For nearly four decades Bob’s Bar has been tucked away in a small spot just south of the Graceland Shopping Center. For the first 25 years, it was your typical Joe Lunchbucket bar selling pitchers of macro brews; in fact, their three taps all poured Busch. That all changed 14 years ago when Bob’s Bar was on the brink of closing its doors. Brothers Mike and Chris Beck hated to see the bar go, so they bought it, and after extensive renovations Bob’s Bar emerged four months later as a craft beer bar; perhaps the first in Columbus. Mike hung the modest moniker ‘The Cultural Hub of the Midwest’ above their new endeavor, and it has since become a Clintonville classic.
Bob’s Bar started with a modest six taps, but over the years has found spots to squeeze in 30 more. Their 36 taps now feature a constantly changing array of American crafts along with a handful of classic world beers. The only constants are Founders and Columbus Brewing. The Beck brothers forged early relationships with these two breweries more than a dozen years ago, and that long lasting loyalty means that there will ALWAYS be a least one tap pouring Founders and at least one pouring a CBC offering.
Fast forward to 2016, and the 14th Anniversary Extravaganza for the ‘new’ Bob’s Bar is set for February 27th. During the 15-hour Extravaganza, you’ll find 60 beers on tap. So how do you do that with only 36 taps? You blow a whole lot of kegs! Rich Good is organizing their beer list for this blowout event.
“This is really an appreciation day for our loyal customers, and it’s always a blast,” said Good. “Our distributors know this event is a big deal and they stash away some special beers for us.”
The final beer lineup for the event will released on their website the night before the event. Among those beers already confirmed are Bell’s Hopslam, Fat Head’s Hop JuJu, Tripel Karmellet, and Jackie O’s Bourbon Barrel Aged Dark Apparition.
In addition – “We have kegs next door that we have been cellar aging for a year,” said Good.
The only one he was willing to divulge was a 2014 New Holland Dragon’s Milk Stout on Raspberries. Yum! Special firkins will also be tapped every two hours starting at noon.
And then there are the door prizes that will be given away starting in the late afternoon. These will include everything from glassware and brewery signs up to a Breckenridge snowboard. Get a wristband when you enter to be eligible for the drawings.
Bob’s Bar’s 14th Anniversary Extravaganza will take place Saturday, February 27 from 11am-2am. Bob’s Bar is located at 4961 N High St in Clintonville.
