Ohio Brewery News
5.22.2020
CENTRAL
Nielsen CGA recently polled customers in states that have already partially re-opened and found that about 20% of those surveyed had already gone out to eat in a restaurant or bar and that 10% had gone out solely to drink. Other surveys of craft beer fans in particular return slightly higher percentages, but the numbers indicate that most customers are being cautious in their decisions to eat and drink at breweries, bars and restaurants. While some breweries have suspended or scaled back home delivery in the transition back to on-premises sales, other breweries like Wolf’s Ridge Brewing have ramped it up. They announced this week that they would expand delivery nearly statewide, serving their home market in Columbus daily along with weekly stops in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton, Akron/Canton and Toledo/Findlay. To see a list of eligible ZIP codes – and to order the new Cherry Cordial and Creamsicle cream ales released today – visit wolfsridgebrewing.com
GREATER CLEVELAND
With Ohio weather finally starting to turn the corner into summer (we hope), more and more of us are looking to safely participate in non-contact sports and activities. This week, Market Garden Brewery and Cleveland Metroparks announced that they have teamed up on a beer to raise funds for youth golf educational programs. Pin High pilsner is available now for carry out at the brewery store in Ohio City and will also be available at Cleveland Metroparks golf courses. A portion of proceeds from the sale of Pin High will be donated to the Cleveland Metroparks Golf Education Fund, which will support a scholarship program for Cuyahoga County youth golf day camps. Some of the proceeds will initially fund the purchase of personal protective equipment for golf course staff as they implement precautions to protect course employees and guests. Read more about this new partnership at clevelandmetroparks.com
NORTHEAST
It probably didn’t make many people’s quarantine/pandemic movie lists, but 2015’s The Martian is an entertaining and uplifting tale of human resilience in isolation (pretty good book too). At one point, when assessing how to survive long enough to be rescued, marooned astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) says “I’m gonna have to science the $#!& out of this,” a quote which happens to be the name of the newest beer from R.Shea Brewing (sans our family-friendly self-censorship). It’s a New England-style double IPA aggressively hopped with Citra, Motueka and Amarillo for strong citrus and tropical fruit flavors, available starting today at their brewery location at Canal Place in downtown Akron. As with other R.Shea can releases over the past few months, these beers will also have a random distribution of “golden tickets,” redeemable for admission to a post-pandemic party at the brewery at a future date when public health conditions will permit it. Details at facebook.com/rsheabrewing
NORTHWEST
As breweries, bars and restaurants begin to open up while navigating new public health requirements, businesses and municipalities are looking for creative ways to allow more customer capacity with social distancing space in mind. Some cities are enacting or expanding Designated Outdoor Refreshment Areas to allow patrons to carry open drinks into public spaces, and the Ohio Legislature is considering a bill that would allow for on-site drinking in areas adjacent to a bar or restaurant with the property owner’s permission. Under current Ohio law, the addition of a patio or other space to liquor permit property must be approved by the state. Since opening in January, Second Crossing Brew Co. in Rockford has opened a patio behind their taproom as well as designating an area of the sidewalk in front of their building for customer seating. Both patios are open this weekend as Second Crossing re-opens to the public. More details at facebook.com/secondcrossing
SOUTHEAST
Little Fish Brewing has a great deal for fans of (literally) smooth beers. The “Milk Crate” is a special package of two beers enhanced with lactose for a silky, substantial body and creamy mouthfeel. The package contains three crowlers each of House Slippers, a hazy IPA brewed with Sabro, Simcoe and Mosaic hops for a blend of citrus, stone fruit and pine flavors, and Beach Bummer, a quick-sour ale with additions of pineapple, passionfruit and guava, conditioned on hand-toasted coconut. Both beers are available packaged together for a special price and can be picked up at the Little Fish taproom in Athens, or have it shipped directly to your door anywhere in the state of Ohio. More details available at facebook.com/littlefishbrewing
SOUTHWEST
Since the 2020 World Beer Cup competition was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the reigning champs get to hold onto the claim that their beers are the best on the planet for at least one more year. One of those beers is now available in six-packs for the first time: Fretboard Brewing has released cans of Vlad, which won the silver medal among international-style pilseners in the 2018 competition. “But wait,” I hear you thinking, “isn’t there a gold medal winner that can rightly claim that title?” Out of 101 beer styles in the competition, the panel of judges opted to award gold medals in every category *except* international-style pilsener, making the silver-winning Vlad the best beer of its style. The merits of this judging practice can be debated elsewhere, but here we celebrate that the best lager of its kind in the entire world is for sale right now in Blue Ash, Ohio. Pick it up at the taproom, from select Cincinnati-area retailers or have it shipped to you at home: order online at fretboardbrewing.com
WEST CENTRAL
Even though we live in the golden age of beer with more than 8,000 breweries in the U.S. and a countless number of styles and flavors available, there’s still a sizeable portion of the population that says they “just don’t like beer.” I’ve always said “that means you just haven’t found the one you do like yet,” and Sojourners Brewstillery agrees. They’ve even gone a step further with their new Doppelgänger series, designing beers to mimic the flavors and characteristics of classic cocktails, the first two of which are on tap this weekend at their brewery taproom in Centerville. The initial offerings take inspiration from tropical summer libations, the margarita with its tart lime and citrus flavor cut with a touch of salt, and the mojito, a sweet, crisp mint and lime highball augmented with watermelon for optimal refreshment. You might even forget that you’re drinking a beer when you order your second round. Read more at facebook.com/sojournersbrewstillery