Summer Beer Festival Guide

Interested in attending a beer festival in the next four months? We’ve assembled a list of options to help you determine the best use of your beer sampling dollar. If you can’t decide on the best option, why not try them all? Then send me your autograph.

 

2nd Annual Sour + Wild + Funk Fest

Saturday, May 11th 1-5pm

Developer Town

5255 Winthrop Ave, Indianapolis, IN

Tickets: VIP $60 (sold out), General Admission $45, Designated Driver $20

Featuring more than 50 styles of sour and wild ales, the second annual Sour + Wild + Funk Fest promises to be another unique celebration of this emerging trend in craft beer. The beers served as this event are paired with foods designed to accentuate their unique flavors. VIP tickets are sold out, but general admission were still available at the time of this posting. To get a better feel for the event, check out IndianaBeer guest writer Andrew Korty’s review.

  

American Beer Classic

Saturday, May 11th Session I 12-4pm (11am VIP admission), Session II 6-10pm (5pm VIP admission)

Soldier Field

1410 S. Museum Campus Drive, Chicago, IL

Tickets: VIP $110 (Session I sold out), General Admission $55 (Session I sold out), Designated Driver $30

The inaugural American Beer Classic is a major regional event that showcases hundreds of diverse brewers for beer lovers on the grass of Chicago’s Soldier Field. The event covers two separate sessions over the course of Saturday, May 11th and includes live music and educational sessions. VIP tickets include complementary tours of the Visitor’s Locker Rooms, the Skyline Suites, and the Colonnades. Attendees will also have the opportunity to vote in the People’s Choice competition to determine the favorite beer of the festival. Note: General Admission tickets increase to $60 after May 6th.

Crown Beer Fest

Saturday, May 18th 2-6pm (1pm VIP admission)

Lake County Fairgrounds

889 S. Court St, Crown Point, IN

Tickets: VIP $59 (sold out), General Admission $35, Designated Driver $5

Formerly known as Illiana Mayfest, this NW Indiana festival is expanding this year to offer over 120 different beers from 30 different breweries. Enjoy the day at the Lake Country Fairgrounds with a brewery list featuring Crown Brewing, Cutters Brewing, Flat 12 Bierwerks, Fountain Square Brewing Co, People's Brewing Co, Bier Brewery, Brickstone, B. Nektar, Destihl, Four Horsemen, Icheya Da Brewing, and more! VIP tickets are sold out, so get your General Admission passes while you still can.

Beoir Go Leoir (Gaelic for lots of beer)

Saturday, May 18th 2-6pm (1pm VIP admission)

JK O’Donnell’s Irish Ale House

Wayne Street between Harrison & Calhoun in downtown Fort Wayne, IN

Tickets: VIP $65, General Admission $40

JK O’Donnell’s Irish Ale House is proud to present their first beer festival! Featured breweries include Sierra Nevada, Flat 12, Sun King, Breckenridge, Left Hand, Lexington Brew Co., New Albanian, Stone, Bell's, Brooklyn, Boulevard, Schlafly, New Holland, New Belgium, Sam Adams, Barley Island, Upland, Dark Horse, People's, Mendocino Brewing Co, Ace Cider, as well as assorted Belgian Beers. Food will be available in JK O’Donnell’s and from local food trucks Bravas & Affine. The VIP package includes one hour early admission, t-shirt, and appetizers. Note: All ticket prices increase $10 on the day of event.

History on Tap

Friday, May 31st 6:30-10:30pm (6pm VIP admission)

Conner Prairie

13400 Allisonville Road, Fishers, IN

Tickets: VIP $35 (sold out), General Admission $25, Designated Driver $10

Set around Conner Prairie, History on Tap features 10 central Indiana breweries, along with New Day Meadery. There is a panel discussion on Brewer Innovation along with a brewing demonstration from Tuxedo Park Brewers. Imagine an adult version of Conner Prairie at night. Great beers, great chances to talk to the brewers, and learn more about craft beer. For a limited time, you can get 20% off with the discount code “HORIZONFRIEND”. VIP tickets are already sold out, but you can still get Early Bird General Admission tickets until May 20th. Tickets increase $10 after that date.

