Tales of ales from the heart of Ohio to the ends of the Earth
Pizza and beer is the perfect pairing. Both beer and the crust are products of yeast fermentation. The crisp bitterness of the beer cuts through the fattiness of the cheese. The herbal and spicy hop notes pair nicely with the Italian herbs in the sauce, and the spritzy carbonation scrubs it all away, resetting your... Continue Reading →
No one has written more extensively and authoritatively on craft beer in the Buckeye state than Rick Armon. A journalist by trade, Rick has published two books on the beers of Ohio - Ohio Breweries in 2011 and 50 Must Try Beers of Ohio in 2017 - in addition to his influential Ohio Beer Blog... Continue Reading →
Nothing is more British than enjoying a glass of creamy cask ale, dispensed from a beer engine, in a cozy wood paneled pub, but good luck finding that experience once you leave the British Isles. Here in Central Ohio finding a traditional cask ale is as rare as finding a hen’s tooth, and this episode... Continue Reading →
It's a clear, crisp mid-December afternoon. I’m driving from Columbus to Athens with my wife Laurinda and our friends Ralph and Lucy Wolfe. We’re on our way to a special event being held this evening at Little Fish Brewing Company. They’ve opened a limited number of spaces for people to observe the first stage of... Continue Reading →
This is the time of year when people roll out their best of the year lists. Here in Columbus, the online magazine Columbus Underground does top 10 lists of many types, including breweries. As it usually does this year's list sparked some debates amongst us and our beer loving friends, which ultimately led us to... Continue Reading →
Every year breweries roll out special beers for the holiday season. Here in Ohio the dominant style of Christmas beer is the spiced winter warmer, as epitomized by classics that date back to the mid-90s like Great Lakes Christmas Ale and Barley's Christmas Ale. While I enjoy a good winter warmer at this time of... Continue Reading →
Ohio is not the only place that celebrates Christmas with an outpouring of strong, spiced beers. The Belgians have been doing this for this many decades, albeit with a more restrained hand on the spice additions. Land Grant’s Dan Shaffer and Columbus Beer Adventures guide Ralph Wolfe join us once again for some potent, seasonally... Continue Reading →
Brewed once per year on St. Nicholas Day (Dec. 6) and aged for 10 months before packaging, the Triplebock Samichlaus can rightfully be called the OG of extreme beers. In this episode, Dan Shaffer, head brewer at Land Grant, and Ralph Wolfe join us by the fireside for a warming tipple of a beer that... Continue Reading →
I can still remember my first encounter with a Trappist Ale, a bottle of Chimay Grande Reserve back in the early 1990s. It was probably my first Belgian-brewed beer as well, and the expressive yeast character, strength, and prickly carbonation were unlike anything I'd tasted before. I later learned that this beer was brewed at... Continue Reading →
Whether you call them Scotch Ales or Wee Heavies, who can resist the charms of one of Scotland’s best exports. These silky smooth, decadent ales are the more potent siblings of the Scottish Ales we reviewed in the last episode. Brian Kimmel, a veteran of several hikes across the Scottish Highlands, joins of for an... Continue Reading →
In this episode, we remain in the UK but cross over Hadrian’s Wall and turn our attention to the malt-forward, yet sessionable family of Scottish Ales. We are joined by the dean of Ohio brewers, Barley’s brewmaster Angelo Signorino, who has been making his unique interpretation of a Scottish Ale for thirty years. Inspired by... Continue Reading →
Dark milds are far from flashy. After all how can you get excited about a beer style with such a pedestrian name? Yet, when done properly this dark, malty, pub ale packs a surprising amount of flavor into a low abv package. Dark milds are not only unassuming, they are elusive. Good luck trying to... Continue Reading →
Bitters, whether they be ordinary, best, strong, or extra special - are a staple of the British pub, but not one of the easiest styles to find here in the USA. Fortunately here in Ohio there are a few breweries brewing them with pride in the English tradition. In this episode we turn a spotlight... Continue Reading →
Columbus’ newest brewery, Thunderwing, will open its doors to the public this Friday (10/6/23) at 3 pm. The brewery is the brainchild of longtime homebrewer, former IT professional, and all-around good guy Jason Wing. Thunderwing may be the new kid on the block, but its location on 2419 Scioto Harper Drive will be familiar to... Continue Reading →
After a lengthy hiatus the podcast is back with a new episode, a blind tasting featuring eight different saisons. In our quest to find the one saison to rule them all, we are joined by BJCP beer judge (and recently crowned SODZ brewer of the year) Bill Koeppen and number one All Things Beer fan... Continue Reading →
Anyone who follows this blog will know that I've been remiss at writing new material of late, but Ohio's strong showing at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) this past weekend inspired me to get off my ass and write a new post. The GABF is essentially the beer industry's equivalent of the Oscars or... Continue Reading →
Not only have nonalcoholic (NA) beers have become increasingly common in recent years, the variety on offer has expanded dramatically. So much so that today you can find more than 50 different NA beers in Columbus market. With the excesses of the holiday season in the near past, many are trying to adopt healthier lifestyles... Continue Reading →
Last week Powell-based Ill Mannered Brewing announced they would be opening a second location in Marysville in late 2023. The taproom will be located at 117 S. Main Street, next door to the Avalon Theatre in historic Uptown Marysville. The new Ill Mannered outpost will feature a 2000 square foot taproom with a large glass... Continue Reading →
Ten years ago today, North High Brewing opened to the public on the corner of North High Street and Sixth Avenue. Today is the last chance you’ll have to enjoy a beer in their handsome taproom. It's an opportunity to look back at the past decade in Columbus brewing.
Arguably no beer substyle is more closely associated with Ohio than the spiced Christmas Ale. While Anchor Christmas Ale is the oldest surviving example of the style, dating to 1975, I think it’s fair to say that the Christmas Ale tradition is a bigger phenomenon in Ohio than it is in California, and Great Lakes... Continue Reading →
Pat's Pints 