CINCINNATI — Like a secluded pre-industrial tribe that shuns contact with the outside world, Cincinnati will celebrate National Chili Day with rituals alien to the rest of the planet and obvious to everyone within city limits.
This year, those rituals will include a new ambrosia: Chili beer.
Taft’s Brewing Company, the sacred cupbearer in this arrangement, partnered with Gold Star Chili to create a variation on its Maverick Chocolate Porter that includes ingredients such as cinnamon and dried chiles.
The company will tap the first keg of Cincy Chili Porter on February 28 at Taft’s Brewpourium as part of a National Chili Day party.
Gold Star, meanwhile, will be celebrating across the Tri-State with afternoon events.
The chain will also make a donation to Freestore Foodbank for every three-way purchased that day.
Will the beer, the party or the charity be enough to convince anyone outside the Tri-State that Cincinnati chili isn’t abominable garbage gravy worse than being hit by a car? Probably not. But only the weak need their approval.