Keg Liquors Fest of Ale

Saturday, June 1st 3-7pm

St. Anthony’s of Padua

320 North Sherwood Ave, Clarksville, IN

Tickets: $25 (Designated Drivers free)

The 8th Annual Keg Liquors Fest of Ale is a charity beer festival to help raise funds for the WHAS Crusade for Children. The event features 40+ Breweries, 3 Beer Distributors, 5 Fine Wine Distributors, over 150 craft and import beers, wine, food, charity silent auction and raffle and more! The 2012 event raised over $9200 for the Crusade for Children, so head out and help them make this year even better.

Jungle Jim's International Beer Fest

Friday, June 14th 7-10pm and Saturday, June 15th 7-10pm

Oscar Event Center at Jungle Jim’s International Market

5440 Dixie Highway, Fairfield, OH

Tickets: Friday Session $40, Saturday Session $45, Designated Driver $15

So you’ve probably already gone out of your way to visit Jungle Jim’s just north of Cincinnati to stock up on bottled treasures from the likes of Alesmith, Great Lakes, Green Flash, Lagunitas, Oskar Blues, and Troegs. Why not combine your next Ohio beer run with a festival? Jungle Jim’s Beer Fest will offer 350 beers from 100 different breweries. There will be brew masters available for conversatin’ and some special firkin and rare beer offerings. A complementary picnic style meal is included with the price of every ticket. If you enjoy a good cigar with your beer, Jungle Jim’s cigar expert will be selling a selection of their world class cigars that you can take out on the terrace with your beer sample.

Brew Bracket Pale Ales

Saturday, June 15th 3pm (VIP Brewer Q&A at 2pm)

Indiana State Fairgrounds (Expo Hall)

1202 E 38th St, Indianapolis, IN

Tickets: VIP $45, Participant $35, Designated Driver $5

March Madness style voting, blind taste testing, raffle prizes, good beer, all for a good cause. Brew Bracket brings the Pale Ale style to the next version of their game. Sixteen breweries in a showdown for the best beer, all determined by your votes! Back at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, this event is 4 hours of fun and trying new inventive brews. A VIP session has been added that gets participants in an hour early for a special sampling and Q&A session with Brew Bracket multi-winning brewer Andrew Castner of the RAM along with Barley Island. For a better idea of what to expect, Indiana Beer visited December’s AMBERgeddon Brew Bracket event. A portion of the proceeds benefit People for Urban Progress.

  

Fishers on Tap

Saturday, June 15th 5-8pm (4pm VIP entry)

Town of Fishers Municipal Grounds – Outdoor Amphitheater

1 Municipal Drive, Fishers, IN

Tickets: VIP $60, General Admission $40, Designated Drive $10

The second annual Fishers on Tap is presented by The Rotary Club of Fishers. The Rotary Club is promising 15-20 local breweries, live music from Dear Abby and the Bad Advice and Soul Street, and cuisine from select food trucks. Tickets are limited to 200 VIP and 800 General Admission. VIP ticket holders receive early entry to the festival and food pairings with local eateries and select breweries. All proceeds from the event will be distributed back to the local community to those in need through local service agencies.

18th Annual Brew-Ha-Ha

Saturday, June 22nd 3-7pm

Phoenix Theater

North Park Ave between Massachusetts and St. Clair in downtown Indianapolis, IN

Tickets: General Admission $30, Designated Driver $10

Indy’s original microbrew festival returns for its 18th year of benefiting the Phoenix Theater. North Park Avenue will be blocked off to traffic between Mass Ave. and East St. Clair St. and the festival will provide a summer outdoor block party. The festival already has 18 confirmed breweries and wineries and should eventually have over 25, making this one of the best festival deals of the summer. Confirmed breweries include Bell’s, Bloomington Brewing, Brugge Brasserie, Flat 12, Fountain Square, New Albanian, The RAM, Rock Bottom, Upland, and many more! Live entertainment is provided, and food from local vendors will be available. Note: General Admission tickets increase to $35 day of event.

Indiana Microbrewers Festival

Saturday, July 20th

Optimist Park and Indianapolis Art Center

E. 67th St and Ferguson (Broad Ripple), Indianapolis, IN

Tickets: TBA

This has not been officially announced, but we have it on pretty good authority the 18th annual Indiana Microbrewers Festival will return to the Optimist Park and Indianapolis Art Center grounds on July 20th. If you’ve never attended, this is Indiana’s largest outdoor festival where you can sample the greatest variety of beer (don’t try them all!). The recent expansion to the Indianapolis Art Center grounds offers the chance to find a little shade and makes it easier to move around then most festivals of this size. Some pictures and a quick recap of last year’s festival are available here. That event featured over 300 beers from 64 breweries, can it be topped this year?

