WILLOUGHBY BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs

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.

www.willoughbybrewing.com

www.thebrewkettle.com

 

WATSON BROTHERS BISTRO

United States Brewpubs,

Watson brothers hi-res stock photography and images - Alamy

BLUE ASH, OHIO

15 miles North of Cincinnati in suburban Blue Ash, WATSON BROTHERS BISTRO was visited June ’04. Blanched lemony bubblegum lightweight German Wit; soapy raspberry-peach-primed tobacco-influenced Over The Rhine Razz; spicy chamomile-tinged wheat-husked Main Street Golden Ale; Hallertau-hopped herbal tea-like Woody’s American Wheat; caramelized crystal-malted Abigail’s Amber Ale; and unsweetened ice tea-wisped hop-toasted Toby’s New Zealand Dark were OK. Brewery closed around 2006.

ROCK BOTTOM – CINCINNATI

United States Brewpubs

CINCINNATI, OHIO

Who’d have thought it’d be hard scalping two tickets for two losing baseball clubs this Wednesday evening, June ’04. The Pittsburgh Pirates, a last place team, was in town to play the lowly Reds, but kid’s summer camps had scarfed up most of the tix. Anyway, my wife and I got in, watched a no-hitter through six innings, then had the fireworks go off over our heads as one of the home team’s players crushed a grand slam.

After Reds game at new Great America Ballpark, hit downtown Cincy’s ROCK BOTTOM BREWERY for good pub food and bland suds. Soapy wheat-husked, lemon-lined Cincinnati Light Lager and dry lemon-dropped, grapefruit-juiced light body White Tiger Wheat suit session beer regulars only. Spice-hopped, malt-fruited Crosley Field Pale Ale, tealeaf-flaked, tobacco-dried, wheat-backed Tall Stacks Ale, and mildly spice-hopped, dark chocolate-y, walnut-sharp Brown Bear Brown Ale were perfunctory. Perfume-hopped, whiskey-tinged, mocha-resinous Dry Irish Stout was stylistically off-center.

www.rockbottom.com

BARRELHOUSE BREWPUB

United States Brewpubs

CINCINNATI, OHIO

Before visiting the so-called Queen City, June ’04, a spectacular multi-vehicle police chase took place as my wife and I drove from the nearby airport in Hebron, Kentucky (just across the Ohio River) to Cincinnati’s midtown. By all accounts, it was a serious drug bust. But cool to watch from up close.

As the first large mainland city in America, Cincinnati originally gained respect as a steamboat shipping corridor and remains a big part of the midwest Rust Belt. Its performing arts community is one of America’s best, but currently the city’s craft beer scene lacks depth.

Staying at a first-class hotel on the cheap made it easy to peruse the beautiful Fountain Square area just a few streets up from the riverbank where Paul Brown Football Stadium and Great America Ballpark now reside. After initially stopping by Nicholson’s Tavern, a Scottish pub offering Black Mac (Guinness Stout layered over Mc Ewan’s Scotch Ale) and Bumblebee (Guinness over Boddington’s Ale), my wife and I went uphill to the rougher West End section where nightclubs, cheap grub, and heavy partying ruled.

Fabulous BARRELHOUSE BREWPUB, formerly a craft beer haven on 12th Street (and soon a successful microbrewery on Liberty Street before closing 2010), tendered awesomely well-rounded brews such as wheat-husked, clove-hopped, yellow-fruited Flying Pig Pilsner; laid-back malt-resigned barley roaster Red Legg Ale; buttery spice-hopped IPA-like Cumberland Pale Ale; banana-vanilla-bubblegum-candied Hocking Hills Hefeweizen; and creamy mocha-spiced Vandermeer Strong Lager.

I was even more impressed by the diversity of the next few brews tried. Truly sufficing were chocolate-buttered, cherry-pureed Barrelhouse Nectar, pale-malted, wheat-dried Cream Ale, boozy cherry-candied, orange-bruised Belgian Winter Ale, medicinal cherry-spiced, quince-sweet, pear-tinged Belgian Red Ale, and lactic chocolate-sweet port-wined dessert Stern Wheeler Stout.

Though fabulous pub closed down, its brewer crafted bottled beer (distributed first through Ohio and Kentucky) from a site one-quarter mile northwest of its former Over-The Rhine neighborhood, initially under the name Heritage Brewery, then Barrel House. See bottled reviews at Beer Index.

Best local beer store, Party Town, 10 miles South of Cincy in Florence, Kentucky, sold specialty foods, fireworks, and liquor. Bought several Berghoff, Great Lakes, Bell’s, Kentucky Ales, and Bluegrass brews along with new Californians by Reaper Ale and Hoppy Brewing.
 
 

 

 

AMERICA’S BREWPUB

United States Brewpubs

America's Brewpub | Aurora, IL | Beers | BeerAdvocate
AURORA, ILLINOIS

Heading west past fast growing Naperville suburb is once-bigger urban municipality, Aurora, home of deceased football great Walter Payton’s Roadhouse (a.k.a. AMERICA’S BREWPUB), visited August ’06 (but closed down 2011 and now housing HOPVINE BREWING).

