Bock On: The Bockfest Beer Festival in Over-the-Rhine, Cinncinati

Have you ever wanted to see a goat pulling a ceremonial keg of bock beer, followed by the reigning Sausage Queen? Then road trip over to Bockfest this year in first weekend in March. Held in Cincinnati, Ohio's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, Bockfest is the oldest and largest beer festival in the United States. The historically German-American Over-the-Rhine is known for it's authentic German food, bock beer and breweries, which provide much of the festivals's frosty pints.

The weekend-long celebration begins Friday night at the Arnold Bar and Grill, the oldest saloon in the city, and the rest of the weekend is filled with live entertainment, walking tours, brewery contests and best of all, plenty of pints of traditional bock beer. If you are a brewery lover or just want a few pint souvenirs, take one of Bockfest's Over-the-Rhine brewery tours to get a first-hand look at how bock beer is made.

Bockfest is actually the end of what locals call “Bockfest” season, which lasts through January and February and includes Pretzelfest, the Sausage Queen competition, Steins in the Rhine and other bock-inspired events. Bockfest is the largest of these events, and draws in the biggest pint-guzzling crowds.

For college students traveling on a shoestring, Bockfest is 100% free, and local hotels run specials for festival goers. If you want to really get your bock on, consider purchasing a Bockfest T-shirt, which comes with Happy Hour discounts throughout the city. Keep in mind that bock has a higher alcohol content than other types of beer—it was so filling and alcohol-rich that it was traditionally used as a nutritional supplement during Catholic Lent—so you may want to bring a friend along to keep an eye on you (and your bock).

by Ella Whardon

Photos/Videos:

http://www.urbancincy.com/2010/03/bockfest-is-about-beer-history-and-so-much-more/

http://www.urbancincy.com/2010/03/make-your-plans-now-for-bockfest-2010/