The annual International Beer Fest has been pushed back to November, but if you are a certified beer enthusiast fret not, as another great beer event is happening very soon so you won’t have to wait.
The Winter Warmer Fest will take place on Saturday, February 23 from 2 to 6pm at Windows on the River, FirstEnergy Powerhouse at Nautica, located at 2000 Sycamore Street in Cleveland.
This is the seventh installment of the typically sold out event. Expect to see and taste more than 80 diverse varieties from 25 Ohio craft breweries with a special emphasis on winter ales such as stouts, Scotch ales and India Pale Ales. The highlight this year will be a cask showcase held outdoors, where 11 different brewers will offer their creations.
Rick Seibt, brew master at Willoughby Brewing and coordinator of the showcase, says, “Cask-conditioned beers are basically live ale—could be any beer now, could be lagers—that is served from the vessel in which its final fermentation has occurred.”
“We wanted to add a new dimension to the fest,” he explained. “Casks allow brewers to do something really unique.” Examples of what to look forward to include Elevator Brewery’s Coffee Infused Double Oatmeal Stout and Willoughby Brewing’s Dry-Hopped Supernova Double IPA.
Food trucks will be parked in the cask-showcase area on the day of the event, providing great food to pair with all the different brews. Tickets to the festival cost $35 and include a souvenir glass, 20 taste tickets for 4-ounce samples and a deli lunch. They are available at ohiocraftbeer.org. Cash-only, at-the-door tickets will also be available on the day of the event for $40. Designated driver tickets include lunch and cost $12.
For those who enjoy beer festivals, be sure to check out Winter Warmer Fest, as it will be a long wait before the next one comes along.
