After a successful 15-year run, Rock Bottom Brewery in Cleveland’s Flats has closed. Windows on the River has purchased their assets as part of the Nautica expansion, and Rock Bottom owners will now focus on the Cleveland ChopHouse & Brewery in Cleveland’s Warehouse district. Rock Bottom Cleveland has been the site of the popular annual Winter Warmer Festival in February. Now who will host it? Fat Head’s Saloon & Brewery has been hosting some awesome events with their recent IPA Festival and May’s Heavyweight Brewers Brawl.
Rock Bottom Cincinnati also makes the news this month as the only brewery in Ohio to bring home a medal from the 2010 World Beer Cup. They won a bronze medal in the wood and barrel-aged strong beer category for their Rudolf’s Bourbon Scotch Ale. It should be noted that only seven of Ohio’s breweries entered this competition, which has now become larger than the Great American Beer Festival in number of entries.
There’s a new brewpub in Abbeyville (just west of Medina) called Lagerhead’s Brewery. They actually have been open for a long time as a BBQ restaurant with good beer on tap (only six taps, but good ones). What’s new is the addition of the brewery. A 15-barrel brewhouse has been added and they are brewing! At the time of this writing, I can vouch for the BBQ ribs, but the beer wasn’t ready.
The Brew Kettle Taproom & Smokehouse has added six new taps, especially for smaller, limited release beers and other oddities only come in sixth barrel kegs. This brings their tap selection up to 31, including the cask selection offered on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of every month. Hmmmm… 31 different flavors? Now on tap is a beer made without water. Old Sappy is made entirely with maple sap. No maple syrup flavor in this one, but a subtle woody character that changes over time. You will also find some experimental funky sour beers on tap. Lastly, I hope you got a chance to try their Jackhammer Barleywine. It won the “Best Barleywine in America” at a recent competition in New York. Congratulations to brewer, Jack Kephart!
Main Street Grill in Garrettsville has a new Progress Porter, a mild porter aged on Arabica expresso beans. It’s available both in house and at the Streetsboro Arabica Coffee House. Also coming in June is Razzle Dazz-Ale, a raspberry pale ale, followed by 38 Double D, which, of course, means a double dunkelweizen with 38 IBUs. Brewer Virgil Drayer-Reed describes it as “black as tar, thick as a brick, and dangerously drinkable!”
Thirsty Dog Brewing Company has expanded again in capacity and distribution. Now Thirsty Dog beers can be found throughout Michigan. They will again be sponsoring the 6th Annual Blues & Brews Festival on August 7 at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens. Tickets are available online now at stanhywet.org
Thirsty Dog has just acquired several more fermentation vessels from the Barrel House Brewery in Cincinnati, which closed in May. New bottled beers available include the year round availability of Twisted Kilt Scottish Export Ale, and a new summer seasonal Whippet Wheat, an unfiltered hefeweizen.
Oh, have you met Doris, yet? DORIS the Destroyer is BORIS the Crusher’s evil twin sister! BORIS, you may remember, is Hoppin’ Frog Brewery’s Bodacious Oatmeal Russian Imperial Stout. Well double that, and you’ve got DORIS. It’s darker, thicker, hoppier, and more everything! While you’re at it, check out this year’s batch of Wild Frog Wheat. This German-style hefeweizen is made with 100% German ingredients including hefeweizen yeast from the Weihenstephan, the oldest brewery in the world. This is my favorite beer to complement spicy food!
A recent visit to Weasel Boy Brewing in Zanesville found them working on their expansion which will eventually include their own pizza kitchen. Currently they have expanded their seating capacity and have rooms for private parties. They had eight or so beers on tap, including one guest beer. They now have their Bitter Sable Imperial Black IPA back on tap, and will also have the 2010 version of their Weisel Junge Koelsch on tap. Check out their riverside patio, complete with live hop vines and a new weasel mural, as you enjoy quality brews and live music. Check their website for the entertainment schedule.
Indigo Imp is planning a mid-June release of their first ever twelve-pack. The twelve pack is a limited release of three new Indigo Imp beers. All three are brewed with the same Belgian yeast but each is quite different. They are a Belgian double, Belgian IPA, and Belgian witbier.
Rocky River Brewing has a new Clocktower Wheat on tap in June. This is an American wheat brewed with oats and orange peel. We will also have our Aegir
IPA and Oompa Loompa Stout. Coming in July will be our Boondock Walker
Belgian Saison that was a big hit last year. The patio is open an
ready to go for any customers as long as the weather is nice
This year brings back the Ales on the Rails series of train rides through the beautiful Cuyahoga Valley National Park while enjoying various microbrewed beers along with food pairings. Check the events listing or www.cvsr.com for details.
Check the events calendar at so you don’t miss any of the summer beer festivals, such as: Jungle Jim’s International Beer Fest, from 7-10 PM at Jungle Jim’s Oscar Event Center in Fairfield. Ohio Brew Week in Athens, Ohio from July 11-17, Brew at the Zoo in Akron on June 2, and Blues & Brews at Stan Hywet in Akron on August 7.
On a somewhat related beer note, Zane Lamprey of the popular Three Sheets TV program is coming to Ohio with his comedy tour. He will be in Columbus on June 9, Cincinnati on June 10, and at the House of Blues in Cleveland on June 11. Check www.zanelamprey.com for details and tickets.