“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”
-- Benjamin Franklin


Many of us have an intimate relationship with our beer. It provides us comfort and relaxation after a hard day’s work. It loosens us up in awkward social scenarios. It’s a perfect companion to our evening fare and a refreshing staple to our palates.

So why should we be content to drink the same old cookie-cutter brew every weekend? Tastes great, sure. Less filling, perhaps. But there are plenty of specialized blends that can better animate our taste buds. Microbreweries have long been in the business of crafting that perfect drink – whether you favor dark beers, beer with a heavy wheat taste or beer that comes sweet and fruity.

A microbrewery is technically defined by its production, from 10,000 to about 15,000 barrels a year of beer and ale. But consumers don’t pay attention to numbers. They’re in it for the taste.

Columbus
Barley’s Brewing Co., 467 N. High St., 614-228-ALES, www.barleysbrewing.com
In the heart of the Short North is Barley’s Brewing Co., which switches up its dinner menu twice a year to perfectly compliment its impressive lineup of beers. “Our top-selling dishes are sauerkraut balls and pierogies, which go very well with our beer,” says Jason Fabian, general manager and executive chef.

Since Barley’s opened in 1992, Brewmaster Scott Francis has captained the ship, sticking to a traditional, English style of creating various handcrafted ales. On tap each Friday is the company’s signature Barley’s Real Ale, served directly from a gravity-fed firkin.

Additionally, Barley’s serves MacLenny’s Scottish Ale, with toffee-like undertones; Barley’s Pale Ale, with a fruity flavor; Barley’s Pilsner, produced with the rarest hops in the world; Barley’s Wheat Ale, slightly tart and light; and extra bitter J. Scott Francis ESB, among many more, including the new Barley’s Raspberry Wheat Ale.

The microbrewery also frequently features “guest taps,” including Gumballhead, from Indiana; Original Sin Hard Cider, from New York; Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale, from Maine; and Guinness Extra Stout from Dublin, Ireland.

Barley’s Smokehouse & Brewpub, 1130 Dublin Rd., 614-485-0BBQ, www.barleysbrewing.com
Like its “cousin,” Barley’s Brewing Co. (different ownership, same Brewmaster), the company features many of the same beers thanks to the craftiness of Scott Francis. Try the Centennial India Pale Ale, which was first brewed to commemorate the brewpub’s 1,000th batch, and features more hops and malt. Barley’s Smokehouse’ newest beer, Yankee Wheat Ale, marks the first time the brewpub has produced a wheat ale using two yeast strains.

While you’re there, satisfy your hunger pangs with less guilt. Barley’s just stopped cooking with trans fat and brought back jerk wings, jerk chicken and jerk shrimp. There are nightly food specials featured and intoxicating happy hour deals, from 4-7 p.m. Monday through Friday, with $3 pints on Barley’s ales.

Columbus Brewing Co., 535 Short St., 614-224-3626, www.columbusbrewingco.com
Established in 1988, the Columbus Brewing Co. is appropriately located in the historic Brewery District and has beer-making lineage dating back to the 1800s. Many of the ales are locally harvested and the company’s award-winning selections are available at grocery stores and restaurants throughout the state.

Brewmaster Eric Bean is at the helm of the company’s six signature flavors, including Columbus Pale Ale; Columbus 90 Shilling Ale, a ruby red Scottish style ale; Ohio Honey Wheat, brewed with local honey; Columbus Apricot Ale, crispy and wheaty with hints of apricot; 1859 Porter, with rich malt and roasted flavors; and I.P.A. with hoppy aromas and a malt background.

This fall will feature Nut Brown ale and an Oktoberfest lager. Also, to mark the company’s 10th anniversary, a new menu has been created. “All of our beers are available in one location and the menu is designed to match our beers,” Bean says.


Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus, 161 N. High St., 614-228-0500, www.elevatorbrewing.com
Since March 2000, the Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus has been serving a number of handcrafted microbrews to accompany its extensive lunch and dinner menu and wine list. The brewery carries 12 beers on tap, all inspired by Brewmaster Vic Schiltz. Eleven ales and lagers are complemented by one monthly or seasonal selection. The beers here are given a unique boost, thanks to the Elevator’s nitrogen injection system.

