Mike has been at the helm of Mt. Carmel since its inception in 2005 in Union Township. Mt. Carmel has been notable in its almost immediate rise to the top of beer ratings. Offering a selection of four beers until now, Mt. Carmel will be premiering its newest brew, the IPA, at this weekend's festival.
  
Do you, as a modern Cincy craft brewer, feel particularly connected to Oktoberfest and its connection to Cincy's brewery district?

• The 2008 Cincinnati Oktoberfest is shaping up to be one of the best in recent years with regard to a connection with local brews. We are looking forward to participating for the first time and contributing to this great tradition. I don't feel our involvement in 2008 necessarily reflects any connection with a historic Cincy brewery district, but rather the next chapter. This event began 32 years ago while the oldest participating local brewery was purchased 11 years ago. This event is important however to the modern breweries operating here today. We have all been given the opportunity to showcase our products to a growing market and bring awareness to our industry. Heck, we all get to eat really good German sausage too.

What is your favorite part/what do you recommend?

• Although we are not able to lager any beer ourselves, I enjoy finding the best of show with regard to the seasonal offerings. I recommend taking time to appreciate the many that go out of their way to create such an outstanding Oktoberfest atmosphere.

What's going on at Mt Carmel to prepare for Oktoberfest/What beer do you have in store for us? Will you have a booth up downtown?

• Pretty much business as usual at the brewery, with the exception of our recent power outage and our realignment of distribution. We will have our event truck at the event serving five ales including our newest IPA.

How do you, as a craft brewer, feel about the sponsorship change from Anheuser to Boston Beer Co. for this year's festival?

• I think this year's sponsorship change is a great swing for craft beer. A/B Inbev plays a very important role in the brewery industry and we do need them, however this change in sponsorship could be a sign of an increasing awareness of craft beer in the tri-state. It may not be Portland, Oregon but you have to start somewhere.

Special Thanks to Mike and Mt. Carmel Brewing Company. Mt. Carmel's IPA will be available at Oktoberfest along with their Blonde Ale, Copper Ale, Nut Brown Ale, and Stout. Phone: 513.240.2739. Web: www.mtcarmelbrewingcompany.com.