Situated along the railroad in a freestanding building including banquet halls and Walter Payton Museum, this capacious stable-like alehouse has a large outdoor deck with pavilion and fireplace. Brew tanks are along walls and an upstairs dining area and bar are also available.

Enjoyed jambalaya lunch with mildly tropical lime-wedged Atlantico Cerveza, diacetyl dry-hopped corn-wheat-oats-sweetened Payton Pilsner Light, and sweet-grained corn-sugared Payton Pilsner. Perfumed honey-clove-cored orange blossom-hinted Honey Wheat, dry red-fruited cereal-grained caramel-malted Aurora Amber, buttery honeyed wheat-bound Hemp Stoned Ale, and lactic chocolate-milked cane-sugared hazelnut-sharp Sweetness Stout proved even better.

Most worthiest was wood-aged champion, Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout, an aggressive brew layering resinous black chocolate above roasted coffee, vanilla, pecan, and cherry. Yummy!

 

GOVNOR’S PUBLIC HOUSE

United States Brewpubs,

Govnor's Public House Restaurant And Brewery | Lake In The Hills, IL | Reviews | BeerAdvocate
CHICAGO VICINITY, ILLINOIS

Drawing a respectable conservative mainstream crowd was Lake In The Hills beautiful freestanding chateau-styled cement-stone-brick-designed mall-sited restaurant-bar chateau, GOVNOR’S PUBLIC HOUSE, operating as a brewpub since ’98 (and visited August ’06 but closed 2008). This spacious pub opens to a square shaped bar with plentiful left side dining available.

Weekend drink specials and good food (pizza, prime rib, and 5-way grilled cheese are mainstays) draw the crowd, as do delightful fruit-soured brews such as orange-bruised lemon-candied banana-bubblegum-clove-tinged O’Kelly’s Hefeweizen, hop-toasted fig-dried pecan-praline-bottomed Public House Pale Ale, and mouth-puckering citric-soured berry-sweet Raspberry Wheat.

Though astringent wheat-strawed corn-dried Leprechaun Light was strictly commercial and curacao orange-centered grapefruit-melon-receded Rubberband Red had chemical acidity, ultra-dry butterscotch-nipped vanilla-dipped Vanilla Cream Ale and raspberry ice tea motif, Veronica’s A.P.A., fared better. Black coffee-roasted cocoa-dried hop-toasted maple-finishing Shamrock Stout was inspiring. Best bet: Bannockburn Scottish Ale, a dry-hopped caramel malted medium body with red apple, orange peel, grapefruit rind, and pecan pie illusions.

Alas, by 2009, economic woes brought down Govnor’s, which may reopen as a sportsbar. No word if they’ll continue brewing.

BRASS RESTAURANT

United States Brewpubs

CHICAGO VICINITY, ILLINOIS

Across from Millrose Restaurant, South Barrington’s spacious red brick BRASS RESTAURANT seemed to attract upbeat yuppies with its detailed art deco, fine wines, coffee styles, and nice array of lighter-bodied brews served in candelabra sampler trays. Visited August ’06 (a year prior to closing), mahogany bar had widescreen TV’s and rear brew tanks while back patio and left side dining catered to families. Sticky dry-bodied wheat-maize-chaffed Dortmunder-styled Lunker Light, sharp yellow-fruited German Kolsch, lemon-limed coriander-tinged Belgian Wit, and soft orange-red-fruited nut-fig-soured alcohol-burnt astringency Anytime Amber Ale had easy appeal. Weissguy Hefeweiss possessed a smoky nuance pervading malleable lemony clove-banana-vanilla illusions. Best bet: red-fruited cereal-grained barley-roasted hop-spiced butterscotch-candied Anticipation Pale Ale.

MILLROSE RESTAURANT

United States Brewpubs

MILLROSECHICAGO VICINITY, ILLINOIS

Owned by meat packaging entrepreneur William Rose, South Barrington-based MILLROSE RESTAURANT (visited August ’06 and closed ’08) inhabited a stable-styled lodge with maroon-green exterior, large umbrella-festooned front deck, wood-stained bar, central stone fireplace, strewn antiques, and dining to all sides.

Upscale menu may’ve outclassed moderate brews such as lemony corn-dried wheat-chaffed bantanweight Prairie Pilsner, fruit-spiced hop-embittered Dark Star Lager, soft candi-sugared grapefruit-dabbed Country Inn Light Ale, grape-fig-soured Panther Amber, and white grape-soured nut-nipped American Brown.

 However, molasses-butterscotch Honey Wheat and tangy raspberry-centered cracked wheat-backed Raspberry Wheat overcame such uncertainty.

Brewery operations ceased, 2008.

