Can't wait until October to get your German beer and culture fix? Then head on down to the 2012 Cleveland Oktoberfest on Labor Day weekend. Running Aug. 31 through Sept. 3, the festival is considered Northeast Ohio's largest annual outdoor fest of its kind. All things German will be in full swing for four days of authentic food, beer and entertainment. German foodies like Der Braumeister, Schmidt's of Columbus, Seven Roses, Heini's Cheese Chalet, Michael's Bakery, Frank's Bratwurst of the West Side Market, and Balaton (named Best Hungarian Restaurant by Cleveland Scene) will once again b...
Tucked down under the often-busy streets of Cleveland, La Cave Du Vin is located on the corner of Coventry Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard. The entrance and environment literally seem like you are making your way down to an actual cave. The atmosphere is dark and dank, but oddly enough, has a very homey feel. Four coolers full of beer and a handful of tables fill one side while a bar, and a rowdier crowd can often be found on the other. La Cave Du Vin has been rated in the “Top 25 Best Beer Bars” on Ratebeer.com and has also made several appearances over the years in Draft Magazine's ...
One of the keys to opening a successful restaurant isn’t about giving people what they want. It’s about giving them what they didn’t know they wanted. And that’s exactly what the Ly family did when they opened Basil Asian Bistro in downtown Canton. “We all knew downtown Canton was not going to be an easy gig,” says General Manager Tony Ly. Their plan was to open an upscale Thai and sushi restaurant in a space that failed to support both a chophouse and an Italian eatery, and in a town that has a strong rapport with things smothered in gravy and cheese. Conventional wisdom was a...
BY AARON FOWLER When one thinks of Anheuser-Busch, craft beer isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. However, the company has acquired several tasty little guys over the last few years. Here are a few of my favorites. GOOSE ISLAND SUMMERTIME (4.7%) A Kölsch beer brewed in the traditional German fashion, Summertime is a nice summer season beer to counter the macrobrews that fill your local shelves. Hints of fruity notes, such as lemon peel and banana, can be tasted with each swig and make this one, for the most part, a drinkable beer. Whether I’d grab a bottle of Flying Dog’s ...
It’s Ohio in July, which means it’s hotter and stickier than a syrup fight in hell. Some days, those fourteen Twisted Teas just don’t cut it. Fortunately for the craft-brew set, the latest craze is beer-flavored ice creams, made not (as we thought and hoped) by trading shots with dairy cows but by blending brews with the frozen treat. Here are a few. – Molly Lehman RIGGS, RUM AND RAISIN — BLACK SHEEP BREWERY This Yorkshire, U.K. brewery joined forces with local ice-cream manufacturer Brymor to make an ice cream infused with their rich Riggwelter brew. Brymor’s dairy comes from pe...
BY Arron Fowler Every so often, we need to take a trip outside our comfort zone. For some, this may mean a drive south to the wondrous capital of the Buckeye State known as Columbus. As the home of one of Ohio's best-kept secrets in the craft beer world — Columbus Brewing Company, I am talking about you — the city is rich in savory brews and the perfect stomping ground to discover some fantastic hangouts. Positioned in the heart of the Short North arts district sits Bodega, which offers up over 50 beers on draft and more than 100 from the bottle. I was told to attend Bodega d...
I finally made it to Fat Heads! A cool local brew joint up in North Olmsted. That is very near to Cleveland country for you folks who are wondering. The brewery was an old-timey farmers market. The crew at Fatheads has done a wonderful job converting it into a splendid place for beer and grub. I purchased many, again many, of their excellent brews however the Head Hunter was the one that really stood out. I believe this batch of Head Hunter was tapped only a few days before I got there. I hopped over to the brewpub for dinner on a super busy Saturday evening, enjoyed a few pints of the IPA ...
Housed in what was once Joe's Bar, the go-to location for hip Canton folk, Thatsa Wrapp does credit to the spot. Away from the rest of downtown Canton's art district (and just a few blocks from the Buzzbin office), this hidden gem is hands down one of our favorite stops in the area and should be a must for any beer connoisseur. The café offers more than 50 craft beers from an impressive bottle list, along with half a dozen taps. This time, I was drawn to the tapping of a recent favorite local beer: Columbus Brewing Company's Bodhi. Columbus has flown under the radar over the last few years...
John Lane and his golden creation Winking Lizard has been a staple of the craft beer scene in Northeast Ohio for more than 25 years. Already known for their array of beers — more than 100 in bottles — and rotating taps of more than a dozen each month on draft, the inevitable next step was a retail store. In early 2011, Lizardville came to be. Housed in the original location of the first Winking Lizard in Bedford Heights and featuring over 600 rare and unique beers and another eight on draft, it became a mecca for beer aficionados. The Lizardville beer store and whiskey bar allows drinke...
One of the unsung breweries around these parts has to be the Willoughby Brewing Company. Located in a former railcar-repair building in downtown Willoughby, the brewery opened in 1998, the first brewpub in Lake County. In January 2011, new owners purchased the brewery, and brewmaster Rick Seibt came aboard as director of brewing operations. Seibt’s love of craft beer started early. “Once I found out that you could brew beer at home, and brew the styles popular in England and Europe, I was hooked,” he said. “I loved to research the history of the styles and brewing methods. I’ve be...
