AleFest Columbus: This weekend

You've been to the Dayton AleFest for years. Why not try the Columbus one? Use it to build your tasting list for the big game. The AleFest team has an amazing line-up once again, including some rare casks. Here are all the details:

**Update** AleFest Columbus Brewery List Available

Choose from over 250 craft beers  from 100+ breweries,  with rare draught & cask offerings Link to the list of breweries for Saturday: Brewery List Columbus 2012 Directions to The Aladdin Center here: Aladdin Shrine Center Info AleFest General Info: AleFest Official Website   Bell's Two Hearted Ale & Thirsty Dog Hoppus Maximus ***in cask, draught and bottle*** An excellent educational way to experience the differences & similarities of one beer via all 3 traditional delivery methods    Special Appearance by OSU Greats: Michael Wiley, Standout OSU & NFL Tailback  Founder of Rush for Success Lung Cancer Foundation **and** James Cotton, OSU Defensive Lineman & Linebacker  Founder of the Buck-Icon Foundation   Reminder: Tropical Attire Encouraged.....  ...so dig that Hawaiian shirt outta the closet!   Hope to see you and your beer friends THIS Saturday....Cheers!

MSD Brew Ha-Ha: Getting Ready

Getting everything in place for the big tasting tomorrow. The beers have arrived, and Linda and crew have been working overtime to transform the space. Ticket sales have been brisk and initial feedback at the beer list has been great. We even picked up some free publicity thanks to WDTN this morning.

You can still get tix online tonight at $25 each, or you can pick them up at the door tomorrow for $30. Doors open at 5, but we'll be pouring until 9. Bring some cash--you'll be able to buy extra tasting tickets, as well as enter in the raffle for beer goodies. There will also be opportunities to take home your favorites from the tasting.

Tonight we train the servers and put the finishing touches on the room. Tomorrow we finalize and print the tasting program, tap the keg, and open the doors. This is going to be a blast!

The line-up, take 1

The line-up, take 2

The logo glasses

Beer List for MSD Brew Ha-Ha

The beer list for the MSD Brew Ha-Ha this Saturday is final, so I can finally release it. I'm very excited about this line-up.

It's a robust sampling of beers from OH, MI, and PA, with some of my personal favorites to share (I'm talking to you, Bell's Porter, Dark Horse Crooked Tree and Founder's Breakfast Stout!).

And a special release of Founders Double Trouble. We'll have it on tap about a week before it makes it to the area officially.

If you haven't gotten tickets, you can still purchase them at the EventBrite site or at the door on Saturday. Remember, doors open at 5 and we'll be pouring all night long.



Here's the list. See you Saturday!

OHIO BREWERS

Ohio Brewing Company Verlich Gold

Kolsch-style Ale (5.0% ABV)

A light and dry ale, with soft malt and delicate hops; based on the style from Cologne, Germany

The Brew Kettle 4 C’s Pale Ale

Pale Ale (5.0% ABV)

Made with the classic US hops (Cascade, Centennial, Columbus and Chinook) that impart citrus and piney flavors.

PENNSYLVANIA BREWERS

Weyerbacher Merry Monks’

Belgian- style Abbey Tripel (9.3% ABV)

Belgian yeast gives this beer complex flavors, with intense fruity esters in the nose, and a moderate to dry finish

Troegs Brewery Troegenator® Double Bock

Double bock (8.2% ABV)

A malty, chewy beer traditionally brewed by fasting monks, who relied on double bocks for their nutritional needs.

Troegs HopBack

Amber Ale (6.0% ABV)

The brewery’s flagship ale; this amber beer blends caramel malts with fresh, spicy hop notes

Stoudts Fat Dog Stout

Imperial Oatmeal Stout (9.0 % ABV)

An amped up oatmeal stout, it is silky black, with prominent roast flavors and chocolate and coffee finishes

Stoudts Pils

German-style Pilsener (5.4 % ABV)

Refreshing with assertive bitterness; a crisp bite from the Saaz hops and a dry malt finish

MICHIGAN BREWERS

North Peak Brewing Majestic

American Wheat Ale (5.5% ABV)

Brewed with winter wheat and Willamette hops, this unfiltered ale is mellow and drinkable

New Holland Cabin Fever

Brown Ale (6.0% ABV)

Rye, roast and raisin notes play off a subtle caramel sweetness and culminate in a dry, roasty finish

New Holland The Poet

Oatmeal Stout (5.2% ABV)

Black as night with a tan, creamy head; a rich, smooth malt character enveloped in tones of roast and chocolate.

