Ohio Brewery News
4.15.2021
CENTRAL
Cheers to four years of beers from Combustion Brewery & Taproom! They’re celebrating in a big way today, announcing the addition of a new canning line and the inaugural package release of their flagship Combustion IPA. With the ability to consistently can beer now available at their fingertips, Combustion plans to release four-packs of other taproom favorites soon, including Lady Peiskos hazy IPA, Now We’re Talkin’ double IPA and Blueprint blueberry blonde ale. Stop by the taproom in Pickerington for a pint and take some Combustion IPA cans home, or order online for convenient, contactless drive-thru pickup. Follow Combustion on social media for info on this and future releases: facebook.com/combustionbrewing
GREATER CLEVELAND
When Cuyahoga County issued a stay-at-home advisory in response to spiking numbers of COVID-19 cases, several Cleveland area breweries made the difficult decision to temporarily shut down in an attempt to ride out the winter. As case rates declined and warmer weather allowed for outdoor seating again, nearly all of them have re-opened with public health measures still in place. Thirsty Dog’s brewpub in the Flats has been closed since the stay-at-home advisory was announced last November, but is again seating and serving customers starting this week. Pop in for happy hour starting at 3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday or for brunch starting at 11 a.m. on weekends. Don’t forget to get your Ohio On Tap brewery passport stamp! For more details, follow Thirsty Dog on social media: facebook.com/thirstydogeastbank
NORTHEAST
The winter’s COVID-19 wave didn’t just affect breweries in densely populated areas. Louisville, Ohio – population 9,340 – is the home of UnHitched Brewing Company, which opened up shop in November 2019. When the pandemic set in, UnHitched pivoted like many other breweries, offering their brews in cans for carry out and driving beer deliveries to customers as far away as Columbus. Almost exactly a year after opening their doors, the brewery made the decision to suspend on-premises drinking and dining for the winter, opting for weekly beer pickup opportunities and the occasional food pop-up for loyal, local regulars. This week, UnHitched welcomed customers back to their taproom and patio with fresh beers on tap and a new, delectable food menu from their scratch kitchen. Follow UnHitched on social media and plan a small town getaway to pay them a visit: facebook.com/unhitchedbrew
NORTHWEST
Catawba Island Brewing Company has been operating at maximum capacity for the past few years as their core beers have made their way into new markets all over Ohio. This unfortunately limited their ability to try out some new brews as they worked to keep up with demand for their flagships. That all changes this year as Catawba Island is undergoing a major expansion to their Port Clinton brewing facility and taproom. The additional brewhouse, fermentation, cold storage and canning space will allow an immediate doubling of production capacity. “For the first time in a couple years, we’ll have a lot of new beers coming out,” explained brewery founder Mike Roder. “We haven’t been able to have fun and experiment, but with this expansion, locals can expect a lot of fresh new beers in the tasting room.” Catawba Island will hold an open house on Saturday, May 8 for those interested in checking out the new, expanded brewery. Details available at facebook.com/catawbaislandbrewingco
SOUTHEAST
This past weekend, Little Fish Brewing Company released the beer they brewed to celebrate International Women’s Day. The brewery facilitated the project with the women, trans and non-gender-binary members of their team, who collectively developed the recipe, prepped the ingredients and brewed the beer. Stabby Cat is a hazy IPA brewed with the Pink Boots hop blend, pineapple, de-seeded habanero peppers and lactose. The result is a smooth, enjoyable beer with lush tropical fruit flavor and a mild but noticeable “stab” of habanero heat. A portion of the proceeds from the beer will be donated to the Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program, supporting survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault in southeast Ohio. Stabby Cat is currently available on draft at the Little Fish taproom in Athens. Read more at facebook.com/littlefishbrewing
SOUTHWEST
Cincinnati is widely recognized as the home of America’s first professional baseball club, but did you know that Cincinnati also lays claim to the first paid, professional fire department in the U.S.? Northern Row Brewery is helping to spread the word about this particular bit of Queen City history with a tribute beer and fundraiser for the Cincinnati Fire Museum. The brewery will tap its newest beer, Hoser, at a private event for city firefighters on Monday, April 19. The public will get its first taste of this new steam beer at Northern Row’s Over-the-Rhine taproom on April 20-21. “One of the attractions of craft beer is the sense of community, and something every community needs is brave men and women whose job is to be there for the community, sometimes risking all for the greater good,” says Northern Row general manager Keith Maloy. $1 from each Hoser pint sold will be donated to the Cincinnati Fire Museum. Read more at northernrow.com
WEST CENTRAL
Branch & Bone Artisan Ales is not afraid to push boundaries with their brews, including their highly anticipated annual double IPA release, Fresh New Eyes. Each year, the brewery uses this beer to showcase new, rare and experimental hops to produce a rich bouquet of flavors. The 2021 edition of Fresh New Eyes features the Citiva hop blend developed by BSG specifically for hazy IPAs, imparting ripe stone fruit, sweet floral and soft peach flavors and aromas. A limited amount of this beer is on tap now, with the remainder to be available in cans for carryout and statewide shipping soon. If picking up from Branch & Bone’s Dayton taproom, pick up some Crumble ESB boxed cask ale as well! Follow the brewery on social media for release details: facebook.com/branchandboneales