Ohio Weekly Roundup
11.9.2018
CENTRAL
The Actual Brewing Company released Galvani’s Experimental Pale Ale in cans for the first time this week. The previously draft-only release features a healthy balance of pale malt and wheat with tropical Denali hops. Normally, I’d explain the story behind this beer’s name, but one paragraph isn’t enough space to encapsulate the life and work of Luigi Galvani. It involves frogs and lightning and reanimating corpses, so start down that rabbit hole at your own risk. Look for six packs of Galvani’s around Central Ohio next week.
Temperance Row Brewing Company has a couple new beers on tap. Christmas Ale was tapped yesterday and Roof-Knocker Lager, an all-Ohio lager brewed with Ohio malt and hops grown on the premises, was tapped earlier in the week. Available on draft at the Temperance Row taproom in Westerville while supplies last.
On Saturday, Nov. 10, Lineage Brewing will hold their Cranksgiving charity food drive. Show up at the Lineage taproom in Clintonville on your bike and you’ll receive a list of needed items and a map of stores. Roll out, visit as many stores as you like, buy as little or as much as you want, haul it all by bike, and then enjoy some post-ride socializing at Lineage. The ride is free, but pre-registration is required. Details at facebook.com/lineagebrewing
GREATER CLEVELAND
Two new Sibling Revelry Brewing beers will hit the market in cans this month. Millennial Haze – the unfiltered version of the brewery’s Millennial Centennial IPA – gets a dose of Nugget hops for extra juicy hop aromas. Proudly We Hail is a new Double IPA brewed with the 2018 Veterans Blend from Yakima Chief Hops; a portion of the sales of this beer will benefit the Semper Fi Fund. Both beers are currently on tap at Sibling Revelry’s Westlake taproom; can availability details at siblingrevelrybrewing.com
Terrestrial Brewing is releasing their newest IPA today. Fuzzy Mittens is made with unique caramelized oats from Haus Malts and is double dry hopped with Michigan Cashmere hops. These unique hops, paired with the pillowy feel from oats, provide guava, mango and fruity ambrosia flavors and aromas. Available on draft at Terrestrial’s brewery taproom in Battery Park.
Goldhorn Brewery’s winter seasonal, Misfit Toy, will be released in 16 oz. cans in mid-November. Straying from mainstream Christmas Ale/winter warmer territory, Misfit Toy is a dark and hearty stout brewed with rich coffee and spicy cinnamon. Read Rick Armon’s story on Goldhorn’s seasonal release at ohio.com
NORTHEAST
Welcome Hoodletown Brewing Company, the newest member of the Ohio Craft Brewers Association! The brewery held its grand opening on Sep. 1, 2018 in Dover, about 25 miles south of Canton. Craft breweries are popping up with greater frequency in Ohio’s small towns: Hoodletown Brewing is the second to call Tuscarawas County home, after Lockport Brewery in Bolivar. You can get your Ohio On Tap passport app stamp at Hoodletown starting today.
Two years ago, the Ohio Legislature eliminated the 12% ABV limit on beer, freeing Ohio’s craft breweries to experiment and create stronger beers. The gavel that officially hammered that law into the books now permanently resides at Hoppin’ Frog Brewery, who released this year’s 17.4% ABV Gavel Slammer Monumental Dark Ale on draft and in 12 oz. bottles this week. Pick some up at Hoppin’ Frog’s tasting room in Akron while it lasts.
Akronym Brewing has a trifecta of holiday beers on tap this month. Hoppy Holidays – an American strong ale brewed with juniper berries and dry hopped with Chinook and Northern Brewer hops – is currently on tap. Brutal Winter (a Brut IPA, natch) will tap next Friday, Nov. 16, with the Game of Thrones-inspired A Stout Winter Is Coming to follow on Nov. 23.
