The 3rd Annual World Beer Festival Cleveland will happen this Saturday at Jacobs Pavilion. In other words, this weekend brings Clevelanders another opportunity to experience a high-class four-hour power hour.
We’re not talking about Miller Lite here — this festival features brews from 27 Ohio breweries and more than 50 other regional, national and Belgian breweries. Your ticket will get you 40 chances to try said beers.
Attendees have the choice of a general admission ticket for $40 or a VIP ticket for $75. Each ticket includes a souvenir glass, 40 taste tickets, water and entertainment. The general admission ticket is a good deal if you optimize your time drinking. Even if you aren’t feeling adventurous, you have 40 chances to just find a beer or style you enjoy and drink the crap out of that. Additionally, your festival ticket actually provides access to other festivals over the course of the day: the Belgian Bier Festival and the Cask Ale Festival. In addition, folks interested in the brewing process should check out the Art of Beer Experience from Great Lakes Brewing Co., a collection of informational seminars, beer samples and the Beer Equipment Pavilion.
I recommend the VIP ticket (currently sold out, check your favorite secondary market) for beer lovers and aficionados alike. The VIP ticket gives you early access to the festival and early access to brews from Deschutes Brewery, Brewery Ommegang, Smuttynose Brewing Co., Goose Island Beer Co., Thirsty Dog Brewing Co., Great Lakes Brewing Co., Hoppin’ Frog Brewery and many more. I have my eyes on the VIP exclusive brew from Thirsty Dog, their barrel-aged barley wine named “Bernese.”
Look for Barrio tacos, B&M BBQ, Frank’s Bratwurst, Papa Nick’s Calzone, Screamin’ Sicilian and Sterle’s Country House Truck on site to fill your stomach throughout the day with something other than beer. Third Street Collective will also provide live music all day long.
Don't want to shell out for admission? Consider volunteering. Volunteers must be over the age of 21 years old and will receive a half-year subscription of All About Beer Magazine and a festival volunteer shirt. You will get to experience the atmosphere without paying for a ticket and volunteers usually get access to free samples of beer as you can’t talk about the beer you’re pouring if you haven’t tried it. The festival also offers designated driver tickets for $20 for the true heroes of Cleveland.
It all takes place on Saturday, June 13, at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Go. Have fun.
