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...
This month’s stop is one I’m embarrassed to admit I had not been familiar with until my editor tossed me a bone. Opened in 1998, Stamper’s Grill Pub was founded by Jim and Mary Stamper, with their friends Jim and Susan Smith, on Lorain Road in Fairview Park. Now, 14 years later, the pub has turned into something remarkable — a great spot for delicious food, live entertainment and, most importantly, a fine selection of craft beer. Just a few months ago, Jimmy Stamper, son of the original owner Jim, returned to Cleveland and made the wise decision to rebrand the establishment a bit. N...
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ale is unlike any beer you’re ever likely to have. Stocked at places like your neighborhood craft-beer stop and World Market, Jolly Pumpkin’s selections are a must for avid craft-beer drinkers, thanks to its unique brewing process and exceptional taste. The brewery uses open fermentation, oak barrel aging and bottle conditioning to create a beer that stands above the rest. Focusing on traditional rustic country-style beers, it make brews aimed to lighten the spirit and soothe the soul. Founded by Ron Jeffries in Dexter, Michigan, Jolly Pumpkin is represented by a r...
The craft-brew boom has been sweeping the nation for a while now, but the practitioners of the movement remain steeped in tradition — sometimes to a fault. So when the Shaun O’Sullivan and Nico Freccia began canning their craft brews, it was met with some initial resistance. The two founders of 21st Amendment Brewery first met in San Francisco in 1995 while attending a summer brewing class at University of California-Davis. Both men had moved to the Bay area from the beer wasteland, or just general wasteland, of Los Angeles. Both were interested in craft beers and sought to further the...
The craft-brew boom has been sweeping the nation for a while now, but the practitioners of the movement remain steeped in tradition — sometimes to a fault. So when the Shaun O’Sullivan and Nico Freccia began canning their craft brews, it was met with some initial resistance. The two founders of 21st Amendment Brewery first met in San Francisco in 1995 while attending a summer brewing class at University of California-Davis. Both men had moved to the Bay area from the beer wasteland, or just general wasteland, of Los Angeles. Both were interested in craft beers and sought to further their...
This past Saturday evening was the end of Cleveland Beer Week, which capped things off with the packed beer tasting, Brewzilla at the Galleria at Erieview. Members of the Buzzbin Magazine staff have attended a lot of these festivals over the course of the year, and we must say this was by far the largest turnout of 2011. Over 70 breweries participated in the event with each offering a handful of their best beers. The Brewer's Circle, the special VIP section of the event, offered some rare beers along with some tasty appetizers. Among the standouts in the Brewer's Circle were: Goose Island M...
Originally begun in 1997 as a brewpub in Canton, Thirsty Dog Brewery has become a staple of the local beer scene in Ohio and beyond. Two years after establishing the Canton pub, Thirsty Dog expanded to Montrose and Dayton. With Hoppin’ Frog’s brewmaster Fred Karm behind the wheel, Canton became the company’s flagship location and in 2002, Thirsty Dog began work on the distribution of their award-winning beer. In 2004 and 2005, a change in partnership and lease issues in Canton led to the closing of the pubs. But 2006 was a landmark year: In December, they took possession of the old B...