Specialties include the Lift Light, an American-style lager; Xtra, the Elevator’s flagship brew with a German light bodied style; Hefewiezen, light and slightly fruity; 13th Floor Pale Ale, an authentic British-style Pale Ale; the Necessity IPA, deep and rich with a floral essence; Bleeding Buckeye Red Ale, a medley of malt and hops; Dirty Dick’s Nut Brown Ale, a medium-bodied brown ale with a nutty, malted flavor; Coal Porter, a full and nutty dark brown ale; and the Procrastinator Dopplebock, a powerful dark lager.
Notably, the Elevator brews a specialty beer each month, featuring a diversity of flavors, from Chocolate Stout to Pumpkin Ale to California Common.

Gordon Biersch Brewing, 401 N. Front St., 614-246-2900, www.gordonbiersch.com
In 1988, Dan Gordon and Dean Biersch opened up a brewery restaurant in Palo Alto, Calif., featuring authentic German-style lagers. Now, Gordon Biersch has 17 locations in 13 states, including one in Columbus’ Arena District. Its growth, however, hasn’t compromised its product. Beers are brewed with Hallertauer hops, two-row barley and a special yeast strain imported directly from Germany.

The local menu boasts the Golden Export, a smooth, lightly hopped beer with a dry finish; the Hefeweizen, which is light and sparkling; Czech Lager, a Bohemian-style Pilsner accented with a spicy aftertaste; Marzen, a dry, mildly sweet lager; Dunkles, a medium-bodied, malt beer with a smooth finish; and seasonal beers brewed fresh year-long.

Exhausted your beer appetite? Gordon Biersch serves an extensive wine selection, martinis, margaritas and specialty cocktails, such as the Pomegranate Mojito.

Hoster Brewing Co., 760 Harmon Ave., 614-221-3606, www.hosterbeer.com
Few microbrews have stood the true test of time like those from Hoster Brewing Company. Although its accompanying restaurant has been closed for a few years now, its beer lives on strong.

“We only sell our beer on tap, not in bottles, so it’s really fresh,” says Owner Dan Meyers. The beer is distributed at various restaurants in German Village, at the Bexley Monk, Cooper Stadium and more.

The top seller by far is the Hoster Gold Top, a light, fresh lager. It also brews a dark amber and a new blend for each season. Brewmaster Victor Ecimovich III was recognized as one of the nation’s best in Beer Across America, and has developed many new brews, including the 90 Shilling Scottish Ale and the Rev. Purley Pale Ale. Other products of note include the Captivator Doppelbock, the Maibock, Independence English Ale and Oktoberfest.

Meyers is also prideful of the company’s production of Frostop Root Beer, voted the #1 tasting root beer by Travel Savvy Magazine. The secret is the original recipe, developed in 1926.

Try Them All
All six of Columbus’ microbreweries and brewpubs will participate in the second annual Columbus Microbrew Festival from noon to 7 p.m. Sept. 15 at the North Market, 59 Spruce St. Visit www.northmarket.com or call 614-463-9664 for more information.

Also, check out the most recent arrival on the brewpub scene in Columbus – BJ’s Restaurant-Brewhouse, at 1414 Polaris Pkwy. (www.bjrestaurants.com, 614-885-1800). It opened in March and includes seven beers on tap at all times, as well as rotating seasonal brews. Try the top selling BJ’s Brewhouse Blonde, which is reminiscent of a domestic beer, and the Piranha Pale Ale, which is hoppy and includes a lot of bite, hence the name.

Cleveland
Willoughby Brewing Co., 4057 Erie St., 440-975-0202, www.willoughbybrewing.com
A full dinner menu and entertainment line up goes well with their eight signature beers, including Willoughby Wheat, with subtle wheat graininess and a floral hop flavor; Lost Nation Pale Ale, with a citrus hop character and moderate bitterness; Daisy Cutter IPA, with a citrus and pine personality, balanced with malt; Railway Razz, amber-red and loaded with berries; Shoreline Light, pale gold and light-bodied; Pride of Willoughby Porter, dark malt; the Northern Trail Nut Brown Ale, with hints of toffee and caramel; and the Rapier Wit, a cloudy Belgian white beer that is subtly spiced with coriander and orange peel.

