The Big Tap In (Boardman, OH) is over and it was impressive. Over 200 beers were being poured from taps, casks, firkins, bottles, and cans. Food samples were numerous, free, and very tasty (including the hop candy); the site was huge; parking was free; music was varied and good – all in all, a great beer fest.
Rust Belt Brewing has started a new line of John Young Select beers, named in honor of the founder of Youngstown. They are special batches, usually high gravity. At the Big Tap In, they had their XOXO Doppelstsicke, a tasty alt bier weighing in at 8% abv. Their next offering will be the Peace Maker Imperial IPA, at 8%abv and 88 IBUs, available on draft and 22 ounce bottles.
Tall Grass Brewing out of Manhattan, Kansas had a booth at the Big Tap In. They are new to the Ohio market and package their beers in cans. Cans for craft beers are the wave of the future, it seems. No longer do we get the metallic taste from cans, and cans keep beer fresher longer due to less exposure to light and air. I didn’t try them all, but generally I rated them as B to B+ beers, and especially liked the Buffalo Sweat Stout and Tallgrass IPA.
The Cleveland International Beer Fest is also over by the time you read this, but not as I’m writing so I can’t tell you who won the medals. Actually I know one, as I was a judge and I recognized the brewery’s beer that we awarded a bronze medal. I can tell you that this festival is going to be a contender for best beer fest in Ohio, and maybe the Midwest. With upwards of 800 beers being served, there’s no way you can try them all, even with three sessions! They are already planning the 2012 event, so make sure you don’t miss it next year.
While we were judging the Cleveland Beer Fest, there was a similar judging going on in Denver at the 2nd annual Denver International Beer Competition. They claimed 180 entries from 20 states and 6 countries, and awarded 43 medals in 16 categories. Fat Head’s Brewery & Saloon won yet another gold medal for their Head Hunter IPA. Word on the street is that Fat Head’s is looking for a place to build a new production brewery to keep up with the demand for their beer. They are bottling some of their beers and you can now take home a 4-pack of Head Hunter for your fridge! On June 11th, Fat Head’s is again hosting the Heavyweight Brewer’s Brawl. (Skinny brewers need not apply?) Plan on attending one of the two sessions. It’s $30 per session and details are on their website.
Nearby Rocky River Brewing Company is preparing to open their patio for the summer, and will be serving their Subchaser Hefeweizen, Erie Porter, and Hoptimus Prime Imperial IPA. And… did you know they have a beer truck (which will serve up to three beers) that is available for parties? Check it out for your next party! Come July, Rocky River will be pouring their Oompa Loompa Stout and Blueberry Ale at their pub and in Athens for Ohio Brew Week festivities.
Nearly all Ohio breweries will be participating in the Ohio Brew Week Festival which will be held this year from July 10-16th in Athens. It’s one of my favorite events, due partly to the setting in the quaint little college town in southern Ohio. It’s a full week of all kinds of beer-related events, tastings, educational talks, demonstrations, dinners, beer/food pairings, cook-offs, and a homebrew competition. Take a weeks’ vacation and enjoy this celebration of craft beer in Ohio!
Willoughby Brewing Company is enjoying a surge in beer sales since the recent changes in ownership and brewing staff. Because of the huge demand their main thrust is keeping their regular beers on tap for now. They did brew a new Hopnotic Double Red Rye IPA (9% abv, 88 IBU) as a part of the White Labs VIP Challenge for the International Beer Fest, and will soon have a new Maibock. Since last issue, I have tried their Peanut Butter Coffee Porter and it is a wonderful beer; nicely balanced, smooth, creamy, with just enough peanut butter, coffee, and chocolate to notice but not overpower.
Thirsty Dog Brewing Company has expanded again to serve its core distribution areas of the Midwest and East coast with the addition of six 90-barrel tanks and a 90-barrel brite tank that were custom built by Silver State Stainless in Nevada, delivered in May. They have expanded their staff of brewers and cellar personal as well.
