Another competition and another medal for Fat Head’s Brewery and Grill in North Olmsted. This time, a silver medal from the 2009 Great American Beer Festival in Denver for Up in Smoke (a smoked porter) in the Smoked Beer category. While a winner of numerous medals in the past, this is Matt Cole’s first GABF medal for Fat Head’s. The Up in Smoke pours a very dark beer with a hint of ruby or mahogany in the light. It has a nice smoky aroma from smoked barley, smoked over Adler wood by the brewers at the site. The smoky taste isn’t as quite as huge as the aroma, which is perfect for my tastes (and apparently the judges, too!) There are hints of chocolate and coffee in this creamy smooth porter. If you can catch it when it’s on cask, it just doesn’t get any better than that!
The first ever Cleveland Beer Week, a 9-day event held in October was a smashing success! Over 120 retailers, six distributors, 13 Ohio breweries and more than 60 national and international breweries participated, and plans already are in the works for next year. The event increased sales and interest in craft beer in Northeast Ohio considerably (double digits per Crain’s Cleveland Business). John Lane of the Winking Lizard, one of the instigators for Cleveland Beer Week, has noticed a shift from the “yellow fizzy beer” to craft beer at his restaurants over the last few years. Let’s hope it continues. It sure was a lot of fun… and informative. Why can’t every week be Cleveland Beer Week? Don’t miss it next year.
‘Tis the season…for winter warmers and special seasonal beers, of course! Great Lakes Brewing Co has already released their ever popular Christmas Ale, and Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. has released their Twelve Dogs of Christmas. But there is more! Christian Moerlein has their Christkindl Winter Warmer Ale and Rocky River Brewing Co. has their Christmas Ale on tap now and, in late December will have a barleywine. Watch also for Rocky River’s popular Winter Warlock, an American wheat and Reindeer Red, an Irish red with a little more “warming” than most reds.
Hoppin’ Frog continues to add to its growing number of beers. In November we saw the release of three new beers: the Frog Hollow Double Pumpkin, an imperial pumpkin (8.4% ABV) brewed with pumpkins, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves; the Fresh Frog Raw Hop IPA, a very nice, not too hoppy (45 IBU, 7.8% ABV) IPA, and the Frosted Frog, a holiday spiced beer with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, weighing in at 8.6% ABV. Hoppin’ Frog continues to showcase its beers at beer dinners; December 10 at the new Cilantro Thai & Sushi restaurant downtown Akron, and December 13 at Flemings for a Christmas beer dinner with an oak cask tapping.
The BREW Kettle now has its 22 ounce bombers of Copperhead Red, Four C’s Pale Ale, Red Eye IPA, and Old 21 Imperial IPA in local good beer stores, including Heinen’s and Giant Eagle. In late January, look for the Dark Helmet Imperial Schwarbier also. Sometime in December they will have their first foray into sour beers on draft, with some limited bottling. On tap in the brewpub this winter will be a Belgian-style triple at about 9% abv and Jack Hammer Barleywine at about 11% abv and 75 IBUs!
Jackie O’s in Athens is celebrating its fourth anniversary on December 4 and 5. They promise 40 of their own beers on tap over the two day celebration with a bottle sale on the 5th. Taps and bottles will include lots of barrel aged, sours, imperials, and new concoctions. Included will be at least three new barrel aged beers: Bourbon Barrel Impy Razz, a 12% imperial raspberry wheat, Barreled and Portered, a 9% robust ported aged in a Woodford Reserve barrel, and Cellar Cuvee 2, a blend of coffee stout and imperial stout aged in Woodford Reserve barrel with coffee beans, vanilla beans, and cinnamon sticks. There are too many others to list here, so check out their new website at www.jackieos.com. Brewer Brad Clark is featuring at lot of stouts this winter such as Java the Stout, Sweet Chocolate Love (oatmeal, chocolate milk stout), and India Oatmeal Rye Stout.
Weasel Boy Brewing Company is gearing up for the winter season with the 2009 editions of their Anastasia Russian Imperial Stout and their Snow Ermine Holiday Ale. Anastasia, a jet black English-style imperial stout, weighs in at just over 8% abv, and features flavors of chocolate, roasted coffee, sweet malt and a nice hop balance. The beer pairs beautifully with chocolates, desserts or a nice warm fire! This years Snow Ermine, based on porter-style ale, will tip the scales at over 6% abv, and will be brewed with locally sourced Ohio raw honey and plump, fresh Indonesian vanilla beans. Two dark, warming beers for the cold, crisp winter weather!
On the bill for December 31 is Weasel Boy’s second annual New Years Eve party which will feature live entertainment from two bands, munchies and the much anticipated tapping of it one-year-old Super Genius Barleywine. In late January, watch for their release of small quantities of their new barrel aged series of beers. These include versions of their Brown Stoat Stout and Super Genius Barleywine that are presently aging in fresh Woodford Reserve bourbon barrels. Head Brewer Jay Wince states that they are also working on a sour brown based on the River Mink Mild Brown Ale but that no release date has been slated for that as yet.
Weasel Boy has acquired two brand new fermenters that will increase their capacity by about 60%. They hope to have installation completed by late January. Watch their website for beer release dates and for their live entertainment schedule.
Buckeye Beer Engine starts a keg tapping program in December with a special keg tapped at least once a week and sometimes more. They will also continue their beer dinners with a Christmas beer/food pairing dinner on December 8. Their annual Christmas in Belgium starts on December 11. In January they will have a wood-aged beer tasting event on the 16th.
The Roadhouse in Medina will also feature some interesting beers this winter. Look for the Vanilla Bean Stout, Eastpointe Scotch Ale, and a Belgian strong ale. They are also expecting to have a rare guest beer on tap; Sand Creek Brewing Co’s (Black River Falls, Wisc.) Lilja’s Hop Nest Monster IPA.
Ohio Brewing Company closed in late September, but promises to re-open in its new location across from the Aeros stadium by the end of the year. The new location will reportedly be a pub only with the brewery located a block or two away in the Selle building. The Beer Factory in Copley seems to have closed in mid September also, with no other information available.