  

16th Annual Michigan Summer Beer Festival

Friday, July 26th 5-9pm and Saturday, July 27th 1-6pm

Riverside Park

6 West Cross Street, Ypsilanti, MI

Tickets: Friday Admission $30, Saturday Admission $35, Designated Driver $5

It’s a bit of a drive, but what better reason is there to head up to Michigan in July? Put on by the Michigan Brewers Guild, the Summer Beer Festival boasts over 600 different beers from more than 65 Michigan craft breweries. That number is not an exaggeration – Dark Horse Brewing alone offered 51 different beers last year. Try the Friday session if your schedule is flexible, the lines can get a little intense on Saturday. For more details, check out Nathan’s review of last year’s event. Tickets went on sale May 1st and will go quickly, so make your plans now!

  

GnawBrew - Art, Music and Beer Festival

Saturday, July 27th noon-midnight

eXplore Brown County/Valley Branch Paintball Retreat

2620 Valley Branch Rd, Nashville, IN

Tickets: $15 General Admission

Set in the rustic hills of Brown County, GnawBrew combines breweries with artists and musicians for a fun filled, yet family friendly event. This year’s participating breweries include Big Woods, Hawcreek Brewing, HWY50 Brew House, Powerhouse, and Zwanzigz. Festival gates will open at 11am with music starting at noon. Beer samples will be served all day and well into the evening and complimentary primitive tent camping is being provided after the event by eXplore Brown County to encourage alcohol safety. So bring a tent and stay the night!

Brew Haven

Saturday, August 3rd 2-6pm (1pm VIP entry)

Main Street, Downtown New Haven, IN

Tickets: $60 VIP, $35 General Admission, $5 Designated Driver

Northeast Indiana’s premiere craft beer festival promises to be even bigger and better this year with 3 tents and a 20-tap semi trailer. The price of admission includes samples from 50+ breweries, local and regional homebrewers, bottled water, and a meal! The VIP package also includes one hour early entry, commemorative t-shirt, and a special gift. Designated drivers also get a meal along with unlimited soft drinks. Check out Cindy’s recap of last year’s event. Tickets go on sale May 31st and Trion Tavern will celebrate with a Ticket Release Party featuring special tappings and pricing. Note: VIP and General Admission ticket prices increase $10 day of event.

  

Festiv-Ale

Saturday, August 24th

Victory Field

501 W Maryland St, Indianapolis, IN

Tickets: $75 VIP, $55 General Admission

Looking to attend Victory Field for an adults-only event? The Festiv-Ale is a fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation featuring 30 Indy restaurants, 100 beers, and 100 wines. The VIP reception will include an educational tasting.

Beers Across the Wabash

Saturday, August 24th 12-4pm

John Myers Pedestrian Bridge

Downtown Lafayette

Tickets: TBA

Details were very limited at publishing time, but it appears that August 24th will bring us the 2nd Annual Beers Across the Wabash on the John Myers Pedestrian Bridge overlooking the Wabash River between Lafayette and West Lafayette. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for further details. Until then, you can get an idea of what to expect from Jason’s review of last year’s inaugural event.

  

 

That covers everything we can confirm at the time of publishing. There will certainly be a number of other festivals that will emerge throughout the season for your beer drinking pleasure. Thanks for reading and remember to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates. Stay safe and enjoy the festivals!

2012 Brew Haven Craft Beer Festival Recap - August 20

As the saying goes, better late than never. 

It was another hot and humid day for the 2nd Brew Haven Craft Beer Festival that was held on Saturday, August 4th, at Trion Tavern in New Haven, IN.  Despite the weather conditions and the eventual storms that arrived very late in the event, approximatley 1,500 thirsty beer drinkers showed up to partake in the 175 beers from 48 breweries in addition to 50+ homebrews provided by the MASH (Mad Anthony Serious Homebrewers) - Northeast Indiana Homebrewers. 

