Dayton On Tap

Finally a Food, Wine & Beer Festival north of town

August 29, 2009 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Celebrating Fine Wines, Cool Brews & Tantalizing Tastes in a casual environment to benefit local charities, Corks & Forks will debut Sunday, Sept 20th from 1-4pm. With over 100 wines being poured, a Belgium Beer Cafe, Chef Demonstrations and tastes from local restaurants, this first time festival is shaping up quickly.

Confirmed restaurants include The Buckhorn Tavern,
The Caroline, Chin’s Ginger Grill, Michael Anthony’s at the Inn at Versailles, Sopranos, Thai 9, TJ Chumps and Tony’s Italiain Kitchen, with more to come. Miami Valley Grown, a new local foods initiative, will be showcasing farm fresh foods with local chefs presenting recipes that highlight the flavors of garden fresh products.

To help raise funds for the Blake LaForce and Wahid Abdullah Fund’s as well as Miami Valley Grown, a silent auction will also take place. Some of the early highlights of the auction include a weekend use of a BMW convertible with picnic basket, UD basketball tickets with $100 to dine at The Pine Club, and gift certificates to local restaurants, shops and shows.

Tickets are just $45 in advance and can be bought online or at Cork & Vine Wine Market and Lounge. Tables of 10 can also be reserved for just $500. Day of event tickets will run $55, if still available. Ticket include beer, food and wine samples as well as souvenir glassware for all guests.

Versailles FareFest-Food, Beer & Wine Festival

August 26, 2009 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Billed as the First Annual Versailles FareFest, West Main Street in V-town will be blocked off for an event the likes of which have probably never before been witnessed in their quaint little village. as they play host to an invasion of oenophiles from all over the Upper Miami Valley on Saturday, August 29th.

Now don’t be scared. Oenophiles are not something found on cable television’s SyFy. Nor are they are related to the dreaded Emerald Ash Borer. And shame on you for thinking they might be seen on Dateline NBC! Believe it or not, we have plenty of oenophiles in our very midst, and they are not scary at all.

To the uninitiated, an “oenophile” is a lover of fine wines. These aficionados don’t just dwell in places like LA, NYC, or CHI-town. Yes, they live in Darke County, too. And they have been waiting patiently for this opportunity. From 2:00-5:00 in the afternoon, the area around Fountain Square in beautiful downtown Versailles will come alive with activity. There will be cool music, great wines, cold beers, and scrumptious food available for three of the best hours any late-summer afternoon could offer. Want some details? OK.

The price of admission for this prestigious happening is a mere $35 presale ($40 at the door). Events such as this one customarily cost twice that amount and are wildly popular in such faraway realms as Lima and Dayton. For that ONE LOW PRICE, FareFesters can sample wines from dozens of different vendors, hosted by our very own Winery at Versailles. Up to 300 different wines will be available–all right there under the tents on West Main Street. Wineries committed thus far are: Trinchero, Menage A Trois, Don Sebastiani, Wente Family, Foster Wine Estates, Penfolds, Rosemount, Louis Latour, E&J Gallo (premium), Louis Martini, Alamos, Easley Winery, Kenwood, Valley of The Moon, Lake Sonoma, Korbel, Specialty Wines (Italy), Banfi, Napa Ridge, Columbia Winery, Georges Dueouf, Volteo, XYZin. Just wander through the various booths and ask the pourers to fill your very own souvenir wine glass with a sparkling potable. There is no limit. Sample to your heart’s content!

Maybe wine is not your particular favorite beverage. Beer, you say, is what you drink at any celebration such as this one. Well, the FareFest will gladly take care of your request. Whether you prefer an easy-drinking smooth brew or a glass of something a bit heartier, it will most likely be available from one of the many beer distributors on site. Goose Island, Stella Artois, Leffe, Hoegarrden, Becks, Samuel Adams, and the ever-popular Wooden Shoe will be there, along with a plethora of pilsners from all four points of the compass.