Look for some new beers with a new double IPA named IIPPAA available on draft only and their new bourbon barrel series of four styles aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels. They include a barrel-aged imperial stout, a wee heavy, and a Belgian trippel. A version of 12 Dogs of Christmas that was brewed in January is aging in bourbon barrels and will be bottled sometime in October. Twenty bourbon barrels were filled with this rare release so check their website for release dates. They have just received some cabernet and pinot noir barrels that they plan to use for a new line of sour ales for 2012 releases. Stay tuned!
Thirsty Dog also brewed a limited release 75th anniversary Ale for West Point Market in Akron. West Point, in addition to providing hard to find and gourmet food selections, has an extensive craft beer selection. This new West Point Pale Ale is a traditional English pale ale and will be available at West Point for the remainder of 2011. Thirsty Dog also launched their new Saison at the International Beer Fest in May.
The 7th Annual Blues & Brews has a new venue. This year it will be held on August 6th at Lock 3 in downtown Akron. Tickets will be $35 in advance and $40 at the gate. They promise more selections than ever before for beer, food, and entertainment. Parking is free downtown in the adjacent parking decks. Come join us at the new Blues & Brews!
The Main St. Grille and Brewing Co. will be bringing back 2 Fives (& a Stolen Coat) IPA (by popular demand according to the brewer) and will also be working on a new German style lager. There’s got to be a story there someplace. Doesn’t it make you want to go try it and find out?
Buckeye Brewing is working on some new brands as well as changing some of the labels on current brands. Hippie IPA will have a ‘makeover’ in the near future. The IPA will be dropped to simply HIPPIE. This will be a major, major label revision for HIPPIE, but the recipe will remain the same. Artwork is also being worked on for a new brand called Cleveland IPA. It’s also possible Buckeye will test market a brand called Summer Girl. The Beer Engine is running Monday Bike Day again this year. Bike to the Engine on Monday and get $2 off burgers and sandwiches. Also, enter a drawing each Monday to win killer bike from Specialized.
Ohio Brewing Company has just released its seasonal Maple Porter made with real Geauga County maple syrup. It is available in draft at select pubs. Also their early summer seasonal, Buckeye Blond which is a Belgian Wit ale is available in draft and 12 oz. bottles. They also say that their brewery tap room should be completed around mid-summer.
Indigo Imp will be releasing their third Small Batch Sample Pack in June. The beer styles are yet-to-be-released. The previous two SBSP’s sold out of the brewery in one month or less. The SBSPs are distributed to Columbus and throughout Cleveland and surrounding areas. Look for Indigo Imp on June 15 and July 20 at Akron Zoo’s Brew at the Zoo events.
Expansion is on the horizon for Weasel Boy Brewing Company as they are full speed ahead in expanding their warehouse and fitting out their new pizza kitchen! This summer the pub will begin
mixing dough fresh daily with locally sourced toppings to create a line-up of great house pies and build your own creations.
After almost two years in the making Weasel Boy has finally released their first barrel aged wild beer! Zuur Bruin Fret, a blended barrel aged brown ale with brettanomyces and a touch of lacto, was aged
for over 20 months in a combination of well used bourbon and fresh red cabernet barrels for a wonderful blend of malt, oak, and cabernet with a nicely balanced wild character. This very limited release is sure to go fast so stop in and catch a pint while it lasts.
The first week of June will see the release of a brand new addition to the tap list. Based on an English-style pale ale, Weasel Paw Papaw Pale boasts a solid malt backbone, moderate bitterness and
a full papaw flavor and aroma. Brewers Jay and Lori Wince state that over 20 pounds per barrel of Ohio harvested papaws were used in making the beer. Watch also for this year’s edition of Wiesel Junge Koelsch and Weasel Boy Mango Wheat.
The BREW Kettle Solstice Wit is ou in bottles now. On tap look for their Doppel Sticke Alt, which was “krausen hopped” in the fermenter with even more traditional Spalt hops, followed by their Hefeweisen.
Market Garden Brewery brewed their first batch of beer on April 20, and brewer Andy Tveekrem continues to brew. We look for the beer garden to open soon, but no date has yet been announced.