Speaking of homebrewed beers, it has been reported to me that "Paul Till won the Inaugural Brew Haven Homebrew competition that had 97 entries from all over the country including California, Texas, Virginia, Ohio and Michigan. This competition was conducted by The MASH Club. The MASH Club also took home the first Brew Haven People's Choice award for best booth with Flat12 coming in a close second. (Rules for the People's Choice Award to be amended next year.)"

Even with the size of this year's attendance and more breweries this year, having two (2) tents sure made a difference from last year's event.  It was easier to make one's way around versus everyone crammed into one (1) tent.  Kudos to the organizers for two (2) tents!! 

Of the beers that I sampled, my overall favorite was the Frangelic Mountain Brown from Founders.  I enjoyed it so much that I had a second sample of it as it is a very smooth beer with hazelnut coffee, nutty, roasty, malty, sweet aromas and ditto for the flavor.  The ABV (Alcohol by Volume) is 9%.  This is definitely a beer that I would drink again!!

Thank you to Greg Jacquay, owner/operator Trion Tavern and to Adam Lepper, Chairman Brew Haven Planning Committee for putting on a great beer event again this year! 

Mark your calendar for the 3rd annual Brew Haven Craft Beer Festival which will take place on Saturday, August 3, 2013!!

Here are some pics from the event.  Also, check out Brew Haven's Facebook page for A LOT of pictures from the event (not taken by me).


Cheers!

Brew Haven Craft Beer Festival (Trion Tavern) Update - July 30

Here is an update for the festival taking place this Saturday, August 4th provided to me by Adam Lepper:

The initial beer list has been posted on the BeerFinder at brewhaven.triontavern.com. (More still to be added.) 45 breweries. Unique, rare beers from all over. 20-tap trailer of specialties. Shloads of top-notch homebrew. Hammer-Schlagen! Coffee. Cheese. All under tents in a small-town setting next to the Trion Tavern which boast 58 taps with a user-friendly Interactive Daily Tap List, 50+ fine bourbons and carry-out beer.

General admission tickets ($35 advance/$45 day of) include: UNLIMITED samples, a souvenir tasting glass, MEAL and water. A VERY limited number of $60 VIP Packages are also still available. These add early entry, 1-hour prior sampling, commemorative t-shirt, glass-holding lanyard. Designated driver tickets are only $5 and include a meal and unlimited soft drinks. Buy tickets online here or at the Trion for cash only.

Also, a small number of tickets are available for the inaugural Brew Haven Pre-Fest Private Beer Feast being held the evening before the festival on Friday, August 3 at 6pm. More info and menu here….”gourmet beer dinner” doesn’t even begin to sum up this dining opportunity. Tickets can be purchased at the Trion Tavern for cash only.

Follow the Trion Tavern on Facebook: /TrionTavern and Twitter @BrewHaven

Fort Wayne/New Haven Events/Updates - July 18

It is GREAT seeing more and more beer events taking place in Fort Wayne as more and more people are taking the leap into trying microbrewed beers and liking them!!  Having said that, I met up with a friend last week who was not extremely familiar with microbrews and my friend started sampling like there was no tomorrow!  After all was said and done, my friend not only ended up drinking not one, but two of the Flat 12 Moustache Rider beers, and wants to get together soon and go to a couple of beer establishments in downtown Fort Wayne!  It just goes to show that one doesn't know unless one tries!!

Here is a list of upcoming events:

Thursday, July 19

Belmont Beverage, 5806 Bluffton Rd., Ft. Wayne, will be having a FREE beer tasting from
5p.m.-7p.m.  They will have beer from Stone, Sam Adams, Boulder, and Goose Island to name a few.  Come out and sample some beers!  (Must be 21 or older with valid Government-issued ID).

Thursday, July 10

Dicky's Wild Hare, 2910 Maplecrest Rd., Ft. Wayne, will be tapping a firkin of Bells Two Hearted starting at 6pm.   A representative from Bells will also be in attendance.  Pints of this beer are $5.00.

Friday, July 20

Cap n' Cork, 5430 Coldwater Rd., Ft. Wayne, will be having a FREE beer tasting from 5p.m.-7p.m.  They will be having beer from Four Horsemen, Blue Moon and Michelob.  (Must be 21 or older with valid Government-issued ID).

Saturday, August 4

Brew Haven Craft Beer Festival, New Haven, IN, - Have you bought your VIP ticket yet?  If not, less than half remain and the event is two weeks from this coming Saturday!!

