When Braxton threw their first Dark Charge event back in 2015 they were trying something new here in Cincinnati (or more accurately, in Covington). There wasn’t a local release “holiday” like that, yet – and this city was definitely ready for one to exist. There were some really great imperial stouts around, but none that a brewery had been able to turn into a holiday.

Every single year since then, somehow, Braxton manages to outdo themselves and kick things up a notch – a really impressive feat when you look back at some of the incredible stuff that they’ve been able to make over the years. There have been almost forty different variants of Dark Charge in that time, and every year fans of the big, dark, and delicious beer get really excited as December approaches, wondering what’s next.

The variants cover every side of the spectrum… and that’s part of what makes it so much fun.

This Year’s Variants

The brewery is tight-lipped leading up to its big reveal each year, not letting much out. We know that one of the bottles will probably be the ‘Base’ Dark Charge, a Barrel-Aged stout blend that even by itself is really, really tasty.

As they let loose on more details leading up to this year’s event – I’ll update this page here with all the details for you! We can expect anywhere from 5-7 different bottles… but the sky is the limit beyond that!

Speaking of the event, though…

Growing Dark Charge Day Into Something Bigger

Dark Charge day has become a local beer holiday. My calendar get’s marked for the first weekend in December well before the brewery starts posting teasers on their social media pages. I LOVE it. This year they’re taking the idea, and pushing it even farther.

Dark Charge Day is becoming an entire weekend. One day alone isn’t enough to contain Dark Charge anymore.

This year’s event will kick off on Friday, and keep on going all through Saturday at the Braxton Covington Taproom… and with that it’s bringing music, food, beer, and really just a ton of stuff that you need to know about!

The Food

The food is always a big part of the Dark Charge festivities. They usually team up with some of their friends around town to create a fun, exclusive menu that not only taps into the Dark Charge idea… but that pairs up with the bees incredibly well. This year is no different. They’re bringing in fun dishes from:

  • Dewey’s Pizza
  • Taco Fuerte
  • Rich’s Proper
  • The Empanada’s Box
  • Part’s And Labor BBQ
  • Smoke Justis
  • Coppin’s

The Music

When Braxton first dreamed up Dark Charge Day – they knew that if they were going to throw a block party for Covington, that they needed to have great entertainment to go along with stuff. It’s about the music in the same vein as the beer. Big, Bold, and a lot of it!

Here’s what you can expect on Friday:

  • DJ Jay Kay, 3-6 pm Friday
  • Opening Act – Stay Tuned 6-9 pm Friday
  • Magic Giant – 9 pm – 11 pm on Friday

Saturday’s Lineup:

  • DJ Jay Kay, 11:30 – 3 pm Saturday
  • Jake Speed & The Freddies 3 – 5 pm Saturday
  • Hot Magnolias, 6 – 8 pm Saturday
  • Juice, 9 – 11 pm Saturday

That’s Not All

Between all the Dark Charge beer that will be available, and the absolute insane beer that is usually tapped throughout the day from their friends around the country, you’ll have plenty of great stuff to drink. You can also by a VIP ticket which gives you a few exclusive perks like a VIP area to sit and hang out, a taster glass, and a bunch of beer tickets to hold you over, too.

For all the up to date details on Dark Charge Day 2022 – make sure you check out the official website – or just keep visiting here on TheGnarlyGnome.com where I’ll keep you as up-to-date as possible!

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