Founder’s Breakfast Stout

Oatmeal Stout (8.3% ABV)

Brewed with oats, chocolate, and coffee; an intense java nose with pronounced chocolate and roasted flavors.

Founder’s Centennial IPA

India Pale Ale (7.2% ABV)

Centennial hops produce a big citrusy flavor that balances nicely with the malty backbone

Founder’s Red’s Rye

Rye Pale Ale (6.6 % ABV)

Rye malt adds a spicy, crisp finish to this generously malty and hopped variation of a traditional pale ale.

Founder’s Double Trouble

Imperial IPA (9.4 % ABV)

A monster IPA with huge hop character; pungent aromatics meld with a malt-balanced backbone and a smooth, bitter finish

Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA

India Pale Ale (6.0% ABV)

Inspired by West Coast ales, dry-hopping creates a big aroma of citrus and pine against a rich malt palette.

Dark Horse Sapient Trip Ale

Belgian Style Tripel (8.5% ABV)

Complex ale brewed with Trappist ale yeasts, giving it mild fruit notes and hints of clove; finishes dry

Dark Horse Scotty Karate

Scotch Ale (9.75% ABV)

Named after a Michigan one-man band; enormous but balanced, with rich, bready malts and a slight alcohol bite

Bell’s Two Hearted

India Pale Ale (7.0% ABV)

Another Centennial hopped ale; famous for its grapefruit and pine resin aromas and substantial malt backdrop

Bell’s Porter

Porter (5.6% ABV)

Porter emphasizes the darker, roasted aspects of malt, with hints of dark chocolate and freshly roasted coffee

Bell’s Winter White

White Ale (5.0% ABV)

Cloudy ale that blends wheat with Belgian yeast to impart clove and fruity aromas without adding spices

Top Beer Cities

Livability.com ran an article of the top ten off the beaten path beer cities (not the NYC, Chicago, San Diego, Portlands, but the next round--cities you might be surprised by). Dayton didn't make the list (obviously because of our lack of breweries), but Akron did. Kalamazoo, too. Of course, those of us who love locally produced beers probably could have guessed at those two and might have added Columbus, Cincinnati, Ann Arbor, and Grand Rapids to the list, to name a few.

Spinoza's Celebrates Pearl Jam Anniversary with DFH Progressive Tapping

Heading out to Spinoza's tonight for a Dogfish Head progressive tapping of the DFH music series. Spinoza's. If Hellhound On My Ale and Faithfull are of the same caliber as Bitches Brew, this should be a cool tapping. Hope to see you there.

Dogfish Head Brewing, Sony Entertainment & Spinoza's present... 

Pearl Jam Tribute Night & Progressive Beer Tapping 

Thursday, January 19, 2012 

6 to 10pm 

Join friends, family and fellow beer aficionados for a special evening of exclusive draft beer and acoustic live music. The region's ONLY keg of Dogfish Head's "Faithfull Ale" will be tapped at 8pm. Live acoustic Pearl Jam music by Chris Reynolds (from the band "Festive Skeltons") and his trio begin at 8pm. Faithfull Ale is a celebration of Pearl Jam's 20th anniversary as a band and its extraordinary debut album, "Ten." In recognition of these milestones, this Belgian-style golden ale is delicately hopped to 20 IBUs and fruit-forward from 10 incremental additions of black currants over a one-hour boil. Faithfull clocks in at 7% ABV. Dogfish Head's earlier collaboration ales will also be featured with the "Miles Davis Bitches Brew" tapped at 6pm and the "Robert Johnson Hellhound on My Ale" at 7pm. Join friends, family and other craft beer aficionados for a memorable evening of great beer and music!

MSD Brew Ha-Ha Makes Dayton and Akron Papers

Our humble beer event was mentioned in the Akron Beacon Journal, as well as the Dayton Daily News. It's going to be a great event and tickets are going quickly. If you haven't already gotten yours, you can buy them online at the Eventbrite site. 

Impact of new Ohio brewery license changes

Mark Fisher at Dayton Daily News has a great piece today on the impact of the new changes to Ohio's liquor licensing that allows for tap rooms and samples at micro-breweries as well as some additional support for the area's micro-distillers. Reads like a who's who of upcoming area breweries:

Craft beer breweries get boost from state fee cuts

http://m.daytondailynews.com/dayton/pm_20553/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=2pPR4C5J