Love fat heads head hunter but unless i can bring some home with me in bottles, im probably not going to go out of my way to the saloon just to have some on draft. Does anyone know if bottles are ever in stock at the brew pub (or anywhere in Cleveland for that matter)? Also planned on hitting up Brew kettle, Market brewery, Great lakes and possibly Indigo Imp (is the tasting room at the imp open on saturdays or sundays?), any other place i should hit up? Perhaps Buckeye? Do they even have a tasting room? There is very little info on their webpage. Thanks!
I do know that Buckeye is one of the few stores in the state with a decent Belgian sour selection if you swing that way.
Fatheads releases HH in bottles sporadically and none available now. You can always fiill a growler. The food is excellent. Have never been to Indigo Imp. Buckeye brewing does not have a tasting room. You can go to the Beer Engine in Lakewood (their brew pub) to sample their brews, have an awesome burger and sample a nice draft list. For bottles, Rozi's (Lakewood) and Lizardville (Rocky River). Cheers!
Agreed. One thing I'm still learning is to always keep growlers in the trunk because you never know what you may find during your travels. Good suggestion.
Erase Indigo Imp from your mind, nothing to see there. As mentioned, Head Hunter bottles can't be guranteed, but they do growler fills and they're reasonably priced. Fat Head's is awesome and worth the visit. FH is really close to The Brew Kettle too. Buckeye Beer Engine is a great stop too.
Fat Heads & Brew Kettle = 2 best breweries in Cleveland area Market Garden & Indigo Imp = 2 worst Great Lakes = split the difference Head Hunter bottles will be on shelves by the end of June. Until then, Fat Heads is still a great stop for all their other tasty brews, guest taps and vibe.
I assume you're driving. If so, and the route takes you I90 into Cleveland, I would hit Willoughby Brewing on the way. I put them in the same class as Brew Kettle and Buckeye, a little better IMO. You are doing yourself a disservice if you pass on Fat Head's; they are easily the best brewery in the area. Imp Sucks, skip it. Market Garden is average and worth a stop if you're at Great Lakes as it is right around the corner.
What are the odds i that some white rajah will be available for purchase at the brew kettle? As it looks on the menu, its not even available on draft right now but is listed as year round.
Odds of finding bottles of White Rajah at TBK are probably not that great. Stores got cases of them last week but I am sure inventory is "out of stock" in most places considering how well that beer does when it DOES hit shelves and with it being a holiday weekend last weekend. As for it not being on tap, it is "year round" but its probably just a case of them running out for a bit. Good luck with your hunt and enjoy your trip here in CLE. PS - Head Hunter was on tap at the Tremont Taphouse (fantastic bar, 48 taps, within minutes of Great Lakes & Market Garden) last Sunday...not sure if it still is on but you could always try there for draft options. I know White Rajah was on the "on deck" wall.
Depends on whether you're looking for Cleveland's best (or your favorite) beer or the most bang-for-your-buck, time-wise. My suggestion is just to roll straight in to Lakewood. You've got Buckeye Beer Engine for draft, but Melt and Deagan's aren't shabby either, to say the least. You've got Rozi's for bottles, but just down Detroit is the Ross Deli. Not the same selection as Rozi's, but lots of bottles and a nice little growler fill station as well. (Plus, the prices, and more importantly, growler option, usually makes it easy to find something to take out of there.) There may even be more in Lakewood that I don't know about, not being from the area, but it seems to make a nice stop with all those places in just a few square miles, if not a square mile. Also, depending on your time, you're not too far away from some other good stops in Cleveland.
Was just at Brew Kettle and they had Rajah on tap and a case of 6pks in the to go cooler. I grabbed 5 bottles of Tunguska dipped in green wax. $5 a bomber!
Why is Indigo Imp looked down upon so much? I know they don't have anything amazing, but their porter is excellent, and their saison and black ale are pretty good too. I believe they also use a lot of open fermentation, which is very unique being in Ohio and all. I figured that fact alone would have more BAs salivating! As for recommendations, you can't go wrong with Brew Kettle. Great food, good beer selection, plus some limited releases for sale as a perk (the cooler was stocked with Jackhammer for $5 a bomber when I was there last summer). I've also heard Fat Heads is awesome, but haven't made it up there yet. If you have time, take the trek down to Akron and hit up Hoppin Frog (not so exciting but you will come back with some good bottles) and Thirsty Dog (an interesting spot for a brewery, decent tasting area as well).
I'm not in the habit of bagging on local breweries, but Imp is bad. Every beer I've had from them has tasted like sulfur. Open fermentation is a good thing in the countryside of Belgium. In Cleveland, not so much.
If Indigo Imp embraced wild yeast and featured brett and lacto in their beers that'd be great - instead, they make mediocre tasting brews with accidental infections and outside fermentation agents - their beers are horrible. Gatekeeper has consistently had lacto infections that make it taste like metallic lemons in a roasty beer. The cask they gave the IX center (dry hopped Jester - which is a Pale) tasted like peanut butter, no hops at all and just the worst beer I think I've had - that's the thing, they're getting WORSE not better. I seriously wish they would close and clear the shelf space for well crafted locals. They made the move to AB/Inbev distribution last year and, IMO, without local supermarkets like Giant Eagle and Heinens, they would be gone and good riddance.
Ha, probably because you two made the announcement about it on this forum. Hopefully there will be some left when i get there in the afternoon.
Thanks. My address is 14900 Detroit Avenue, Lakewood. Address it to Corey. You are the kindest stranger I have never met.
Scored six packs of white rajah some at the brewery, thanks everyone! Willoughby brewing was solid too.