Rock Bottom Brewery/Cleveland, 2000 Sycamore St., Cleveland, 216-623-1555, www.rockbottom.com
With about 30 locations nationwide, Rock Bottom Brewery doesn’t skimp on its menu details. Menus entail everything from salads to pizza to steaks, sandwiches, or seafood (it was voted Best Wings in Cleveland in 2005). And don’t forget about Rock Bottom’s homemade dessert menu, all made in-house.

Extensive food selection aside, Rock Bottom is really about the beer. The restaurant-brewery has won more than 100 beer awards for excellence in brewing, which is done with hand-select hops and malted barley from the great Northwest.

Cleveland’s beer list, courtesy of Brewmaster Scott Guckel, features Cleveland American Light, a lightly hopped golden lager; Walleye Wheat, light-bodied and smooth; Powerhouse Pale Ale, hoppy and malty-bodied; Riverbend Red, rich and malty, made from English malts; Dawg Pound Brown, roasty and smooth with a somewhat sweet after taste; and the Terminal Stout, which is rotating tap based on season.

Great Lakes Brewing Co., 2516 Market St., Cleveland, 216-771-4404, www.greatlakesbrewing.com
Sometimes Cleveland’s known for infamy (hello, Eliot Ness), as much as it is for its landmarks and contributions. The Great Lakes Brewing Co. crafts award-winning lagers and ales with big Cleveland flavor and personality. Try the Burning River Pale Ale, with a citrus kick; the Commodore Perry IPA, with a dry, fruity aftertaste; the Edmund Fitzgerald Porter, a complex, roasty porter with a chocolate-coffee taste; the Eliot Ness Amber Lager, amber with rich malt flavors; the Holy Moses White Ale, spiced with orange peel, chamomile and coriander; and much more.

Cleveland Brown Ale brews in the fall, to kick off football season, and the biggest seller is the Dortmunder Gold Lager, which has a sweet, dry and malty flavor. Also, the Christmas Ale, although seasonal, sells just as well as some of the year-round brews, and boasts a ginger and cinnamon taste reminiscent of a gingerbread cookie.

Notably the company has gone entirely green, following a zero waste initiative, recycling bottles and grain (to re-make into their pretzels and breads), donating compost to local farmers and using local produce and meats.

Chophouse & Brewery, 824 W. Saint Clair, Cleveland, 216-623-0909, www.chophouse.com
With four locations across the country, Cleveland’s Chophouse, in the historic Warehouse District, has a throwback, nostalgic 1940’s-style, a diverse menu, handcrafted ales, small batch bourbons and single-malt scotches.

Signature brews include the Light Lager; Bohemian Pilsner, with a smooth, flowery finish; American Wheat, with a citrus nose and medium body; American Pale Ale, mellow and slightly caramel; Irish Red, from two varieties of English crystal malts; Seasonal Stout, a rotating tap for the seasons; and a variety of specialty tap and seasonal beers. Brewmaster Scott Guckel also heads up the taps at Rock Bottom/Cleveland, as the restaurants are owned by Rock Bottom Restaurants Inc.

The Brew Keeper, 34445 Center Ridge Rd., North Ridgeville, OH, 216-292-BREW, www.brewkeeper.com
This brewery (and 116-capacity restaurant) has 11 beers on tap, including the most recent creation, White Storm, a vanilla cream ale brewed in celebration of The Brew Keeper’s one-year anniversary. Also featured is the award-winning Double Chocolate Stout, the Affinity Lager and more, coming from the Mad Brewer brand (www.madbrews.com).

But what’s most special about The Brew Keeper is that it is one of only two B.O.P.’s (Brew on Premise) in the state. That means you can craft your own creations. Make an appointment to sift through some 42 recipes, pick out your own flavors and hops and special touches, and watch it come together in an icy, cold beverage that is uniquely yours.

“We already have 50 appointments and we just started so I think people really have fun with this. And you get a lot of beer, 72 22-ounce beers, for about $200, so it’s a good deal, too,” says Ken George, co-owner.

Cincinnati
Barrel House Brewing Co., 544-B W. Liberty St., Cincinnati, 513-421-BEER, www.barrelhouse.com
Declaring its products as “The Best Damn Beer in Town,” Barrel House uses time-honored brewing techniques and all natural materials. “We filter our flavors that we work very hard to get so they’re there in the end, and it really makes a difference,” says Brewer Brian Sprance.

