I get asked a lot about my favorite brewery, or my favorite beer in this city – and my answer is always as vague and indecisive as possible.  It’s too hard to choose favorites in a city that is so diverse, full of beers that are so delicious, especially when it comes to something that involves such a rotating cast of “favorites” as craft beer does.  This doesn’t stop me, though, from telling people in a heartbeat that Jungle Jim’s Beerfest is by far my favorite beer festival, year after year.

Why?  Well… let’s talk about what the festival is.

The Jungle Jim’s International Beer Festival

The event, which is in its 12th year this year takes place at the Oscar Event Center in Fairfield Ohio, right above the Jungle Jim’s store.  It’s a two day extravaganza, and you can get tickets to either (or both) days.  June 16th and 17th from 7-10pm.  The festival features more than 100 breweries, setting up and pouring over 400 different beers – leaving literally something for everyone to fall in love with.

The festival is one of the only ones that you’ll find that includes a meal with the purchase of a ticket.  The meal is a delicious barbecue sandwich, chips, and slaw.  I’m not bullshitting you, either… it’s good.  You also get all the water you’ll need during the event, and there are free Servati’s Pretzels available too.

You’ll find really great charity raffles during the event, which enables you to bring home some really awesome swag (I have a few different signs featured in my basement that came from the Festival).

If you’re a cigar fan – they also have the cigar department set up next to the big patio, selling stogies.  We always make sure to break up our night with a water and a great cigar on the patio each year.  I’m telling you, this festival is a blast.

The Shuttle Bus

New this year, the store is offering up a great deal for those of you who live closer to the Eastgate location.  They have a bus that will shuttle drinkers from the store over to Fairfield – it costs a hair more than a normal ticket… but it’s worth it to not have to arrange transportation all the way across town.  They’ll even have some “special things” happening on the bus on the way to the festival.

What Else Do You Need To Know?

You can always hit up the Beerfest website over here for a lot more information – and you can buy tickets there too.  But there are a few highlights that I can share with you.

Make sure that you sign up for the ‘Brew Crew’ – Jungle Jim’s beer newsletter club.  There are always some special taps featured around the festival that are exclusive to club members.  If you forget to do this before the event, though – don’t worry.  They have computers set up for you to sign up during the event if you need to.

No one wants to miss out on some of the best taps.  Speaking of beers… what can you expect?

The Beer

Our local breweries are usually known to break out some of their big guns for an event like this.  As the event gets closer we usually find out more – but even so far, things are looking good!  This isn’t even touching the great stuff that non-local breweries are bringing to sling:

Braxton
  • Kentucky Home
  • Revamp
  • Storm
  • Summertrip
  • Twisted Bit
Christian Moerlein
  • 13/164 Imperial Stout
  • FC Cincinnati Blood Orange IPA
  • Mexican Lime Lager
  • Pacer
  • Strawberry Pig
  • Third Wave
Fifty West
  • Cruisin’ – IPA
  • Doom Pedal – Belgian Wit
  • Elenor – Blonde
  • Into The Sunset – Golden Ale
  • Strawberry Lodge – Golden Ale
  • Tastee Whip – Ice Cream Ale
Listermann/Triple Digit
  • Chickow! – Hazelnut Brown Ale
  • Nut Case – Peanut Butter Porter
  • Nut Case with Raspberry Jam
  • Sabotage – NE Style IPA
  • Barrel Aged Stuff
  • Calumet Barrel Aged Chickow!
MadTree
  • Batch 2.0 – Red Ale
  • Boysen The Hood – Belgian Blonde Ale
  • PSA – Session IPA
  • Psychopathy – IPA
  • Sequoia’s Gift – Sour Ale
Mt. Carmel Brewing
  • Amber Ale
  • Coffee Brown Ale
  • Hops & Wheat
  • Mango Hops & Wheat
Municipal Brew Works
  • Approachable Blonde
  • Courageous – White IPA
  • Free City Ale – Red Ale
  • Our Two Cents – Pale Ale
  • Station 2 – Rye
Old Firehouse Brewery
  • Code 3 – Irish Red
  • Flash Point – IPA
  • Pin Up Girl – Blonde Ale
Rhinegeist
  • Bubbles – Rose Ale
  • Cougar – Blonde Ale
  • Drunkle – English Mild
  • Flamingo – IPA
  • Margarita Monday – Gose
  • Spike – Witbier
Rivertown
  • Blueberry Lager
  • Death – Imperial Stout
  • Ojos Negros – Sour
  • Roebling – Imperial Porter
  • Tequilana – Cider
Taft’s Ale House
  • 27 Lager
  • Culebra Cut – Brown Ale
  • Gavel Banger – IPA
  • Nellie’s Key Lime Caribbean Ale
  • Old Wooden Tooth – Imperial Stout
Urban Artifact
  • Finn – Berliner Pale Ale
  • Palmistry – Fruited Double Berliner Pale
  • Phrenology Batch3 – Wild IPA
  • Pinwheel – Kumquat Gose
  • Thoroughbred (Mint Julep) – Barrel Aged Amber Lager
  • Warmug – Sour Fruited Coffee Ale

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