The Muse of
Brews
February/March
2007 Column
A new event that promises to be a “first annual” is coming to Toledo! The Glass City Beer Fest is scheduled for March 9 at the Erie Street Market’s Civic Center Promenade, located at 237 S. Erie Street in the heart of downtown Toledo. This festival of craft-brewed beer tasting, food, music and fun will run from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m. and will benefit Northwest Ohio Hemophilia Foundation and The Arc of Lucas County, both of which are charitable organizations.
Kudos to Garin Wright of Buckeye Brewing Co. for bringing home two more medals from the recent 10th Annual Great International Beer Competition in Rhode Island. Buckeye’s Sasquatch Pale Ale won first place in the American Pale Ale category and the Mammoth Stout won second place among the stouts. Buckeye is reportedly now brewing at its new location on the west side of Cleveland. Wright is also planning on opening a pub in Lakewood. More details on that by next issue, I hope. Meanwhile, Buckeye’s beers are available at Winking Lizard Taverns and other good beer bars around Cleveland and in bottles at many area groceries and beer stores.
The old Buckeye Brewing location in Bedford Heights, also occupied by the Brew Keeper has now closed. The Brew Keeper, the brew-on-premise operation, along with its three-barrel brewing system has moved to North Ridgeville at 34445 Center Ridge Road, opening sometime in February.
The Hoppin’ Frog Brewery in Akron was featured recently in the Akron Beacon Journal. Their 22-ounce bottled beers are now available all across Ohio. Cavalier Distributing is their distributor in 80 counties, while Fame Beverage has been distributing in the eight counties around the brewery since November. Check your local grocery chain or good beer store. If they don’t have it, ask for it, they can get it! Hoppin' Frog mixed four-packs, cases, and growlers are also available, but only from the brewery. For hours and availability, call 330-352-4578. Tours of the brewery are popular for groups, but scheduling in advance is required.
The same Beacon Journal article reported that Ohio Brewing Co. will open in a few months in the former O’Neil’s department store downtown Akron, possibly as soon as May. Although this was originally announced in 2003, it has taken a while to get the financing for the project, but construction is now starting, they say.
OgreFest is coming! February 12-17 is the date of the 3rd Annual OgreFest, the BREW Kettle's celebration of barley wines and big ales. On tap will be big brews that you just can't find anywhere else! Check their website for a list of beers to be on tap. If you need another reason to visit, the BREW Kettle was just ranked Third Best Brewpub in the U.S. by ratebeer.com, and their smokehouse wings were just voted #1 in Cleveland by “Scene Magazine.”
The BREW Kettle will also host its 2nd annual bus trip to Lansing, Michigan's Winter Beer Festival on February 24. This is an outdoor event sponsored by the Michigan Brewer's Guild held in Old Town Lansing, and your chance to sample winter ales and barley wines from Michigan's micros and brewpubs. To find out more about this overnight trip or the OgreFest, check out our website at www.thebrewkettle.com or call the brewery at 440-239-8788 (ask for Chris).
At Rocky River Brewing Co., upcoming beers are Cabin Fever, a strong ale with tons of Pacific northwest hops, and Monkey Paw, an American Brown Ale with a nice balance of toasted chocolate malts and a firm bitterness. Oompa Loompa Chocolate Stout is back due to a huge demand, and St. Festivus, a märzen, also will return. Brewer Matt Cole will enter his IBUsive double IPA in a competition among 45 other brews in San Francisco’s BISTRO Double IPA Competition and Festival. Good luck, Matt.
Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. is celebrating 10 years in a big way--they have started construction on a new production brewery in Akron, due to open later this year. It will be the first production brewery in the downtown Akron area in over half a century. It will be located in the historic Burkhardt's Brewery complex located on Grant Street. John Najeway, one of the owners stated that this expansion will allow for increased production and seasonal beers as they have expanded distribution to twelve states. One of the first brews in the new system will be the Raspberry Ale which has a cult following and has not been available for the last twelve months. Check out www.thirstydog.com for updates on brewery construction and other great events.
Thirsty Dog will be sponsoring The Banff Film Festival’s traveling show which will be at the Allen Theatre in Cleveland on April 14 and 15. Thirsty Dog beers will be available at the show on the 15th. July 28 is the date for the 3rd Annual Blues & Brews Festival at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron, which last year had 51 craft breweries and 161 different beers to choose from with live entertainment and catering by Winking Lizard Taverns, so mark your calendar now. To include your brewery in this year’s Blues & Brews contact John@thirstydog.com
On a recent visit to Cornerstone Brewing Co. in Berea, I found an outstanding new brew on tap called True Grit. It is a smoked beer made with about 20% rye and a mixture of Vienna and smoked malts. The smokiness is subtle and the rye gives it a nice crisp finish. Better hurry in before this one is gone! New brewer, Jay Cox, brewed this one, as Erik Rothschiller has been promoted to manager and doesn’t have as much time for brewing any more. A busy holiday season had depleted their selection by mid-January, so they are brewing steadily. Watch for the return of Erie Blue, their award-winning red raspberry/blackberry ale, Old Number 92, a German black lager, a new Belgian ale brewed with honey, and the Rowan Scotch Ale. The Scotch ale will be tapped in a celebration on February 22 on Robert Burns night. The celebration will be accompanied by pipe and drums, poetry readings, and the traditional haggis!
Cornerstone is also planning a big celebration for St Patty’s Day. March will bring the return of Eirinn Rosanna, an Irish red ale, an Irish stout, an English pale ale, and, on March 17, a celebration with pipes, drums, and Irish food.
Great Lakes Brewing in Cleveland is continuing in 2007 with their monthly Brewmaster’s Dinners and monthly Beer Schools. These are popular events that often get sold out. Check their website for details at www.greatlakesbrewing.com.
Those readers who don’t live in Ohio may not know that Ohioans voted in November 2006 to become totally smoke-free in all workplaces. There is no provision for enforcement, however, and some bars and restaurants are not yet requiring smokers to step outside, while others are. The state has until June 7, 2007 to come up with rules and a plan for enforcement. Until then, it seems to be up to the owners whether or not smoking is allowed.
As always, if you have any news, comments, or questions, email me at brewmuse@ohiobeerguide.com … and thanks to those of you who DO keep me posted. It is appreciated!