Saturday, August 11

Cap n' Cork and Mad Anthony Brewing Company are sponsoring a Wine & Beer Festival to benefit Junior Achievement.  This event will take place at Headwaters Park West in downtown Fort Wayne from 2p.m.-6p.m.  For more information and where to purchase tickets, click on this link: https://fundraising.intelis.com/jani/Events/EEventDetail.jsp?EI=cc0d0bb813814cf4cf1100077a6cbac4

Saturday, September 8

Mad Anthony Brewing Company will have a new location for their annual OktoBEERfest this year.  The event will take place at Headwaters Park West in downtown Fort Wayne from 2p.m.-6p.m.  The ticket price is $25 and includes a commemorative t-shirt, tasting glass, unlimited beer samples, and live music.  Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased at http://www.madbrew.com/ or any Mad Anthony location.  There are also various other beer events scheduled the week of the OktoBEERfest and there will be more details forthcoming.

The Peach Wheat beer is currently on tap at Mad Anthony Brewing Company in Fort Wayne and I will be going there this week to check out this beer.  Also the Dark American Wheat is on tap at their Auburn, IN location.

Dash-In, 814 So. Calhoun, downtown Fort Wayne, added these beers this week to their taps:

Boulder Sweaty Betty Blonde (5.9% abv)
Great Divide Hoss Rye Lager (6.2% abv)
Jacobins Flemish Sour (5.5% abv)
Finch's Cut Throat Pale Ale (5.5% abv)
Brasserie d'Achouffe Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel (9.0% abv)
Flat 12 Tangerine Porter (5.5% abv)

These beers are back on their tap list once again:

Three Floyd's Jinx Proof Pilsner (5.1% abv)
Three Floyd's Alpha King American Pale Ale (6.5% abv)

Old Crown Roasters, 3417 North Anthony Blvd., Ft. Wayne, is not just for coffee.  Here are links to their current beer lists:

Domestics
http://t.co/z9MEabKG

Imports
http://t.co/o7oLSIHB

Their list of beers changes on a regular basis and they are also working on putting in some draft lines.

Follow-up to Brew Haven Ticket Release Party - June 8

A great time seemed to be had by all that attended the Brew Haven Ticket Release Party at Trion Tavern!!

 Beers tapped:
 Three Floyds/De Struise Shark Pants (gone)
 Firkin of Bell's Porter
 Three Floyds Zombie Dust
 Flat12 Liquid Fiction
 Jolly Pumpkin E.S. Bam
 New Belgium Tart Lychee
 Kulmbacher EKU Pils
 De Struise Pannepeut

 Tickets sales for Brew Haven 2012 got off to a robust start. 30% of  VIP tickets have already sold.     Tickets remain available at the Trion for CASH ONLY) and online at BrownPaperTickets.com[1].

 The "Wheel Of Beer" made a triumphant debut and will remain on hand as a fun way to help people decide between the 58 beers Trion has on  tap. [photo attached]

More info can be found at brewhaven.triontavern.com[2]. Check out the BeerFinder page[3] for the  current list of 43 breweries that will each be pouring multiple draft samples and most of whom will be directly represented. This page will evolve to include an interactive list of beers & breweries with an interactive map.
Links:

 [1] http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/234090
 [2] http://brewhaven.triontavern.com
 [3] http://brewhaven.triontavern.com/findBeer.php

Summer Beer Festival Guide

With the Sour Fest this Saturday, we unofficially kickoff that time of the year where thoughts turn to fancies of sunburns, rampant dehydration, and patrons begging for an extension of last call (seriously, don’t be that person). Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Summer (Spring/Summer?) Beer Festival season. There are a lot of great events on tap in many areas of the state, so here is our guide to help you sort out where to spend your beer-sampling dollar:

 

Sour + Wild + Funk Fest Saturday, May 12th 2-6pm Developer Town 5525 Winthrop Ave, Indianapolis Tickets: $45 (Sold Out)

The first, and certainly not the last, festival in Indiana to capitalize on the growing popularity of sour ales. Our friends at Upland have put together an event with over 30 styles of sour ales from around the state, country, and world paired with foods designed to accentuate the unique flavors found in these beers. The list of participating breweries includes Indiana flavor from Brugge, Mad Anthony, Sun King and Upland along with Bell’s, Jolly Pumpkin, New Belgium, Rivertown, and Saint Somewhere. International flavor will be provided by Brouwerig Van Steenberge, Brouwerij Bavik, Brouwerij Liefman’s, and Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Keep Indianapolis Beautiful. Tickets are sold out, so start looking for someone who owes you a favor if you still want to get in.

