Greetings, Great Beer Now fans and followers! This is the second entry in a multi- part series of blog posts relating to the Great Beer Now Rock and Roll Out the Barrel Beer Tour 2018, which took place in Cleveland, Ohio. I traversed the Cleveland, Ohio area making my way to some of the best known and most award- winning breweries in the United States, along with several hidden gems and up- and- comers. Open a can or bottle of your favorite beer and follow along on my journey through one of Ohio’s largest cities. Cheers!
Cleveland, Ohio means many things to different people. We often think about the industrial clout that Cleveland once held and how the industry that once defined the city has largely left, leaving a large void that the city is still trying to fill. But one industry that is definitely on the rise in Cleveland is beer and one of the smaller, yet still enjoyable places I visited during my tour was Market Garden Brewery, located at 1947 W. 25th Street in Cleveland, Ohio.
On the West Side
Situated next to the West Side Market, Market Garden Brewery is growing operation that dates itself back to 2011. The brewery began as a brewpub and in 2016, expanded and opened its own production brewery, adjacent to the brewpub.
The interior of Market Garden Brewery looks like a local tavern would look, with hardwood floors, televisions, and high top tables. The chandelier lights are a unique feature and the back patio is great when the weather is nice. They are a fully- functional restaurant, too, with appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, soups/salads, and entrées.
Market Garden Brewery has a smaller, little sister location right down the street called Nano Brewery. Here, the business operates a smaller brewpub that is also used to develop recipes for future production. Nano Brewery is a good choice if you want a smaller, more intimate setting without as many people and less noise.
Now for the Brew
Market Garden Brewery bottles its beers for outside consumption. Here at the brewery, draft beer rules the day and there are about 12 beers on tap at any given moment. Here is a listing of the beers I tried, listed alphabetically by name, followed by the style and my Untappd rating on a five point scale:
- Franklin Castle, Pumpkin beer, 4
- Haze Bro, Double New England IPA, 4.25
- Irishtown Bend, Red Ale, 4
- Prosperity Wheat, Hefeweizen, 3.75
Overall Average Rating: 4.00
Market Garden Brewery is one of those breweries without any standout among its beers, at least in my opinion/experience. All of the beers are agreeable and about on- par with each other as far as quality and taste are concerned, which are both above average for each beer.
Industry Evolves
Market Garden Brewery is yet another Cleveland, Ohio production brewery and another business that is helping to lead the Cleveland, Ohio economic renaissance. I visited here in the mid- afternoon on a Friday and, like other breweries/brewpubs I visited in Cleveland, I was pleasantly surprised by the significant crowds, especially for what should have been a slower time of the day.
This business, as stated before, started as a brewpub before expanding in 2016 to a full- fledged brewing operation complete with bottling, barrel- aging, etc. The restaurant and tap room space is larger than expected and, with the back patio added, there is ample space to handle large crowds. The interior has a laid back, old fashioned tavern vibe to it that makes you feel at home and ready to drink.
Food is one of the many reasons locals love Market Garden Brewery and the quality of the food is reason enough to consider a visit, even if you’re not in the mood for beer. I didn’t order a large meal when I was here, but I did partake in a couple of appetizers and I found them excellent accompaniments to my craft beer samples.
Speaking of the beer, I did what I almost always do when I’m on a multi- brewery beer tour and I limited myself to flight samplers. The flight of four beers served here included larger servings than what I’m used to. This was good, actually, because it helped me get a better idea of the taste quality of each. And I found that I liked all of the beers almost equally. I didn’t discover any knock- my- socks- off beers among the four I tried, but all were very tasty nonetheless. I only wish I would have had time to try more, as there could have been some knockout beers flowing from the other taps.
Cleveland, Ohio isn’t the industrial powerhouse it once was. The days of factories operating at full tilt are largely a thing of the past, but Cleveland has gradually re- invented itself and craft beer is one of the rising industrial stars. Market Garden Brewery is one of dozens of breweries that are helping Cleveland make an economic comeback and it is definitely a place worthy of your time for food, beer, or both. So be sure to visit Market Garden Brewery the next time you’re in the Cleveland, Ohio area. And tell them Great Beer Now sent you.
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