From Newsgroup: alt.beer

Twenty years ago, Bockfest was organized to promote Christian
Moerlein’s new bock beer. Though “organized” might be putting it too strongly. It was a rag-tag group dressed in monk’s outfits walking
through the street and celebrating the beer by drinking plenty of it.

Since then, Bockfest has grown along with interest in craft beer and Cincinnati’s brewing history, and with investment in Over-the-Rhine.

“It started as a promotion for Moerlein’s bock,” said Steve Hampton, executive director of The Brewery District, “but people who live here
and who came to the fest took charge of it as a grassroots festival.”

It has grown from a one-day party to a full weekend, with events
leading up to it for several weeks. And it has grown to encompass more
than beer: Popular events include tours of Over-the-Rhine that show
off the neighborhood’s German and brewing heritage.

With many new restaurants, bars and retailers in Over-the-Rhine,
events occur not only in the central location of Bockfest Hall, but in
lots of spots around the area.

Here’s a few basic things to know:

Bock beer

It’s a spring beer, traditionally brewed by monks who fasted during
Lent, but sustained themselves with this malty, low-hop version of
lager.

Bock means goat, hence the goat mascot of the festival. You’ll be able
to drink many variations of bock beer this weekend.

The bock at Bockfest will all be from local brewers; at bars in the neighborhood, you can try national and international brands. There’s
also a home brewer’s contest, with last year’s winner served this
year.

Over-the-Rhine

The canal that ran where Central Parkway was referred to sardonically
as The Rhine when German immigrants began populating the area north of
it. There is German-American history everywhere in the neighborhood.

It was once home to a dozen breweries, mostly owned by Germans. Of
course it all came to a screeching halt with the passage of
Prohibition.

You can take tours of the historic breweries, of historic churches and
of historic buildings that have been re-purposed for modern living.

Sign up on the website; these tours usually sell out. For the
breweries, go to www.cincinnatibrewery tours.com or call 513-604-9812.
For the churches and historic buildings, go to www.otrfoundation .org
or call 513-721-1225.

The Sausage Queen

Where there’s German beer, there’s sausages, and Bockfest celebrates
that with a Sausage Queen contest, an irreverent, gender-neutral
version of a beauty pageant/talent competition.

Semi-finals have been going on around town: This year’s winner will be crowned on Saturday night.

This has often been a rather improvised contest, but Hampton said
participants “have really been gunning for it” this year.

The Parade

When: 6 p.m. Friday
Where: Starts at Arnold’s, 210 E. 8th St., Downtown, and proceeds up
Main Street to Bockfest Hall, the Moerlein Brewery event hall at 1619
Moore St., Over-the-Rhine.
Sign up: Register by 5:30 p.m. if you’d like to be in the parade.
Contact: 513-604-9812, www.bockfest.com

Bockfest Hall schedule

1619 Moore St., Over-the-Rhine

Friday

5 p.m.: Hall opens
7 p.m.: Blessing of the Beer (at the end of the parade)
7:30 p.m.: Music by Jake Speed and the Freddies
8:30 p.m.: The Bier Band
9:30-11 p.m: Jake Speed and the Freddies

Saturday

9 a.m.: Hall opens
9:40 a.m.: Brewery and church tours start
Noon: Steins and Breweriana Displays, author visits, Bloatarian
Brewing League Home Brewing Competition
4 p.m.: Music by Lagniappe
7-8:30 p.m.: Sausage Queen Final
9 p.m.-midnight: Music by My Sister Sarah

Sunday

10 a.m.: Hall opens
10:40 a.m.: Brewery and church tours start
Noon: Steins and Breweriana Displays, author visits
1-7 p.m.: Continental Sunday with German music and dancing

Participating venues

Arnold’s Bar and Grill, 210 E. 8th St., Downtown: Biergarten opens 4-8
p.m. Friday with music by Todd Hepburn, 46 Long and The Cincy Brass.
Saturday includes the Craft Menagerie indie craft mall, music by Todd
Hepburn, Noah Wotherspoon and the Dancing Pigs. Sunday’s brunch runs
from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. with Rich Landrum jazz at 11 a.m.

Cafe Martin at Garfield Suites, 2 Garfield Place, Downtown: Bock Beer
Tasting with Mike Carver, brewmaster at Christian Moerlein, 2-4 p.m.
Saturday.

City Cellars, 908 Race Street, Downtown: Draft specials, Pandora's
Bock and City Cellars pizza all weekend.

The Drinkery, 1150 Main St., Over-the-Rhine: Music by Chuck Brisbin
and the Tuna Project on Friday, Stays in Vegas on Saturday and Lucky
Spaulding on Sunday.

Grammer’s, 1440 Walnut St., Over-the-Rhine: German menu all weekend.
Music by The Bier Band on Friday.

Japps, 1134 Main St., Over-the-Rhine: Beer cocktails all weekend long.
Do Do Dance Party on Friday and Saturday nights.

Mayberry, 1211 Main St., Over-the-Rhine: Music by KingFish Friday and
Saturday nights, with a Bockwurst eating contest 3 p.m. Saturday.

Milton’s Prospect Hill Tavern, 301 Milton St., Over-the-Rhine.

MOTR Pub, 1345 Main St., Over-the-Rhine: Beer, Brats, Bands & Beer all
weekend. Music by Team Void with Dr. Bombay & the Atomic Bachelor Pad
on Friday and Buffalo Killers on Saturday. Brunch 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Sunday.

Neons Unplugged, 208 East 12th St., Over-the-Rhine. Zinzinnati Bier
Band on Friday.

Washington Platform, 1000 Elm St., Downtown: Special Bockfest menu
including Bockwurst sandwiches and dinners plus guided tours of their
own lagering cellars. Music Friday by the Mike Sharfe Trio at 5:30
p.m. and Ricky Nye Inc. at 8 p.m. Saturday music by the Faux Frenchman
at 8 p.m. Sunday brunch from noon-4 p.m. with music by the Cincinnati
Dancing Pigs.

See more event information at www.bockfest.com

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120301/ENT/303010209

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