CLEVELAND, OHIO
After several trips to watch Indians baseball games (one high-scoring, rain-filled game versus the Yankees had to be finished the next day!), I located wonderful Christian Moerlein, Crooked River, and Great Lakes brews in ‘97. Post-X-mas ’03, found nice selection at outskirts Backdoor Beverage (Thirsty Dog Old Leghumper Porter and Goose Island Christmas Ale) before going East to WILLOUGHBY BREWING COMPANY.
Located in a restored railcar repair depot, this suburban Cleveland restaurant-brewery in the town of Willoughby was so packed at dinnertime I decided to buy fine Razz, Wheat, Pale, and Wild Irish Red ales in growlers for the road (reviewed in Beer Index).
While in the heart of Cleveland, quaffed mild headless copper-toned cereal malt-sweetened Coop’s Poison Ale on tap across Jacobs Field at downtown sports bar, Alice Cooper’stown after visiting Rock And Roll Hall of Fame.
More importantly, nearby Strongsville houses the almighty BREW KETTLE TAPROOM & SMOKEHOUSE, a unique nanobrewery specializing in homemade brews as well as a tremendous selection of microbrewed tapped beer and an endless array of daily specials.