R.I.P.

I headed up north with some friends back in February to the 3rd annual Michigan Brewers Guild Winter Beer Festival. After attending the first two fests in grossly undersized venues in beautiful downtown Lansing, this year's event was held inside a minor league baseball park in Grand Rapids (a smart move), and while still a tad too crowded, a great time was had by all. The Michigan Brewers Guild (a large group of commercial brewers, home brewers and beer enthusiasts) also holds a terrific summer festival every July in Ypsilanti, and most of the breweries throughout the Wolverine State attend - roughly 30-35 breweries are pouring their brews at each festival, so it's a great way to sample some of the best beer in the region, if not the country. I have been to 8 summer fests in Ypsilanti in a row (I'm beginning to lose track as I get older...), and I started fondly thinking about some of the breweries that have gone extinct for whatever reason.

So I found myself yesterday up in Ann Arbor with my kids looking for a place to eat, and as I drove by the "Kerrytown Shops" I was reminded of one of the very first "microbreweries" that I visited (back in '96 or '97) called Brewbaker's, located in the basement of the mini-mall. Brewbaker's was exactly what the name implies: part artisan bakery, part microbrewery, and I remember taking home a six-pack of their German Helles Lager and a loaf of bread, both which were delicious. Many more trips followed, until they unexpectedly (to me) closed the doors a year or two later.

Now, despite some of the Michigan breweries that are dearly departed, the craft beer scene up north is very healthy, unlike here in Ohio, where it seems to be struggling a bit. That wasn't always the case though, and just like my discovery of Brewbaker's some 11 years ago, I was also introduced to dozens of great breweries in the Buckeye State around the same time. I'd say sometime around 1998 - 1999, Ohio boasted a craft beer scene every bit as strong as Michigan, but by 2002 or so, it had all but collapsed. For what it's worth, and in no particular order, here is a roll call of what I remember to be some of the good to great Ohio microbreweries/brewpubs that are gone, but not forgotten:

Frontwaters (Marblehead) - Also one of the first breweries that I visited back in the day, Beth and I always stopped in here whenever we were near the lake. Great atmosphere, good beer, and good food (although a tad overpriced). They distributed their beer for a while, all in 22 oz. bottles I think, and I remember a "Gale Force" or "Gale Warning" beer that was especially tasty.

Maumee Bay (Toledo) - Still technically making beer I suppose, but the actual restaurant has closed down. Circa 1998, this place was one of my favorites anywhere - they had outstanding beer, like an award-winning Hefeweizen and the delicious Winter ale, Blitzen. The food and atmosphere were top-notch (a beer cheese soup used to be outta sight), and they even bottled many of their beers under the "Major Oliver" label. Bit by bit, everything started to change for the worse (the food was practically inedible, and the beer is a shadow of what it was) and it's been dying a slow death for the better part of 10 years now.

Hops (Maumee) - Open from about 2001 - 2004 (give or take), this chain brewpub based in Florida generally served uninspired, basic brews. Still, the beer was definitely a step up from industrial swill, and the food was surprisingly good.

Arrowhead (Maumee) - Owned by the folks that ran Maumee Bay into the ground, it never stood a chance. Lasted a year or two before closing.

Meyer Brewing (Delphos) - This is going back 9 or 10 years, but I recall buying a few sixers of "Copper Ale", the flagship (and possibly only) beer from this fledgling brewery. I heard that this was pretty much a one-man operation (maybe a talented homebrewer who decided to bottle his stuff), and the beer was quite good.

Miami Trail (Xenia) - Damn, this beer was great. Located in an unassuming metal barn-like structure across the street from the police station at the Southern end of Xenia, the brews were one-of-a-kind. Extraordinarily hoppy, yet somehow balanced, the Pale Ale and Red Ale stood out. I made many a two-hour trip to hit this place and Thirsty Dog (see below), and it was always well worth it.

Thirsty Dog (Centerville) - Maybe Beth's favorite place, and always a must-stop after biking the Miami Trail around Yellow Springs. The food and atmosphere were both ok, and the beer wasn't world-class, but they would sometimes brew seasonals that were great. For example, they made a pumpkin ale years ago that Beth and I still talk about. Just a fun place to go when it was open.

Hoster's (Columbus, Toledo) - This place thrived for years in the Columbus brewery district, and bottled several good beers (notably the Reverend Purley Pale Ale, and 90 Shilling Ale). It was a fun place to hang out when in Columbus, but when they inexplicably made the decision to open a second pub on the river in Toledo, the deck of cards collapsed. The T-town Hoster's closed a year (or less) after it opened, and the Columbus spot followed.

Liberty Street (Akron) - On Weathervane Lane down the hill from the Stan Hywet Gardens, this place served good beer, and featured a New Orleans-inspired menu that wasn't bad. I remember wasting away a Saturday afternoon here watching basketball and drinking well.

B and O (Youngstown) - This terrific brewpub came along later (around 2002/2003) and only lasted for a year or two. It was a beautiful place, located inside an actual working train station, and the beer was excellent.

Crooked River (Cleveland) - One of only two breweries on the list that I never actually visited in person, but the beers were rock-solid. I specifically remember their Black Forest Lager, a nutty, rich lager that was too easy to drink.

Western Reserve (Cleveland) - The other place I never visited, but pretty damn good beer. I loved their wheat, and the Island Hops brew was fantastic.

The Quarrymen (Berea) - Now resurrected in the same location as the more upscale Cornerstone Brewery, this place had solid food and great beer back in the day. I recall the owner ran into some legal trouble, and the place eventually shut down.


Depressing, isn't it? I need a beer.