The lively crowd at AleFest.
Yesterday I attended the 8th year of AleFest at Aladdin Shrine Center in Columbus. Similar to the previously reviewed Beerfest, AleFest is also a craft beer festival. This year they boasted more than 100 breweries and over 250 craft beers including rare draught lagers and ales, as well as cask ales. There were approximately 15 new breweries and 25 to 30 beers that weren’t available last year, including 4 to 6 gluten-free beers. The gluten-free beers were all in the same area so I did a run-by to see what was available, however I didn’t notice any that I haven’t previously sampled.
Within our first handful of samples, my friend and I targeted the three cask ales we could find at the event, Citra Dog from Thirsty Dog, Columbus IPA from Columbus Brewing Company, and Brown Stoat Stout from Weasel Boy. The Citra Dog was by far our favorite of the three, it was very smooth, hoppy, and pleasantly oaky. A few other notable beers that we ran across were the Monk’s Café Flemish Sour Ale, Ten FIDY, and Hoppin’ Frog / Amager (Bryghus).
My AleFest “Sampled Beers” List
AleFest Sampler
A little about my rating system below. I log all the “new” beers (anything I haven’t had previously or have not recorded previously) on my Beer Advocate profile, then rate them according to their rating scale of 1-5, while evaluating appearance, smell, taste, mouthfeel, and overall impressions. For each beer below I’ve also listed its style, ABV, and my rating and any notes.
- My Antonia – Dogfish Head Brewery
American Double / Imperial Pilsner (7.50% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 3
- Founders Imperial Stout – Founders Brewing Company
Russian Imperial Stout (10.50% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 3.75
- Citra Dog – Thirsty Dog Brewing Company
American IPA (7.70% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 3.85
- Columbus IPA – Double Dry Hopped – Columbus Brewing Company
American IPA (6.50% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 3.25
- Brown Stoat Stout – Weasel Boy Brewing Company
American Stout (6.20% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 3.25
- Great Lakes Loch Erie Scotch Ale – Great Lakes Brewing Company
Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy (8.30% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 2.5
- Monk’s Café Flemish Sour Ale – Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Flanders Oud Bruin (5.50% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 4.5 – This was a surprise favorite of the evening for me, especially because I don’t typically go for Sour Ales.
- AleSmith Nut Brown Ale – AleSmith Brewing Company
English Brown Ale (5.00% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 3
- Hop Stoopid – Lagunitas Brewing Company
American Double / Imperial IPA (8.00% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 3.25
- There Will Be Black (Brewmaster’s Reserve Winter 2012) – Brooklyn Brewery
American Black Ale (7.50% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 3
- Rodenbach Grand Cru – Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V.
Flanders Red Ale (6.00% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 3.25
- Resin – Sixpoint
American Double / Imperial IPA (9.10% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 3.25
- Ten FIDY – Oskar Blues Brewing Company
Russian Imperial Stout (10.50% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 4.5 – The Ten FIDY definitely lives up to the hype – I haven’t had it since they started distributing to Ohio but I definitely thought it was tasty and will be drinking it again!
- 3 Monts Amber Ale On Lees – Brasserie De Saint-Sylvestre
Bière de Garde (9.00% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 3
- Hoppin’ Frog / Amager (Bryghus) Frog Hops From Amager – Hoppin’ Frog Brewery
American Double / Imperial Stout (7.80% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 4
- Dark Horse Tres Blueberry Stout – Dark Horse Brewing Company
American Stout (7.50% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 3.25
- Baba Black Lager – Uinta Brewing Company
Schwarzbier (4.00% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 3
- Last Chance IPA – Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
American IPA (5.90% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 3
- Stodgy Brown – Zauber Brewing Company
Altbier (5.20% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 2.75
- Four C’s American Pale Ale – The Brew Kettle Taproom & Smokehouse / Production Works
American Pale Ale (6.00% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 3
- St. Peter’s Cream Stout – St. Peter’s Brewery Co Ltd
Milk / Sweet Stout (6.50% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 3.25
- Matilda – Goose Island Beer Co.
Belgian Strong Pale Ale (7.00% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 4
- Irish Red Ale – Buckeye Lake Brewery
Irish Red Ale (ABV Unknown)
Tasty Mug Rating: 2.75
- Milk Stout – Widmer Brothers Brewing Company
Milk / Sweet Stout (7.60% ABV)
Tasty Mug Rating: 3.25
Diligently writing my beer notes.
Summed Up
I’d definitely call this year’s AleFest a success. Despite the undesirable cold, snowy weather outside, the vibe inside was lively and festive, with many folks participating in the “tropical attire” theme, sporting coconut tops, leis and Hawaiian shirts. There was a variety of beer choices, definitely something for everyone, and the live entertainment by Nick Mitchell was very good as well – he was great at performing cover songs (I especially enjoyed his renditions from Johnny Cash and Neil Diamond).
Overall, I would say that AleFest wins the award for ambiance and vibe from the crowd, but Beerfest wins for their brewery and beer selection.
So what’s the bottom line? The best solution is to go to BOTH of course!
Until next year!
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