Cleveland sports have not been in the news for prowess or playoffs of late, but they are in the news for draft picks and hope. The football Browns snagged Johnny Football and the basketball Cavaliers have been granted a #1 pick do-over from last year. But lets start with a truly great brewery for our month long visit and Great Lakes Brewing.
Great Lakes is part of the storied class of ’88 and is one of those breweries that you hear about even if you aren’t in their distribution path. Even with that disadvantage in L.A., I have (in my travels) had the good fortune to sample a couple of their beers. Their Dortmunder Gold lager is lovely and light. And their famous Edmund Fitzgerald porter is a layered and flavorful beer that really pairs well with food.
But if you are visiting then I would suggest the following beers for your taster tray….
Chillwave – their Double IPA with Mosaic and Nugget hops blended together.
Glockenspiel – primarily for the awesome name but also because it is a rare Weizenbock in a world of hops
Engine 20 – a hoppy offering with undertones of smoke
Ohio City Saison – with ginger, lemongrass and coriander from a local farm