Has it really been a year since Grainworks opened their door in West Chester?  This anniversary is a fun one, coming right as the brewery is gearing up for some really fun growth that is going to do a lot for their taproom experience.

Grainworks is helping to revive the rich brewing heritage of the northern side of Greater Cincinnati (with they like to point out is the same place that some of the biggest pre-prohibition breweries in town harvested their grain). It’s easy to see why the idea has caught on with their fans in this first year.  Walking into their taproom you can immediately get a feel for their ‘Beer with Soul’ mantra, and see that they mean it.

They’ve got a full, 3-day lineup to help the city celebrate this anniversary with them.  You can expect food, music and of course some really fantastic beer to help get you through a long weekend of partying.

The Beer

I think it’s only appropriate to start out with what made them who they are – the beer!  Any proper anniversary celebration needs some fun beers on tap, and in addition to their normal 14 tap lineup, Grainworks is letting loose with up to 10 more special releases to mark the occasion.

The brewery is using the weekend to let loose with their ‘Bagpipes of Bardstown’ – a barrel aged Scotch Ale that after spending some time in a Willet Bourbon barrel comes in just a touch under 9% ABV.  The brewery tells me that it’s velvety smooth with vanilla and oak undertones with a nice, warm Willet Bourbon finish to remind you of what that name means.

Each of the beer releases is going to be pretty limited and will take place all day on Friday and Saturday.  If you want to try as much of these as you can, you’ll want to clear your schedule for the weekend!

The Food

While there may be some more news in the near future from the Grainworks front about food (how’s that for a hint?). For now, the big story is the amazing lineup that is going to show up for their anniversary.  They’ve teamed up with some of their favorite places to make sure while you’re hanging out the last thing you need to worry about is getting hungry!

  • Friday, September 7 – Brew City Sausage will be on hand, serving up not just their Grainworks Haybale infused cheddarwurst, but also a full lineup of their crowd-pleasing favorites as well.
  • Saturday, September 8 – Lyons BBQ will be hosting a big hog roast at 2pm, serving up Brisket at 5pm and wings, pulled pork and sausage all day.  If things heat up too much for you, TikiZ Shaved Ice will be on hand with shaved ice and ice cream to cool you down.
  • Sunday, September 9 – Krimmer’s Itallianette will finish the weekend out strong with their pizza, calzones, and hoagies all day.

Music

If there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that you can’t host a three-day music festival without lining up some live music.  Grainworks has a TON of great people coming in to showcase just about any type of style that you can think of.

  • Friday – 3pm-5pm – Mark Bucknell
  • Friday – 5:30-7:30 – Bob Crawford
  • Friday – 8pm-11pm – Matt Waters Band
  • Saturday – Noon-1pm – Dave Thornton
  • Saturday – 1:15-2:30 – Matt Waters Solo
  • Saturday – 2:45-3:45 – Dr. J and the Apostles
  • Saturday – 4pm-5pm – Daniel in Stereo
  • Saturday – 5:30-7:30 – Color Blind
  • Saturday – 8pm-11:30 – Dat Band
  • Sunday – Noon-2:45 – Streetwise
  • Sunday – 3:15-6:30 – Shucking Bubba Deluxe

The Final Details

It all goes from Friday, September 7th at 2pm until Sunday the 9th at 8pm.  Come for the beer, stay for the food and the music.  Help show Grainworks your support, and give them a big high five for their first year in business.  Time seems to go fast in this ever-growing craft beer world, and I know that the next year is going to be another fantastic one for the brewery.  You’re about to see some great growth from them, and I’m even hearing some rumors about some packaging coming along in the near future.

It’s a good time to be a beer drinker in Cincinnati!

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