enter your email address – it won’t be published publicly but it is how we will contact you if you’ve won.  A winner will be drawn this Wednesday afternoon so be sure to check back.