Indianapolis Monthly Beer Fest Wednesday, May 16th 6-8:30 pm Tomlinson Tap Room in City Market 222 East Market St, Indianapolis Tickets: $25, $10 Designated Driver

If you were left out of the Sour Fest, the next opportunity for beer sampling comes just around the corner from Indianapolis Monthly in celebration of local beer. It features unlimited sampling from central Indiana breweries including Barley Island, Bier Brewery, Big Woods, Black Swan, Bloomington Brewing, Flat 12, Fountain Square, Oaken Barrel, People’s, Ram, Sun King, Three Pints, Thr3e Wise Men, Triton, and Upland. Free parking is available and City Market food vendors will be open. Admission is limited to 500 tickets, which can be purchased here.

Illiana Mayfest Saturday, May 26th 2-6pm (VIP entrance at 1pm) Lake County Fairgrounds 889 S Court St, Crown Point Tickets: $45 VIP (Sold Out), $30 General Admission, $5 Designated Driver at the gate

Moving away from Indianapolis, we find a little sumpin’ for the folks of Northwest Indiana. The 3rd Annual Illiana Mayfest will be hosted by Crown Brewing (recent gold medal winner at the World Beer Cup) at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Your ticket entitles you to four hours of sampling from 24 breweries including such favorites as Crown Brewing, Figure 8, Flat 12, Goose Island, Lafayette Brewing, People’s, Sun King, and Upland. A portion of the proceeds will benefit The Arc of Northwest Indiana. Tickets are on sale now and General Admission is available here.

Keg Liquors Fest of Ale Saturday, June 2nd 3-7pm St. Anthony’s of Padua 320 N Sherwood Ave, Clarksville Tickets: $25 in advance, $30 at gate, Designated Drivers admitted free

Next we move to the southeast for the 7th Annual Keg Liquors Fest of Ale. This festival features both beer and wine with more than 150 craft and import beers from more than 40 participating breweries along with samples from six fine wine distributors. Be sure to visit the House of Hops with a tent dedicated to fulfilling your desires for hoppy bliss. The St. Anthony’s Men’s Club will be cooking up hamburgers, brats, and hot dogs for hungry patrons. Proceeds from the event go to the WHAS Crusade for Children, who received over $7200 from last year’s event. Tickets are on sale now and available here.

Bloomington Craft Beer Festival Saturday, June 9th 4-7pm (3pm entrance for VIP)  Historic Woolery Stone Mill 2200 West Tapp Rd, Bloomington Tickets: $50 VIP, $35 General Admission ($40 at gate if available)

The Brewers of Indiana Guild bring the buzz back to Bloomington at the 2nd Annual Bloomington Craft Beer Festival. The setting at the Woolery Stone Mill provides a unique setting from sampling over 100 craft beers. Details on participating breweries were limited at press time, but it’s a good bet that you can count on finding most of your local favorites. Parking at the mill is limited and costs $10, but a free shuttle service will be provided from designated pick-up and drop-off locations. Tickets are on sale now and available here.

Fishers on Tap Thursday, June 14th 6:30-9:30pm Forum Conference and Convention Center 11313 USA Parkway, Fishers Tickets: $40 General Admission, $20 Designated Driver

The inaugural Fishers on Tap festival is brought to us by the Fishers Rotary Club as a first-of-its-kind fundraising event in Hamilton County. The event will be held at the Forum Conference and Convention Center and offers beer sampling from Barley Island, Bier Brewery, Flat 12, Sun King, Triton, and Upland. The event will be a flat-out Thursday night celebration including Hor d’oveuvres, beer education sessions, live music, raffles, and games of chance. The Fishers Rotary Club has donated over $650,000 to over 85 non-profit organizations locally and around the globe, and all proceeds from this event benefit local service agencies in Fishers and Hamilton County. Tickets are on sale now and available here.

