fiftyfestMaybe I’m wrong, but it just seems like festivals keep getting better and better as time goes on here in Cincinnati.  Gone are the days where it was a cookie cutter event, marked by a bunch of tents with the same few beers being poured into the same taster glasses.  You don’t see the same crowd of the same people drinking as much as they could to get their money’s worth.

Things are different, in the best way possible.

Take this year’s Fifty Fest, hosted by 50 West Brewing.  Not only do they have a massive event planned with music all day, and more food than you could hope to get into your belly, they’ve also got a phenomenal tap lineup planned.  It’s about a bigger picture of what a beer festival can be.

EDIT – Camels, Kangaroos… Dunking. Why Not?

I had to jump back in here and edit this post… the press release just dropped in to my inbox with a few more goodies that I can’t help but pass along to you.  I know that the folks at Fifty West have promised that they are going to continue to throw stuff at us that we don’t expect, and really step up their festival game, but this is freaking awesome.  Stick wth me for a moment.

This year’s Fifty Fest is featuring a petting zoo that contains a camel and a kangaroo.  They’ve also added a dunk tank that features some notable members of the Greater Cincinnati craft beer commiunity.

Why should you really care about this?  Beer isn’t just about beer.  I think that’s what makes it such a special part of our community and our lives.  To have an event that is not only a beer/food/and music festival, but a family friendly event is an accomplishment that I only hope more and more people strive to achieve as time goes on.  Craft Beer is a community, and they are really nailing this one on the head.  Bravo guys!

Get Your Tunes On

Music has become a staple of any beer festival worth it’s weight.  But when Fifty Fest first started they wanted to turn everything up a notch, and having a full lineup of killer live bands was always a big part of that “turning up” – This year is no different.  Their three stages will showcase the following bands:

So even if you’re just a music fan, and aren’t really that “into” beer… I’m fairly certain that you’ll still enjoy yourself.

Hungry Yet?

I certainly hope you are hungry – again Fifty West is determined to make this festival about a lot more than just beer.  The brewery has always prided themselves on creating a food progam in their brewpub that made it worth your while to go there and eat, even if you’re not a beer geek.  They are, of course, extending that same thought to the festival with a bunch of restaurants and food trucks represented to keep your stomach from growling and to help soak up some of that alcohol too.

  • Tell Bar + Kitchen
  • Pizzelii Pizzeria
  • E+O Kitchen
  • Graeter’s Ice Cream
  • Maribelle’s eat+drink
  • The Beerded Pig
  • THe Chili Hut
  • Quite Frankly
  • C’est Cheese
  • Fifty West Brewing Company (of course they’ll have their own food too)

fiftywestbeerThe Beer

Brace yourself…this is a long list.  Long, and impressive, it features some breweries that you aren’t going to see distributed that often.  There is certainly something for everyone!  Keep in mind, this list isn’t even the really fun stuff.  Their “super secret” specialty beer list will be released in the next couple of days.  Sweet?  Sweet.

  • Against The Grain – Citra Ass Down IPA
  • Against The Grain – Kentucky Ryed Chequen IPA
  • Bad Tom Smith – American Outlaw Session IPA
  • Bad Tom Smith – Fink Red Rye
  • Blank Slate – Turn For The Wurst Marzen
  • Blank Slate – Out And About Gose
  • Braxton – Storm Cream Ale
  • Braxton – Oktober Fuel Marzen
  • Brother’s Drake – Apple Pie Mead
  • Brother’s Drake – Hopped Ohio Mead
  • Cellar Dweller – Corporal Khaos Pale Ale
  • Cellar Dweller – Eye Opener Stout
  • Christian Moerlein – Third Wave IPA
  • Christian Moerlein – Purity Pilsner
  • DogBerry – Hosen Oktoberfest
  • DogBerry – Sir Griff IPA
  • Ei8ht Ball – Prodigal APA
  • Ei8ht Ball – Sell Out Pumpkin Ale
  • Fat Heads – Bumbleberry
  • Fat Heads – Head Hunter IPA
  • Fibonacci – Tollhouse Stout
  • Fibonacci – Oberhausen Kolsch
  • Goodwood – Bourbon Barrel Ale
  • Goodwood – Bourbon Barrel Stout
  • Great Lakes – Nostferatu Imperial Red Ale
  • Great Lakes – Oktoberfest Marzen
  • Jackie O’s – Mystic Mama IPA
  • Jackie O’s – Ricky American Blonde Ale
  • Listermann – Norwood Common
  • Listermann – Leopold Belgian Pale Ale
  • MadTree – Shade Gose
  • MadTree – PSA Session IPA
  • Mt Carmel – Hibiscus Blue Blonde Ale
  • Mt Carmel – Harvest Ale
  • Nine Giant – Repeater IPA
  • Nine Giant – Instant Crush Saison
  • North High – Hefeweizen
  • North High – Pale Ale
  • Old Firehouse – Chief Vanilla Porter
  • Old Firehouse – Code 3 Red
  • Paradise – Red Headed Step Child
  • Paradise – Leapin’ Lederhosen
  • Rhinegeist – Traction Cream Ale
  • Rhinegeist – Bubbles Rose Cider
  • Rivertown – Pumpkin
  • Riverotwn – Divergent
  • Taft’s Ale House – Gavel Banger
  • Taft’s Ale House – The Resolver Belgian Blonde
  • Tap and Screw – Irony Belgian Dubbel
  • Tap and Screw – Dr. Kool IPA
  • Thirsty Dog – Citra Dog IPA
  • Thirsty Dog – Old Leghumper Porter
  • Urban Artifact – Finn Berliner Pale
  • Urban Artifact – Keypunch Gose
  • West Sixth – Dankechain Oktoberfest
  • West Sixth – Sixfold II Tart Cherry Kettle Sour
  • The Woodburn – Cedar IPA
  • The Woodburn – SteinPils
  • Yellow Springs Brewery – Springer Golden Ale
  • Yellow Springs Brewery – Handsome Brown Ale

The Details

Mark your calendar, and be there.  Fifty Fest takes place on September 17th from Noon until Midnight at Fifty West.  They’ll have a ton of stuff going on all day, so make it for the afternoon, the evening… all of the above, it doesn’t even matter!

There will be parking all over for the event with shuttles running from the more distant parking areas, Uber if you need to, carpool with your friends – whatever you need to do to make it out – this is going to be a great time!

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