We were so excited to celebrate the fifth annual Columbus Craft Beer Week with central Ohio's beer lovers back in 2019. What started as a handful of niche events evolved into a nine-day juggernaut showcasing craft brews from Columbus and beyond.

As you can imagine, we're even more excited to celebrate the sixth annual Columbus Craft Beer Week with you now in 2022 after the pandemic forced us to cancel the past two years. We'd be lying if we said the hiatus didn't sting a little. It stung a lot, actually. 

Columbus Craft Beer Week and Six One Pour: The Ohio Craft Beer Fest are both fundraisers for the Ohio Craft Brewers Association : we're the non-profit organization established to promote and protect our state's independent breweries. The loss of two years' worth of event income meant we had to get creative with fundraising in order to fulfill our mission.

Last year, more than 70 Ohio breweries made a batch of From the Heart, our first-ever statewide collaboration beer, to help us raise funds during the pandemic. It was such a hit that we're doing it again: From the Heart Volume 2 will be released at breweries all over the state just in time for the start of Columbus Craft Beer Week. Many of them will also have some limited edition From the Heart pint glasses available – two years of Ohio Pint Day promotions have taught us that y'all really love glassware! – so keep your eyes peeled for those.

More than two years since the start of the pandemic, we're starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel. That means the return to in-person beer events, in particular, Six One Pour: The Ohio Craft Beer Fest on Saturday, May 14. We moved this event to COSI back in 2019 and will keep it there in 2022 with one big change. We're taking over the whole building this time around, so you can explore the museum exhibits and sip on some standout beers from nearly 60 Ohio breweries. You can still pick up tickets online here or at the door for Six One Pour, join us!

Beyond being a fundraiser for the Ohio Craft Brewers Association, Columbus Craft Beer Week has become one of the best ways for local breweries, bars and restaurants to show off for the community of central Ohio craft beer enthusiasts. More than a dozen local breweries are releasing new beers during the week's events, including some experimental, style-bending collaborations that have to be tasted to be believed.

While the beer is always the biggest draw, Columbus Craft Beer Week will also feature numerous charity events, beer education sessions, food and beer pairings, games and outdoor activities hosted by breweries, bars and restaurants all over the city. There's an immense amount of fun planned for these nine days: you can pick up a print program at any of our participating venues, your favorite Columbus taproom or your neighborhood Giant Eagle store and consult the online event listings at columbusbeerweek.com. Check in at any 3 Columbus Craft Beer Week venues to earn the 2022 CCBW Untappd badge.

Finally, we'd like to thank Giant Eagle for once again sponsoring Columbus Craft Beer Week and sticking with us through the uncertainty of our two-year hiatus. As they have for the previous five incarnations, they'll host a kickoff party at the Grandview Yard Market District on Friday, May 13. Swing by, sip on brews from a dozen local breweries and start Columbus Craft Beer Week with a bang.

It's great to be back. We'll see you out and about!