Ohio Brewery News
9.18.2020
CENTRAL
No one’s really gathered in their masses at the moment, but we do have a story this week about war pigs that have the power… to refresh. Gemüt Biergarten will tap a brand new beer this weekend, a dry-hopped pilsner going by the name of War Boar. The use of pigs in ancient warfare is documented as early as the 3rd century BC as an effective measure against the heavy cavalry of the time: elephants. A squealing pig was often enough to frighten elephants and get them to run away during battle, with the added bonus of trampling the forces that brought them in the first place. So where’s the parallel to this new beer, you ask? The squeal of delight you’re likely to make when drinking this crisp, unfiltered, noble hopped lager – which Gemüt has hinted may see a can release in the near future – might be enough to scare off any macro lager elephants lurking in your fridge. Woden’s Hunt mug club members get the first tastes of War Boar today, public release happens Saturday, Sept. 19 at the taproom in Olde Town East. Read more at facebook.com/gemutbiergarten
GREATER CLEVELAND
This week, Butcher & the Brewer announced that they would be re-opening their downtown Cleveland brewpub after a six-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. Breweries were classified as essential businesses from the start and were allowed to sell beer for carry out, delivery and shipping during the two months when on-premises drinking and dining was prohibited. However, brewpubs that rely heavily on in-person dining were particularly hard hit, with several choosing to temporarily shut the doors until public health conditions improved. While closed, Butcher & the Brewer continued making beer, inking a contract with Sixth City Distribution to get their beer out to retail accounts. At long last, the brewpub re-opened to diners this week, albeit with a slimmed-down menu, limited hours and the now ubiquitous sanitation and mask measures intended to control the spread of COVID-19. Read an interview with owner Chris Lieb about the re-opening at clevescene.com
NORTHEAST
Seasonal creep isn’t just a great band name, it’s the phenomenon of seeing time-specific products debut much too early. And while it may be baffling why pumpkin beers arrive on the market in late July/early August, there’s one brewing trend that is mostly immune to seasonal creep: fresh and wet hop beers. No amount of consumer demand or marketing advantage can force hops to grow any faster. Hops in the northern hemisphere are harvested the same time every year, and industrious brewers like Birdfish Brewing get just one shot to make the most of this annual opportunity. Fresh Hop Week runs from Sept. 21-25 at the brewery in Columbiana; each day will feature a new beer made with fresh hops sourced from five Ohio farms. Fresh hops – especially “wet” hops that are not dried before use in brewing – exhibit more grassy, floral, herbal character than their concentrated, pelletized counterparts, often with a more restrained bitterness as well. It’s a unique beer experience that can’t be rushed. Read all about the fresh hop brews hitting the taps this week at facebook.com/birdfishbrew
NORTHWEST
Cheers to four years of beers from 4KD Crick Brewery! The little brewery on the golf course in Napoleon will celebrate their fourth anniversary this Saturday, Sept. 19. Festivities kick off at 3 p.m. with live music and prize drawings held throughout the day. The real highlight for 4KD Crick fans, however, is the return of Instant Blizzard, an imperial New England-style IPA brewed with pineapple, guava and blood orange puree, and given a lactose addition to create a smooth, milkshake-like (milkshaky? milkshakish? milkshakesque?) mouthfeel. A very limited number of Instant Blizzard four-packs will be available for carry out as well. Grab a beer, settle into a table on 4KD Crick’s expanded patio and get your Ohio On Tap passport stamp while you’re there to celebrate. More details available at facebook.com/4kdcrickbrewery
SOUTHEAST
The traditional Munich Oktoberfest would have started this weekend were it not canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, you don’t have to be in Germany to enjoy some amazing German-inspired beers this year. Wooly Pig Farm Brewery has built up a cult-like following out in rural Coshocton County on the strength of their German-style lagers and ales. You can get a Festbier or a Märzen just about anywhere this time of year, but brewer Kevin Ely really loves to explore the German beer styles that are as off the beaten path as his brewery is. Today, Wooly Pig is tapping their Weizenbock, the decadent cousin of the dunkleweizen, bursting with yeast-derived banana flavors, a rich, plum-like sweetness and smooth mouthfeel imparted by the wheat-heavy malt bill. This is a unique beer that doesn’t come around very often, so make your plans to get to Wooly Pig this weekend to get a taste. Details at facebook.com/woolypigbrewery
SOUTHWEST
Last week, three new breweries opened up in Cincinnati, but surprisingly that’s not the most active period for brewery openings in southwest Ohio history. This week in 2017, four breweries opened in and around the Queen City, all of whom are celebrating their three year anniversaries this weekend: 13 Below in Sayler Park, 16 Lots in Mason, Sons of Toil in Mount Orab and the Taft’s Brewpourium on Spring Grove Ave. Taft’s is taking a more subdued approach to the occasion, but the other three breweries will be releasing special anniversary brews all weekend long. Sons of Toil, in particular, started their beer releases yesterday with the tapping of their Jalapeño Cornbread lager, which seems to this writer to be a perfect complement to a bowl of chili and as sure a sign that autumn has arrived as any. Another sign of fall, Oktoberfest Zinzinnati will sprawl into breweries and bars around the city in lieu of a large gathering this year. Organizers are attempting to set the record for the world’s largest chicken dance on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. For details on how to participate, go to oktoberfestzinzinnati.com
WEST CENTRAL
Branch & Bone Artisan Ales has added a new brew to their unique line of wood-aged lagers. 10º Pivo – named for the Czech standard measure of gravity used to classify beer – is brewed with Moravian pilsner malt and Czech Saaz hops, then fermented and conditioned in an oak vessel for seven weeks to add complexity of flavor to this traditional, easy-drinking beer. Stop in and try it on draft at Branch & Bone’s taproom in Dayton, or order crowlers for pick up from their online store so you can enjoy 10º Pivo in the comfort of your own home. (Branch & Bone doesn’t ship their crowlers, unfortunately, but you can get their bottles and traditional 16 ounce cans delivered directly to your front door.) More details about 10º Pivo and this week’s barrel aged bottle releases available at facebook.com/branchandboneales