If you ever thought about sipping back a few cold ones and heading out to the zoo, then Akron has got the perfect solution for you. On June 13, the Akron Zoo will once again bring forth Brew at the Zoo. Dating back to 2009, Brew at the Zoo has become a great way for adults to escape the chaos of their daily lives and enjoy the evening doing something slightly out of the ordinary. “We added this event because we were hearing from our visitors that while most of our events were kid-oriented and fun, they would love some adult events as well,” said David Barnhardt, director of marketing...
The I-X Center proudly announces the return of International Beer Fest, the largest showcase and competition of world beers in the Midwest, held May 11 & 12, 2012, at the I-X Center in Cleveland. The event will feature three public tasting sessions with over 200 stellar breweries from around the world pouring upwards of 800 select beers – tickets are on sale now at www.ixbeerfest.com. “We were very pleased with the attendance last year, and are looking to build on the excitement and enthusiasm the event generated,” said Robert Peterson, President, I-X Center. “International Beer F...
This is the first beer I’ve ever had that comes in a “nanokeg,” Sixpoint Brewery’s term for the 16-ounce cans that package many of their brews. Yeah, it’s kinda cool. I got my Sweet Action at the Geisen Haus by accident. Still working on that whole beer card thing, I asked for a number 58. They were out of it, so they brought me one they think is “a lot like the number 58.” Thanks to the folks at Geisen Haus for making a substitution that was actually awesome. I examined the “nanokeg” and read the poetic beer description on the back. (Meanwhile, my wife is eyeballing me f...
One of the easiest ways to mark Northeast Ohio’s changing seasons is by observing where the staff of Buzzbin can be found drinking itself into oblivion. The trees are budding, the air is tinged with the smell of fresh-cut grass, and our editors and contributors are dragging themselves from the rocks they’ve been living under to spend the next five months finding reasons to drink outdoors. Here are some of Buzzbin’s favorite patio bars for doing just that. – Seth Borgan Mike Nasvadi — Editor-in-Chief I’ll tell you why I like the patio at the Erie Street Pub in Massillon the best...
Every winter we become inundated with the beers of the cold-weather season: thick porters, spicy holiday ales and novelty beers with flavors ranging from pumpkin to iced gingerbread. Many styles of beer have been delegated to our harvest times due to the availability of their constituent ingredients. One beer, however, has blossomed every spring for thousands of years, harkening back to the very first days of modern brewing. Yes, without the cooler months, the lambic would certainly not exist, and with it would go one of the best beverages ever created for a warm springtime day. Let’s gai...
FOUR LOCAL BREWS FOR THOSE EARLY SUMMER BBQs Those looking for a little change this May should track down these four Ohio beers that are definitely worth a drink. While some might be easily obtainable, other could take a little soul-searching and can only be found on draft at your local craft-beer bar. Nonetheless, here are our favorite beers brewed in the good ol' Buckeye State. – Aaron Fowler Columbus Brewing Company Creeper This beer has the aroma of a West Coast-style India Pale Ale but the taste of a hoppy barleywine. Tropical fruit, citrus and pine fill the aroma, while grapefru...
Eating food that fell off the back of a box truck generally sounds like an unappetizing pursuit, unless you’re really strapped for cash or an adept dumpster diver. Since 2008, however, Clevelanders have been lining up outside Fresh Fork Market’s trucks to collect a weekly allotment of loot in over a dozen locations across the city. What’s the deal? Fresh Fork Market is a CSA, or community-supported agriculture program. Until recently, a significant disconnect existed between Ohio farmers and urban/suburban residents hungry for produce that hasn’t endured a 1,500-mile journey to the ...
Dogfish Head Aprihop Technically a spring brew, this 7% IPA from the famously quirky Delaware brewery foregrounds the jammy flavor of apricots, making it summer-savvy, too. The fruity sweetness gets offset by a brawny hit of Amarillo hops. Ommegang Belgian-style Pale Ale The cloudy, citrus-twisted character of Belgian brews make them a natural companion to a June afternoon, and this one from New York delivers, with a fluffy, almost cumulus head and bright hoppy-lemony notes that sends Blue Moon to its watery grave. Sierra Nevada Ovila Abbey Dubbel A collaboration between Sierra Nevada...
On May 11 and 12, the International Beer Fest in Cleveland will once again showcase some of the best beers in the world. Last year’s inaugural event was considered a huge success, and beer enthusiasts from surrounding states made the trek to the Cleveland I-X Center to get their drink on. This year, three separate sessions will feature more than 800 beers from 200 breweries. The International Beer Fest features exclusive beer offerings, home-brewing classes and educational lectures on brewing. Highlights from the fest include a Barrel-Aged Beer roundtable discussion, the cask-conditioned re...
Located in one of the hippest parts of Cleveland, Tremont Taphouse is the city’s first gastropub, a London-inspired casual pub with upscale cuisine complemented by an assortment of great beer. The Taphouse has more than 48 craft beers on tap at all times, rotating constantly. I decided to switch things up a bit with a darker beer at the start: the Too Cream Stout. This beer is an 8% ABV, a roasty chocolate-flavored sweet stout from Dark Horse. Though not my personal favorite in their stout series, it’s not a bad brew and well worth a try. For dinner, I ordered the House Burger, a scrump...
