Craft beer growing at Riverroots music and folk arts festival

The Craft Beer division of the RiverRoots Music and Folk Arts Festival has been given a boost due to a beer tent sponsorship from the Brewers of Indiana Guild. The popular festival is perfectly timed to craft beer activities because it falls on National American Craft Beer Week, May 12 through 18. 

“American Craft Beer Week is the mother of all beer weeks,” said RiverRoots Craft Beer Coordinator Don Clapham. “American Craft Beer Week is the annual celebration of small and independent craft brewers, their craft and the American beer culture. We are proud to proclaim our own local, “Madison Craft Beer Week”.” 

There will be several craft beer related activities during the week before the RiverRoots festival. Each will allow the RiverRoots Craft Beer Committee to highlight one of the feature beers from the festival at local restaurants. Special Madison Craft Beer Week events will be:

• Tuesday, May 13, Key West Shrimp House will feature a beer and food pairing with the Great Crescent Brewery.
• Wednesday, May 14, The 605 Grille, offers a beer and food pairing with Power House Brewery.
• Thursday, May 16, The Bone Yard Grill will host the RiverRoots kickoff event with live music with a beer and food pairing with New Albanian Brewery.
• Friday May 17 & Saturday May 18 is the RiverRoots Music and Folk Arts Festival.

Another Craft Beer feature of RiverRoots will be the Tap Room Only Kegs. There will be periodic announcements from the stage concerning the tapping of limited quantity special “Tap Room Only Kegs” in the Craft Beer Tent. This will allow our festival goers to experiences beers normally reserved only for those that visit the breweries themselves. 

Five Indiana micro breweries with 15 different brews will be at the festival this year. The list of craft brewers includes Sun King from Indianapolis, Upland from Bloomington, and Power House from Columbus, New Albanian from New Albany, and Great Crescent from the Aurora / Cincinnati area.
There is also an event for makers of craft beer. This will be the 3rd year for the RiverRoots Brew-Off competition for home brewers. The style chosen for this year’s competition is American Ale with three sub categories; American Pale Ale, American Amber Ale and American Brown Ale. Detailed information is available on the RiverRoots web site.

The 9th Annual RiverRoots Music and Folk and Art Festival will be held on the riverfront in Madison, Indiana, on Friday and Saturday, May 17-18. For tickets and a full list of performers, activities and show times go to www.RiverRoots.org, or call 800-559-2956.