Mountaineer Brewfest returns: Showcasing West Virginia's booming craft beer scene and supporting local charities

OHIO COUNTY, W.Va. — Mountaineer Brewfest is back for another party at the port.

From bag pipes to barbecue to brews, Saturday’s festival has it all.

"They are going to have fantastic craft beers here, so you want to come in, you want to use your sample tabs on your wrist band and find some beers, find something you like," said Jeff Hayes, president, Mountaineer Brew fest.

Seventeen West Virginia craft brewers will line Water Street overlooking Heritage Port, almost triple the number of venders on hand when the event started.

"We really watched the West Virginia craft brewers grow over the years," Hayes said.

The state only had six brewers in the beginning. Now there are 26 and counting.

"One of the things I wanted to do was introduce the Northern Panhandle to what we have in the state of West Virginia regarding craft brewers," Hayes said.

One of the newest additions to this year's festival is the Freefolk Brewery, out of Fayettville, W.Va.

Its mission is to create an art and community-centered brewery based on Appalachian culture and outdoor recreations.

"We do a lot of beer focused around the geography of the region,” said Summer Lee, director of sales and marketing, Freefolk Brewery.

“We have an Orange Oswald, which is climbing-related, we have a Shoe Crew, which is like our winter white ale for Snowshoe, and they have a series, and we also do a series called the Wild and Free series."

It focuses on endangered animals in Appalachia and donates proceeds to charity. Some of the beers within the series will be seen in Wheeling this weekend.

New this year will be a banner that points out facts on the history of brewers before the prohibition days.

“It’s going to lead into some more things for our 10th year next year,” Hayes hinted.

And finally, all proceeds will benefit the Family Service-Upper Ohio Valley.

For more information, including tickets, click here.

Music at Mountaineer Brewfest

In addition to the best of West Virginia's brewers, there's entertainment throughout the event.

Starting with The Hooch playing for the VIPI tour at 2.

Spinning Jenny takes the main stage at 4:30 p.m. Then it's Sydney Mack from Nashville at 6:30 and headliner “Liquid A” out of Philadelphia beginning at 8:30.