Of course, one must have something in his or her stomach in order to comfortably consume wine and beer for three hours. Never fear. The Inn at Versailles will be the host restaurant for a profusion of top-notch chefs from all over. A partial listing of restaurants that plan to be present with their own specialties includes: Coldwater Café (Tipp City), The Main Street Bistro (Lima), Coco’s (Dayton), Ghyslain’s (Union City/Richmond/Indy), The Montage (Greenville), The Bistro (Greenville), Bake House Bread Company (Troy), Caroline’s (Troy), Davis Meat Co. (Sidney–doing BBQ), Toone P. Wiggins (Sidney) and obviously Michael Anthony’s at the Inn (Versailles).

If you still want more, here it is. Higgins-Madewell, a very popular duo will be performing on Fountain Square all afternoon. Their folksy/bluesy style has been a big favorite at all sorts of venues from West Milton to New York City. Just perfect for a brand new festival desiring to be just a bit edgy in terms of food, wine, beer, and music! Maybe it’s time for you to broaden your horizons just a little. Unlimited food, beer, wine, and music for only $35. Wow!

The Versailles FareFest is sponsored by the Versailles High School Alumni Association, with proceeds going toward college scholarships. Tickets can be obtained by visiting The Inn at Versailles or by calling (937) 526-3020 or by going online to www.innatversailles.com

Beer Drinkers Unite!

August 24, 2009 By Lisa Grigsby 1 Comment

This Saturday, Aug 29th, over 3000 HopHeads and Beer Geeks will head to Carillon Park for the 11th edition of AleFest Dayton. Joe Waizman founded this festival “to share my love of beer with others.” He hopes folks “will discover that AleFest and craft beers are an enjoyable & educational culture.”

With over 100 beers to choose from, having a strategy on how to experience AleFest is best. I asked local beer expert, Aaron Spoores (who sells beer for Cavalier Distributing and hosts beer tastings across the Valley) for his suggestions:

TIPS FROM AN EXPERT:

Upon entering make your first beer be the one closest to you.
Find a place to sit and examine the tasting guide, highlighting beers you want to taste and map out a plan.
Taste from light to dark.
Drink lots of water, in between beers and take a break to grab some food, too. There’s plenty of beer, so enjoy and remember to take care of yourself.

Waizman adds, “Talk to the knowledgeable pourers & let them know your beer, wine, &/or food tastes so they can make recommendations. This is an excellent opportunity to sample beers & styles you’ve not previously experienced, so step outside your list of favorites.”

TIPS FROM A CASUAL BEER DRINKER- My suggestions from attending the fest in the past:

If there’s a huge line, there’s probably something special being tasted- check it out.
Create your own rating system and take notes on your tasting guide. (Things you remember may not help the next time you go to order-Wild Blue sticks out in my head- but it was because I hated it…too fruity!)
Bribe a teenager to pick you up when the event is over- you won’t want to drive home.
Don’t make plans for going out that night- you’ll probably want a nap and a mellow night on the couch.

Look for an expanded offering of draught beers this year – about 30 will be available including Great Lakes Oktoberfest, Grassroots Saison, Eliot Ness Amber Lager, & Admiral Perry IPA, Chimay Trappist White, Goose Island Matilda, Pere Jacques, & 312 Urban Wheat.

Special LIMITED Goose Island EDITION DRAUGHTS:

2:30-Night Stalker Imperial Stout
3:30-Demolition Belgian Strong Pale Ale
4:30 Fleur Belgian Sour Ale With Hibiscus

TO GO: Sat, Aug 29th 2-6pm (they often let folks in at 1:30 so arrive early)
$30 in advance-they can be picked up at 30 bars & wine stores around town or buy online, $35 day of event.
Admission includes 20 samples of craft beer, tasting glass and guide & live entertainment. Designated driver/non-drinker $10.00 – purchase at the gate. Admission includes a bottle of water and an AleFest sampling glass as you exit. Must be 21 years of age to attend.