Courtesy of Visit Fairfield County
Lancaster Brewfest
Calling all hopheads, the Lancaster Brewfest is the real deal. Organized by a fellow beer fanatic, this festival brings a unique tasting experience with opportunities to learn more about the craft.
Starting at 5 p.m. Aug. 19, this one-day festival showcases 30 local Ohio breweries, three musical acts and six unique food vendors, all lined up in Downtown Lancaster. This year marks the festival’s 10th anniversary and is set to be the biggest and best one yet.
Modest but Memorable
While Lancaster Brewfest is significantly smaller than festivals such as Columbus Beerfest or Cincy Beerfest, Aaron Uhl, event organizer, says this is intentional and adds to the experience.
“It’s just way too much when you have 50 breweries to go through,” Uhl says. “You want to try to have all sorts of different experiences with brews.”
These larger festivals can have more than 100 breweries present, but Uhl only accepts a maximum of 30 breweries and limits how many tickets can be sold. This is to ensure that attendees get an intimate look at these local breweries and what they have to offer.
Uhl says the event is often a great place for making new connections based on a mutual love of brews. This also gives attendees a chance to ask any questions they have about the process of creating high-quality alcoholic beverages.
“A lot of people do like to hear about the brewing process, how they make the beer, what kind of technique they use, so I like to offer that to people, to get a chance to talk to the breweries,” he says.
Combustion Brewery and Taproom in Pickerington regularly attend the festival as a local establishment. Co-owner of Combustion, Keith Jackson, says the smaller setting is also an advantage for participating breweries.
“It’s great for socializing, it’s outside, it’s definitely a little bit more conducive to us being able to have conversations with potential people that might be interested in our beer,” Jackson says.
Ticketing Options
Both VIP and general admission tickets are available for purchase. VIP ticket holders can enter the festival at 3 p.m., two hours early, and enjoy shorter lines and special drink offerings. They also don’t have to worry about any of the drinks running out before they can get a taste.
Those who arrive after 8 p.m. can purchase discounted late-night passes, but these attendees will only get 90 minutes or less of festival time since festivities officially conclude at 9:30 p.m. There is also a good chance that some drinks will have run out by the end of the night.
In addition, to drink packages, the festival also offers discounted designated driver tickets for those who want to join in on the fun but aren’t keen on the drinks. These tickets allow admission into the festival but don’t include access to the tastings.
Courtesy of Visit Fairfield County
Lancaster Brewfest
Something for Everyone
Those who aren’t participating in the tastings can still enjoy the local bands and food. A new addition this year, they may even want to sign up for a pedal wagon ride.
“It’s really fun to watch,” Jackson says. “That really makes it more of an experience rather than just drinking beer, just gives you something more to do, or if you’re not into drinking, it still makes the experience.”
On the entertainment lineup this year is the singer/songwriters of the Jamie Sagle Band, Reggae Band Bob Ras and ‘70s/’80s tribute band, Popgun, comprised of some of the most famed Columbus musicians.
“[Popgun] is probably one of the best Columbus bands I’ve seen in a while,” Uhl says. “This will be their third time playing at Brewfest, so I love having them back for the 10-year anniversary. If you’ve never heard Popgun, this is a band you definitely want to check out.”
Just as there is a variety of drinks and music genres, the food options at the event will also be diverse. Attendees can enjoy American bar food such as burgers, fries, pizza, and hot dogs, as well as BBQ options and even Mediterranean dishes and shawarmas. For dessert, you can enjoy a gourmet popsicle from Frios.
Community Focused
Because many of the breweries at the fest will be local to the region, for example, Double Edge Brewing in Lancaster, Lose Rail Brewing in Canal Winchester, and East Side Brewing in Reynoldsburg, this festival is a great way to support local businesses in the area.
Courtesy of Visit Fairfield County
Lancaster Brewfest
“I can speak for Combustion and many other local breweries, we’re a community partner,” Jackson says. “We do a lot within the community and we are a community gathering space.”
Jackson also says that local breweries often have more flexibility to experiment with drinks and create unique offerings that larger companies aren’t offering.
“There’s just a lot of really creative things going on in the local craft beer market, creative individuals and teams putting together great beers that don't always line up with preconceived notions,” he says.
Focusing on the community also gives breweries an opportunity to give back and support local causes. For example, Combustion will be offering their Pelotonia Pilsner with $1 per pint or 6-pack purchase going to the Pelotonia organization.
Maisie Fitzmaurice is an assistant editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
