Ohio Brewery News
4.21.2022
Why Our Festivals Are Different
Ohio craft beer fans have no shortage of options when it comes to beer festivals, from the humongous events that fill the floors of convention centers to local street fairs that pop up in communities all over the state.
But there’s a special kind of beer festival that offers craft beer fans a unique experience they can’t get anywhere else: signature events put on by state brewers guilds like the Ohio Craft Brewers Association.
We put on three festival events per year, including the rapidly approaching Six One Pour fest happening Saturday, May 14 at COSI in downtown Columbus. Here’s why a brewers guild fest is different from a lot of the beer festivals you may be used to.
The Beer Is Just Better
The Ohio Craft Brewers Association promotes Ohio beer 365 days a year, which is uncommon among beer festival organizers. Every day, we work to get people to visit brewery taprooms with the Ohio On Tap statewide passport app, our annual Ohio On Tap magazine, coverage in the Ohio Brewery News blog (which you are reading right now) and in our weekly Ohio Brewery News Bulletin email (which you can sign up for at the bottom of this page.)
We’re always promoting what’s new, fresh and trending in Ohio, so we ask our breweries to bring their newest, freshest and best beers to our events. That often means competition medal winners, barrel aged rarities, experimental collaborations and sometimes even unique infusions made just for our festivals. Keep your eyes peeled next week for the reveal of the outstanding beer list for Six One Pour: The Ohio Craft Beer Fest.
The Brewers Show Up
Because we ask breweries to send us their best beers for our events, the brewers are often in attendance as well, set up behind their table to talk to patrons about the beers they’re drinking. Ohio brewers are rightfully proud of the world-class beer that they’re making, and by coming to our events they create personal connections with people so that they’re proud to drink it too.
Having brewers and brewery owners on hand also means that pouring volunteers – the engine that really makes a beer festival go – are getting a proper education about the beer they’re serving and can relay that knowledge to craft beer fans looking for the right beer to fill their glass.
Proceeds Benefit Ohio Breweries
One of the main reasons why people choose to drink local – besides the amazing beer – is that they want to know where their money goes. All proceeds from Ohio Craft Brewers Association signature events directly benefit Ohio’s breweries through the multitude of services we provide for our members, including:
- Working behind the scenes with state legislators and regulators to ensure that Ohio breweries have a positive environment in which to make and sell beer.
- Providing educational resources that help Ohio breweries make the best possible beer and develop their individual businesses.
- Promoting Ohio breweries through our media channels and statewide events like Ohio Pint Day and the From the Heart collaboration beer.
- Keeping Ohio breweries connected with each other and with businesses that support the brewing industry to build community and foster sustainable growth.
Oh Yeah, Did We Mention They’re Fun?
So there are three great reasons to choose an Ohio Craft Brewers Association signature event: better beer, face time with the brewers and knowing that your dollars are helping Ohio craft breweries. But what puts it all over the top is that *fun* is one of our core values. We want our festivals to be exactly the kind of events we would love to attend ourselves, even if we didn’t do this for a living.
That means we choose fun and intimate venues (like COSI in Columbus), feature live music to set the mood, and even send you home with a nice commemorative glass from the event. Whether you’re an Ohio craft beer connoisseur or just want to enjoy some tasty brews and unique vibes with friends, Ohio Craft Brewers Association signature events have got you covered.
We’d love to see you at Six One Pour: The Ohio Craft Beer Fest on Saturday, May 14 in Columbus. Tickets are on sale now: save $10 each when you purchase in advance. Get yours today at beerfesttickets.com/sixonepour2022