PRAIRIE ROCK

United States Brewpubs,

Prairie Rock Brewing Company | Elgin, IL | Beers | BeerAdvocate
SCHAUMBURG, ILLINOIS

Amongst the neuvo contemporary townships springing up west of Chi-town are Schaumburg, South Barrington, and Lake In The Hills, where four mall-oriented brewpubs reside (visited August ’06). Opened in 1998 (the original tavern-styled Elgin pub has operated since ’95), Schaumburg’s capacious freestanding red brick sports bar, PRAIRIE ROCK, has large front deck, second floor deck, and third floor banquet hall.

But just like two of the other Chi-town mall-oriented brewpubs, Prairie Rock closed down its brewing operations before 2008.

Left side bar with widescreen television and rear brew tanks served maize-dried wheat-husked citric-tinged Prairie Light, dry Cascade-hopped floral-piney lemon rind nicety Pale Rider Amber, fig-honeyed quince-peach-pear-ripened Vienna-styled Clocktower Amber Lager, and lilting orange-tart, clove-coriander-spiced, red hot-candied Belgian-Style Wit. Flaked oats, sour coffee bean, dry mocha, and hazelnut imbue Oatmeal Stout while vanilla-butterscotch-fronted honeyed-maple digestif Vanilla Crème Ale tastes like cream soda.

FLATLANDER’S BREWING

United States Brewpubs

LINCOLNSHIRE, ILLINOIS

Opened  1995, Lincolnshire-based freestanding sportsbar-family restaurant, FLATLANDER’S BREWING, is situated in a modern red brick mini-mall visited August ‘06.

Pristine outdoor deck welcomes patrons to enormous dining space leading into large bar equipped with pool table, brew tanks, small stage, and framed pix of ‘60s cultural icons. Colossal fireplace gives warmth to back dining section and pub fare included salad, ribs, fish, chicken, and crab cakes.

Light-grained dry-hopped grape-fig-soured Lincolnshire Lager, styptic Scotch-like caramel-dipped Harvest Amber Ale, hop-prickled lemon-peeled orange-bruised banana-clove-scurried Hefeweizen, and mildly medicinal grass-hopped lemon-dropped orange-peeled coriander-teased Belgian Wit suit softer palates. Heartier thirsts will lean towards mildly creamy coffee bean-fronted espresso-backed grape-soured walnut-charred tar-embittered Locomotive Stout and stubbornly red-fruited herbal-spiced dry-hopped Abe’s Honest Ale.

www.flatlanders.com

MICKEY FINN’S BREWERY

United States Brewpubs

LIBERTYVILLE, ILLINOIS

Another retreat away from ‘nubian’ cookie cutter mall pubs northwest of Chicago, MICKEY FINN’S BREWERY (open since 1994 and sojourned August ‘06) mirrors the olden patriotic heritage Libertyville’s streets and shops exhibit. Antique oak bar lines entire right side with seating behind and in separate left section. The upper level Amber Room offers live music and banquet space.

Fine pub fare included pizza, burgers, sandwiches, tacos, wienerschnitzel, and Shepherd’s Pie to go with diacetyl, low-alcohol, corn-dried, lemon-puckered astringency Gudenkrisp Kolsch and lime-wedged spice hop-prickled agave-peppered light lager, Mexican Cerveza. Hop tingling wheat ales included tangy banana bubble-gummy coriander-spiced Gudenteit Hefeweizen, Belgian-styled popcorn-fronted lemon-limed orange-peeled coriander-clove-backed Katarina Wit, and buttery banana-clove-vanilla-licked Mickey Finn’s Wheat Ale.

Full-bodied chocolate-roasted Bill’s Oatmeal Stout was unavailable, but delightfully bold Abana Amber Ale aptly plied zesty apple-centric peach-grapefruit punch to caramelized malts and floral-spiced hops. Beer rotation is amazingly fast, so this is but a small sampling from this truly noble indie Chi-town brewpub.

www.mickeyfinnsbrewery.com

STOCKHOLM’S VARDSHUS

United States Brewpubs,

Stockholm's Restaurant & Brewery | Enjoy Illinois

CHICAGO VICINITY, ILLINOIS

Opening its doors in May 2002, tiny midtown Geneva saloon, STOCKHOLM’S VARDSHUS, retains a friendly Old World charm some historic northwest Chicago suburbs strive for. Visited August ’06, its left side front-to-back mahogany bar opposes dining area. Snug back deck is cozy for sucking down brews from front-windowed brew tanks.

Good sandwiches, ribs, salmon, and Italian fare go well with middling beers such as lemon-fizzed hard-candied wheat-chaffed Older But Weisser and zesty orange-embittered, white grape-soured, green apple-tart Third Street Ale. Astringently-oxidized meagerly-fruited caramel-malted British bitter S.W.C. fared badly but earthen peat-malted citric-soured Doc’s Porter proved quite satisfying. Best bet: Aegir’s English Pale Ale merges caramel kettle corn sugaring with honeyed tea succinctness.

www.stockholmsbrewpub.com