Ale Fest Dayton

When it hits about mid-summer my mind tends to think of one event: Ale Fest.

Alefest is probably the best way to spend an afternoon in Dayton in late August. Carillon Park is a fantastic venue for a number of reasons. It is somewhat close to the river, the Bells are impressive to drink under and the field in which it is held is plenty big and no one feels crowded. Plus, it paradoxically raises money for the Diabetes Foundation by…that’s right serving alcohol.

I would recommend getting there about 15 minutes early as you need to get your 10oz glass and your tickets (25 in total) for your beer. The ticket system is definitely the way to go as I could only imagine the already long lines otherwise. It is fast, easy and often you can forget to put your ticket in their jar and end up with a bonus beer toward the end of the event…as if you need that last one anyway.

Honorable Mention beers from last year:

• Hoegaarden
• Dogfish head 60 Minute IPA (Two years ago they dry hopped 90 minute at the event)
• Great Lakes Blackout Stout

I hope to report that many more discoveries will happen on August 23^rd. I actually plan on having a bunch of people over afterward this year to keep the festivities moving. If only we had a brewery in Dayton like Christian Moerlein or the Hofbrauhaus.