History on Tap Friday, June 15th 6-10pm Conner Prairie 13400 Allisonville Rd, Fishers Tickets: $25 General Admission, $12 Designated Driver

If you didn’t get enough “on tap” entertainment the previous evening, head on over to History on Tap at Conner Prairie. There will be the requisite beer sampling from Bier Brewery, Flat 12, Fountain Square Brewery, Sun King, Upland, and more. But since you’re at Conner Prairie, there will also be the unique offerings of a keynote by Douglas Wissing, an evening adventure through 1836 Prairietown, and the 1859 Balloon Voyage. Aspiring brewers can witness craft brewing demonstrations by Tuxedo Park Brewers and food will be available at an additional cost. Tickets are on sale now and available here.

Phoenix Theatre Brew-Ha-Ha Saturday, June 23rd 3pm Outside the Phoenix Theatre 749 N Park Ave, Indianapolis Tickets: $30 in advance, $35 at the gate, $10 Designated Driver

The original, albeit by a small margin, beer festival in Indianapolis returns to bring the 17th annual celebration to devoted fans in central Indiana. Unlimited samples of over 50 different beers will be available along with live music and great food. The current posted list of breweries is clearly applicable to 2011 (RIP Bee Creek), but you can expect a lineup that has hit 20+ breweries in previous years. This event takes place in a classic street setting along the 700 block of North Park Ave (translation: limited shade, wear sunscreen). Proceeds from the event benefit the unique art of the Phoenix Theatre. Advance tickets can be purchased on the Phoenix’s website here.

17th Annual Indiana Microbrewers Festival Saturday, July 14th 3-7pm (VIP entrance at 2pm) Optimist Park and Indianapolis Art Center E 67th St and Ferguson (Broad Ripple), Indianapolis Tickets: $50 VIP, $40 General Admission

The Brewers of Indiana Guild will unleash the Big Dog of the summer beer festival season on July 14th. Back for its 17th assault upon Optimist Park in Broad Ripple, and expanding the chaos to the grounds of the Indianapolis Art Center, this is the largest craft beer celebration of the season. Expect to see all your favorite Indiana breweries, regional favorites like Bell’s and Founders, national selections from local distributors, and special features like the Firkin Tent. The expanded grounds offer some opportunity for finding shade, unique settings for live music, and completely losing track of your friends. Tickets are not on sale yet, but watch for updates and plan to buy early as this event is a very good bet to sellout. Practice up on your keg throwing skills!

Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Festival Friday, July 27th 5-9pm and Saturday, July 28th 1-6pm Riverside Park 5 E Cross St, Ypsilanti Tickets: $30 Friday, $35 Saturday (the website mentions gate tickets at a slightly higher rate, but I wouldn’t count on many being available)

OK, so this is an outlier from Indiana, but it makes for a great weekend road trip and I wanted to share some insights after attending the last two years. The good: this is an amazing festival consisting exclusively of beer from Michigan breweries (no interlopers allowed). You will have the chance to sample beers from breweries that may be current favorites (Arcadia, Bell’s, Dark Horse, Founders, Jolly Pumpkin) along with those you may be in the process of discovering (Arbor Brewing, Kuhnhenn, Liberty Street, Odd Side, Short’s, The Livery). The bad: Archaic local laws require the use of tokens for samples. You will be allocated a certain number of tokens with your ticket, but will be able to purchase more once inside (and the enforcement of token exchange can be…uh…lax). Similar to our festival in Broad Ripple, there are no hotels within easy walking distance, so factor in some cab rides to your travel budget. The Friday night crowd size is a bit more sane, but Saturday will bring out more opportunities to sample rare brews. This event proves the level of respect for the Michigan beer scene has been well-earned. Advance tickets are on sale and available here.

Brew Haven 2012 Saturday, August 4th 2-6pm (VIP entrance at 1pm) Main Street Downtown New Haven Tickets: $60 VIP Package, $35 General Admission ($45 at gate), $5 Designated Driver

Staking their claim for the premier festival in Northeast Indiana, the Trion Tavern returns with Brew Haven 2012 in downtown New Haven! They already have more than 30 breweries lined up and you can expect more to be added as we approach the event date (find the latest list here). There is currently a healthy mix of Indiana and Michigan breweries including Bell’s, Founders, New Holland, Mad Anthony, Crown, and Figure 8. As an added bonus, the local homebrew club MASH will be serving up 50 of the finest homebrews the state has to offer. Advance tickets will go on sale June 1st and can be purchased here. The VIP package will get you one hour earlier admission, an event t-shirt, and access to VIP-only pourings.