NORTHWEST
Blitzen from Maumee Bay Brewing Company has been a traditional winter staple for some time, but this year the brewery is kicking things up a few notches. On Thursday, Nov. 15, Maumee Bay will release Uber Blitzen, a 16% ABV version of their holiday spiced ale. This limited release draft only offering will be available at the brewpub in downtown Toledo. The original 7.7% ABV Blitzen is available now on draft and in bottles at select retailers.
The first snow of the season may have fallen on northwest Ohio last night, but that’s hardly a reason not to plan a trip to Twin Oast for their Grain to Glass brewery tours. In the 45-minute tour, you’ll get an interactive and in-depth look into the brewery, and explore a sensory analysis of brewing ingredients as you learn about Twin Oast’s farm-to-fermenter mentality. Tours include a flight of five beer samples and a Twin Oast pilsner glass to take home. The first tour in this series happens on Sunday, Nov. 11 with two tours offered each month through January. Get tickets at twinoast.com
SOUTHEAST
Jackie O’s Brewery will hold a dual bottle release today at all of their Athens locations. Anxiousness & Chaos is a 13.2 % ABV blend of four barrel aged ales brewed with walnuts, some aged as long as 44 months. Carrots & Sticks is a strong ale brewed with walnuts, spices, lemon zest and raisins, then fermented with carrot puree, conditioned on vanilla beans and aged in bourbon barrels. Anxiousness & Chaos will only be available in Athens, Carrots & Sticks will see limited distribution. Details at facebook.com/jackieosbrewery
If you’re looking for the right brew to power you through this long holiday season, try Yule Fuel from Double Edge Brewing Co. Tapped this week at the brewery tasting room in Lancaster, Yule Fuel is a 7% ABV amber ale brewed with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and honey, the official flavors of Ohio winter. Have a pint on draft in the taproom or grab a growler to-go.
SOUTHWEST
The long-awaited Samuel Adams taproom in Cincinnati will open to the public on Thursday, Nov. 15. Located in the Findlay Market, the 9,000 square foot taproom is directly across Central Parkway from the production brewery Sam Adams purchased from Hudepohl-Schoenling in 1997. The Gnarly Gnome offers some great insight on Sam Adams owner Jim Koch’s ties to Cincinnati and the brewery’s impact on the city’s craft brewing industry, check it out at thegnarlygnome.com
Municipal Brew Works is offering an off-flavor sensory course on Sunday, Nov. 11 at their brewery in Hamilton. The class, conducted by a Certified Cicerone, will cover the sights, aromas and flavors encountered while tasting beer and explore some off-flavors and why they occur. Spaces in the course are limited, register at facebook.com/municipalbrewworks
The draft board is getting a step darker at Nine Giant Brewing with this week’s release of Conjure Me, their brand new coffee milk stout. This sessionable, brooding beer, named for an Afghan Whigs song from 1992’s Congregation album, features single origin Brazil Mogiana beans from La Terza Coffee that lend nutty, chocolatey notes to the creamy, delicious milk stout. Available on draft at Nine Giant’s brewpub in Cincy’s Pleasant Ridge neighborhood.
WEST CENTRAL
Cheers to five years of beers from Star City Brewing Company! The Miamisburg brewery will celebrate over four days starting Wednesday, Nov. 14 with a beer and pie pairing in conjunction with The Canal House Eatery. The endcap to the celebration comes on Saturday, Nov. 17 with the tapping of four barrel aged beers: Belgian Firestorm Quad, Prince Engleman Russian Imperial Stout, 319 Wee Heavy and Twisted Mill Coffee Stout. Details at facebook.com/starcitybrewingcompany
And another cheers to five years of beers from Hairless Hare Brewery in Vandalia! They’ll be releasing five special beers at the party on Saturday, Nov. 10: Anniversary Double IPA, You Milked My Stout (poured on nitro), 2018 Wild Heffer (wild sour Hefeweizen), General Nikolai Bowmkoff Russian Imperial Stout (a collaboration with Crooked Handle, named after Warped Wing’s Nick Bowman) and cascara-infused Cold War Russian Imperial Stout. Details on the celebration can be found at facebook.com/hairlessharebrewery