The RedLegg Ale, a classic American ale, is the Barrel House’s biggest seller. Also popular is the Cumberland Pale Ale, the Hocking Hills Hefeweizen and the Duveneck’s Dortmunder-Style Lager. There are also two newer brews, the Boss Cox Double Dark IPA and Belgian-Style Winter. These beers are distributed in bars and restaurants all over the Midwest.

“We’ve been around since 1995. We’re Cincinnati’s oldest operating microbrewery, which helps us stand out,” Sprance says.

Rock Bottom Brewery/Cincinnati, 10 Fountain Square, Cincinnati, 513-621-1588, www.rockbottom.com
Like its sister restaurant in Cleveland, Rock Bottom/Cincinnati has a franchise-based menu, but a location specific beer list.

With its convenient Downtown Cincinnati location, Rock Bottom is a hot spot following Bengals and Reds games. Patrons cheer on Brewmaster Mitchell Dougherty as he crafts beers true to the Queen City character.

They include the Cincinnati American Light, with a dry, crisp flavor; White Tiger Wheat, which is slightly sweet and fruity; Crosley Field Pale Ale, a true classic amber; Brown Bear Brown, with medium maltiness and body; Tall Stacks Ale, brewed with imported English malts; and the Brewmaster’s Choice, a rotating seasonal dark ale (fall is the Oatmeal Stout).

Much, much more
If you love beer, check out these microbreweries, located throughout the state. Cheers!

Maumee Bay Brewing Co., 27 Broadway, Toledo, 419-241-1253. Try the Buckeye Dry Lager.

Jackie O’s Pub and Brewery, 24 W. Union St., Athens, 740-592-9686. Big seller is the Ohio Pale Ale, infused with lemon and floral notes with a copper hue and pleasantly bitter taste.

Thirsty Dog Brewing Company, 529 Grant St.,, Akron, OH 44311, (330) 252-2739, www.thirstydog.com. Pour an Old Leghumper, dark chocolate malt, with hints of caramel and coffee, or a Hoppus Maximus, a bittersweet American Amber Ale.

Rocky River Brewing Co., 21290 Center Ridge Rd., Rocky River, OH 44116, (440) 895-BREW, www.rockyriverbrewco.com. Top sellers include Cooper’s Gold (German style) or Rocky River Pirate Light, an American blonde ale.

The Brew Kettle, 8377 Pearl Rd., Strongsville, OH 44136, (440) 239-8788, www.thebrewkettle.com. A B.O.P. (brew on premise) establishment, for those who want their drinks customized to fit their personality.

Cornerstone Brewing Co., 58 Front St., Berea, OH 44017, (440) 239-9820, www.cornerstonebrewing.com. Taste the Seven, an India Pale Ale, and the Grindstone Gold, a lighter style ale.

Kelleys Island Brewery, 504 W. Lakeshore Dr., Kelleys Island, OH 43438, (419) 746-2314, www.kelleysislandbrewpub.com. Check out the Island Devil, an amber Belgian.

Hoppin’ Frog Brewery, 1680 E. Waterloo Rd., Akron, OH 44306, (330) 352-4578, www.hoppinfrog.com. Try the George’s First Pilsner, the True Meridian Ale or Marie’s Last Oatmeal Stout.

Marietta Brewing Company, 167 Front St., Marietta, OH 45750, (740) 373-2739, www.mariettabrewingcompany.com.

Black Box Brewing Co., 24945 Detroit Rd., Westlake Rd., Westlake, OH 44145, (440) 871-0700, www.jwdover.com. Signatures include Plumber’s Crack Ale and the Javelin, plus the Heartland Winery includes more than 20 different wines.

Mt. Carmel Brewing Company, 4362 Mount Carmel Tobasco Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45244, (513) 519-7161, www.mtcarmelbrewingcompany.com. Signatures include the big ambered Mount Copper Ale and the Nut Brown Ale.

Brown Derby Roadhouse, 5051 Eastpointe Rd., Medina,OH 44256, (330) 721-1731. Roadhouse Red, Pecos Tale Ale and the Derby Light are the top sellers.

Alicia Kelso is editor of Luxury Living Magazine.