I don’t hide the fact that the Punch Out at Fifty West is easily my favorite beer event that has ever been dreamed up. It’s a brilliant way to bring the tried and true beer festival a new level of excitement, and if you haven’t been before – do yourself a favor and before you even finish reading this – click here and go get your tickets.

Now clear your calendar for Saturday, July 13th at 6pm. Get ready.

What Is It?

I’m going to pretend that you just moved here from Mars, and aren’t really sure what the Punch Out is. Simply stated, it’s a brewery-on-brewery boxing event, with matches paring up amateur boxers from several local and regional breweries to duke it out in the ring.

This isn’t some half-assed boxing event either… it’s a big ring, with lights, cameras, and a metric shit-ton of excitement surrounding it all. They have seating in their “arena” for more than 2,500 people, and a massive crowd like that coupled up with live music, celebrity judges and a ton of great beer and food… well… this is their fourth year putting the event on, and they’ve really got it dialed in to provide a really incredible time for all involved.

Speaking of who’s involved, let’s talk breweries!

UPDATED – Who’s Competing, Who’s Pouring?

This is all in fun… but it’s also no joke. Our local breweries are sending their best of their best to duke it out for bragging rights, and a sweet championship belt. Pending a weigh-in and final medial approval on 7/12 here’s who you can expect:

  • Jess King – Fifty West
  • Lauren Kelly – Rhinegeist
  • Genevieve Galfano – Fifty West
  • Katie Schwartz – Warped Wing
  • Brad Davidson – Fretboard
  • Nick Wetzel – Fifty West
  • Mark Codispoti – Platform
  • John Suhr – Sam Adams
  • Shawn Dedden – Rhinegeist
  • Kyle Moore – MadTree
  • Matthew Weise – Sonder
  • Zach “Tex” Huprich – Fifty West
  • Chris Neumann – Fibonacci
  • Zach Adams – Moerlein

In addition to these guys in the ring, there will be some really great beers available at the festival portion of the night, too. Doing their own competing in a different way, these taps will be pouring all night for you to find your new favorite beer, and they’re promising to bring forth some really great, special, limited edition surprises including some rare releases and heavyweights from your local favorite taprooms. The list? Here ya go:

  • Warped Wing – Gamma Bomb IPA
  • Warped Wing – Magic Melon Watermelon Gose
  • Taft’s – Cincy Cobra Hazy Citra IPA
  • Taft’s – Nellie’s Key Lime (Read More About It)
  • Fibonacci – Amozacca IPA
  • Fibonacci – Earth Daisy IPA
  • DogBerry – Zestic IPA
  • DogBerry – The DH
  • Urban Artifact – Keypunch
  • Urban Artifact – The Gadget
  • Sonder – Orange Julius You Betcha!
  • Sonder – Watermelon Honey Blanc Belgian Wheat
  • Fretboard – Reba Strawberry Blonde
  • Fretboard – Experience Brut DIPA
  • Alexandria Brewing Company – RECA Ralph Red Licorice Rope Cherry Gose
  • Alexandria Brewing Company – Saturn Ascends Stout
  • Cellar Dweller – Captain Dirk Honey Wheat
  • Cellar Dweller – Eye Opener Hazelnut Coffee Stout
  • Wooden Cask – Rectsbrecher Gose
  • Wooden Cask – Corruption BA Scottish Ale
  • Grainworks – Pink Lemonade Stand Berliner Weisse
  • Grainworks – Rusty Bumper American Brown Ale (Read More About It)
  • MadTree – Shade Blackberry Tart Ale (Read More About It)
  • MadTree – El Dorado High IPA
  • Swine City – Good Enough For Me Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Ale
  • Swine City – I’m Not Your Babe Tropical Wheat
  • Darkness – Jalapeño Bellevue Common Ale
  • Darkness – Mayan Sacrifice Imperial Stout
  • Nine Giant – Milkshake Futureworld Blackberry Tart IPA
  • Nine Giant – Pineapple Infused Breezeblocks Saison
  • Sons of Toil – Mango Milkshake NE IPA
  • Sons of Toil – American Porter
  • Northern Row – Preacher Fruit Beer
  • Northern Row – Drifter IPA
  • Rhinegeist – Peach Dodo
  • Rhinegeist – Pure Fury Pale Ale
  • Streetside – Raspberry Strawberry Lemonade Berliner Weisse
  • Streetside – Suh Brah NE IPA
  • Great Lakes – Turntable Pils
  • Great Lakes – Barrel Aged Cream Ale
  • Listermann – What High School Did You Go To Golden Ale
  • Listermann – Hip Hop Battle NE IPA
  • 3 Points – Origami IPA
  • 3 Points – Cuddle Fruited Quick Sour
  • Christian Moerlein – Big Hazy NE IPA
  • Christian Moerlein – Pineapple Gose
  • West Side – Hefeweizen
  • West Side – Triple IPA

Punch You In The EyePA

This event was first dreamed up to celebrate the release of Fifty West’s Punch You In The Eye PA in packaging for the first time. Now a year round release from Fifty, the beer still inspires a little fun during the event. Each year the beer competes with itself via a few variants that you get the chance to vote on. Your favorite will be packaged in a limited run of 16oz cans to be released prior to next years event. (You can snag last year’s winner, Pineapple, in a four pack now to get your tastebuds in shape.). The variants this year are:

  • Mango Milkshake
  • Brut
  • Pineapple

Why?

While this event is a spectacular blast of fun and excitement in the summer – there is a lot more to it. As our community, and the industry as a whole keeps exponentially growing – this brings us together. It’s not just about punching each other in the face for some bragging rights – The brewery goes to great lengths to make sure everyone involved stays safe, no one wants to get anyone hurt. No… it’s about a brother/sisterhood that you won’t find in any other industry.

While there will always be little arguments, and personalities that clash within a community the size of this one. Overwhelmingly, these folks are all on the same journey. There is more love here than you can realize most days. This event is a showcase of that love… and a big reason that I enjoy it so much.

Don’t miss this!

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