Ohio Brewery News
6.19.2020
CENTRAL
Nostalgia Brewing, running true to their name, goes to great lengths to incorporate a wide variety of pop culture artifacts into their taproom experience. This week, they got some recognition for their creative adherence to the theme, bringing home a gold Crushie award in the 2020 Craft Beer Marketing Awards competition. Nostalgia’s Tinkertoy flight board took home the honors in the category for Marketing Wild Cards/Most Creative Signage, Point-of-Sale and Brewery Accessories. Stop in at their taproom in Gahanna to enjoy a flight from this award-winning board. Also, be sure to follow Nostalgia on social media as they’re planning a special release of their Marty McFly-P-A to coincide with the 35th anniversary of the film Back to the Future: facebook.com/nostalgiabrewing
GREATER CLEVELAND
Coronavirus precautions have really changed the way breweries hold their new beer releases, but the brewing industry has always been quick to innovate and adapt to new ways of doing things. Under normal circumstances, Bookhouse Brewing would have thrown open the doors and let people grab the new cans being released next week, maybe with a line out the door and down the street. With public health and social distancing in mind though, Bookhouse is currently taking pre-orders for six-packs of Key Lime Gose and Double Whoops!, a New England double IPA collaboration with Noble Beast Brewing. Pickup for those orders will start on Friday, June 26; while you’re there, you’ll be able to grab a pour of the brand new Indankpendence IPA as well. Details on all three beers available at facebook.com/bookhousebrewing
NORTHEAST
You know the scene, where Andy Dufresne negotiates three bottles of beer each for his convict work crew in The Shawshank Redemption (and almost gets himself thrown off the roof in the process). That’s a statement, not a question… we know you watch this movie every time it’s on TV. As many of you probably already know, the prison used to depict Shawshank in the film is the now-defunct Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield. Next week, The Phoenix Brewing Company – the closest brewery to the prison – will release Rooftop, a Bohemian-style lager like the ones that Andy, Red, Heywood and the rest of the cons drank on top of the license plate factory at 10 a.m. Rooftop will be available in cans and on draft at the Phoenix taproom in Mansfield on Wednesday, June 24. More details at facebook.com/thephoenixbrewingcompany
NORTHWEST
Sunday is Father’s Day – you didn’t forget, right? – and if your dad is like my dad, he’d probably really like to have a beer with you. If your pop feels like going out for a barley pop, be sure to check our updated brewery map to see who’s open this weekend. If he’d rather putter around in the garage and keep working on that project to supercharge the lawnmower, your can always pick him up some brewskis for carry out. If your dad lives in northern Ohio, the Tiffin Brewery has got you covered with their line of Your Dad’s beers in bottles. Co-owner and self-styled “janitor/brewer” Rose-Hoa Nguyen’s father, Dzung Anh Nguyen, brewed at Saigon Beer Co. for four decades (retiring as CEO) and is the titular “Dad” in the Your Dad’s series. The elder Nguyen devised the recipes for and oversees the production (via video feed from his home in Vietnam) of Your Dad’s Saigon Lager, ESB, Belgian Strong Ale, Double IPA, Saigon Porter and FBPP (first batch primary pilsner). All are in stock now at the brewery in Tiffin and at select retailers in the area. Details at facebook.com/thetiffinbrewery
SOUTHEAST
Can releases from Sixth Sense Brewing – especially hazy IPAs – have been selling out pretty quickly, both before and after the pandemic drove up demand for packaged beer. This week’s dual can release will probably not be an exception. Released on Wednesday, Overskyy New England-style IPA and Denim on Denim on Denim New England-style IPA are both available in 16 ounce can four-packs as of the time of this writing, but are not expected to last longer than perhaps tonight. If you want to make sure you’re on top of new small batch can releases from Sixth Sense and don’t miss out on your chance to pick up this hop-driven goodness, be sure to follow their very active social media accounts: facebook.com/sixthsensebrewery
SOUTHWEST
As breweries continue to re-open and become accustomed to the new realities of operating their business in the pandemic landscape, we’re seeing more and more begin to roll out new brews to accommodate their returning taproom customers. Over the past week, Big Ash Brewing has rolled out four new beers:
- The Dinghy – a low-calorie session IPA clocking in at 4.7% ABV
- Easy Squeezy – a summer pale ale with Lemon Drop and Cashmere hops imparting bright citrus and melon flavors
- Shut Your Trappe – a Belgian-inspired tripel with all the expected banana and clove notes
- Apricot Wheat – an infusion of apricots lends a luscious sweetness to the flagship Woody’s Wheat ale
Enjoy these summer crushers on the expanded Big Ash patio in Anderson Township. Read more at facebook.com/bigashbrewing
WEST CENTRAL
It’s been more than a year since we first reported the news, but the long-awaited expansion of the Hairless Hare Brewery taproom finally opened last week. The cozy brewpub has essentially doubled in size, taking over the space of the former Hong Kong Buffet next door. The wall between the two has been completely removed, allowing for more seating capacity and a nice, wide-open feel. Stop in at the newly remodeled spot in Vandalia, have a pint of the new Runway Lager, some of the new mead being made on-premises, maybe a bite to eat from the kitchen and enjoy the new digs. Take a virtual tour of the expanded space at facebook.com/hairlessharebrewery