Beers Across the Wabash Saturday, August 25th 12-4pm John T. Myers Pedestrian Bridge Over the Wabash River (between downtown Lafayette and West Lafayette) Tickets: TBA

Details are limited at this time, but we have it on good authority that Lafayette’s new summer beer festival is moving forward. The event is being planned as a precursor to the Uptown Jazz & Blues festival that starts at 5pm on the same day. A little pre-party should make the jazz crowds a bit more interesting! Stay tuned for future updates – we will share details as soon as they’re available.

Whew, that’s a lot of festivals……thanks for sticking with me to this point. Of course, there is still time for new events and additional details to pop up. Remember that you can “Like Us” on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all the latest updates! Stay safe and enjoy the events!

Recap of the First Annual Brew Haven Craft Beer Festival (Trion Tavern) - Sept. 24

On August 6th, the First Annual Brew Haven Craft Beer Festival took place at Trion Tavern, in New Haven, IN.  The day was hot and humid, but it did not stop the 500 attendees from partaking in the many, many craft beers that were available for sampling along with many, many homebrewed beers from the Mad Anthony Serious Homebrewers club.

There were 500 tickets for sale for the festival and the festival was a sellout.  The lines at times for beer and food were long, but well worth the wait.  Thank goodness there were numerous fans inside the tent to try and keep people as cool as possible due to the amount of people inside the tent and the high humidity.  There were also tables outside of the tent and there was more beer and food inside the Trion Tavern for those that wanted/needed to take a break from the humid outdoor conditions.

All-in-all, this was a fun beer festival to attend with a lot of good beer, the attendees were having a good time sampling the wide variety of beers, and it was well organized.  I personally thank Greg and Adam for their hospitality and for their time and hard work that was put into making this their First Annual Brew Haven Craft Beer Festival a big success.

Mark your calendar for the 2nd Annual Brew Haven Craft Beer Festival to take place on Saturday, August 4, 2012.

Fort Wayne and Beyond Events - Sept. 22

Today at Dicky's Wild Hare beginning at 3:30p.m. they will be celebrating the addition of five more taps bringing their tap total to 15.  Come out and help celebrate and see what beers they have to offer.  (Must be 21 yrs. of age or older with valid photo ID to consume beer at this establishment)

Also today at 800 Degrees Wood Fired Oven Pizza they will tapping a keg of Bell's Oracle Dbl. IPA at 6p.m.  Also available will be Bell's Oberon and Octoberfest, Hair of the Dog Adam, and Boulevard Collaboration #2 White IPA.

Tomorrow, Friday, September 23rd, Cap n' Cork (Dupont Rd.) will be having a FREE beer tasting from 5p.m.-7p.m. featuring Oktoberfest beers from approximately 20 different breweries.  Come out and sample some of these beers and perhaps find a new beer to enjoy this Fall.  (Must be 21 yrs. of age or older with valid photo ID)

On Saturday, October 1st, Dash-In will be having a Bell's Extravaganza event featuring 8 specialty beers and one firkin as the Dash-In salutes Oktoberfest and the Fall season.  More details to come. 

On Saturday, October 8th, from 1p.m.-5p.m., Deer Park Irish Pub, will be having their 2nd Annual Deer Park Pub Craft Beer Festival.  The cost is $25 per person and this includes samples of dozens of craft beers from around the country as well as samples of homebrewed beers.  Food and music will also be available during the event.  Tickets can be purchased at Deer Park Irish Pub, Belmont Beverage stores, or at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/194080.  Get your tickets before this event sells out!! (Must be 21 yrs. of age or older with valid photo ID)

Here are some upcoming events at Crown Brewing in Crown Point, IN for those readers in that area or if any of our readers will be in the Crown Point, IN area:

  On October, 1st, they will be releasing their first Cask Conditioned Ale in celebration of Cask
  Ale Week -  Crown Brown Real Ale.

  On October 8th, the city of Crown Point and Crown Brewing will be having an Oktoberfest on Main Street from 3p.m.-11p.m.  There will be a beer garden, three bands, food vendors, games, contests, and kid friendly activities.  They also will be pouring beers from Sun King.