Toledo

Check out The Andersons on monroe and talmadge. Josephs right down the street has a pretty nice selection, lots of bombers.

 

I would recommend Marino's over Josephs actually. The Andersons is formal, official market with beer manager who would help you out and provide a great costumer service. They also have bathrooms, groceries, food etc. the others, Josephs and Marino's are just liquor stores.

Marino's has slightly better prices than both and allows you to get singles from almost all the beers. They claim to have the largest selection but it's hard to tell. I went to all three stores and each one has slightly few stuff that were not available at the others. Marino's for example has a lot of Alesmith beers that I couldn't find elsewhere. Josephs has Brett C from Prairie without limits! Andersons has better Hoppin Frog stouts than the other two stores. I'm pretty sure this is not always the case, but they are all close from each other.

For good quality beers I think you should get the following:
Head Hunter from Fat Head's, White Rajah from Brew Kettle. Top notch ipas. Extremely recommended. A MUST!

Jackie O's are really good. Mystic Mama, hop Ryot are amazing. Dark Apparition and oil of Aphrodite are delicious famous stouts.

Prairie Artisan Ales, Hoppin Frog, Boulevard, Sculpin, Great Divide, Alesmith all great breweries available in Ohio but not in Michigan.

Sculpin victory at sea is one of the top porters in the country. Their regular ipa is one of the best ipas and the grapefruit ipa is fantastic as well. Try to get cans though.

Toledo is cool. If you have time, stop by Black Cloister downtown. It's a new brewery, but really good stuff. Very promising indeed.

Let us know what did you end up buying.

 

Ann Arborite here with family in Toledo so I make it down often. In terms of bottle shops I recommend the following in the metro area:

Andersons (three locations, I like Sylvania the best)
Cork's Wine and Liquor
Marino's Beverage Depot
Joseph's Beverage Center
Holloway Liquor

Beer-wise, some of the readily available standouts not available in Michigan:

Brew Kettle White Rajah/Black Rajah
Fat Heads Head Hunter
Ballast Point Sculpin/Grapefruit Sculpin/Victory at Sea
Jackie O's Dark Apparition/Oil of Aphrodite
Maumee Bay Total Eclipse (very similar to FBS, brewed far more often!)
Revolution IPAs

Surely I'm forgetting some... Pro tip: Keep your eyes on social media as some of the above shops will get the occasional shipment of FFF and more limited Jackie O's Stuff (BA, etc).

I end up buying a lot of White Rajah/Head Hunter/Sculpin in Toledo as they are typically much fresher than what I can find on the shelves here at home.

Cheers!

 

Seconded. I love this beer and, to me, it's neck and neck with FBS. Also, if you're gonna be in Toledo, stop at Maumee Bay and get a flight, it's a pretty cool historical building.

 

You may also find some stuff from Three Floyds, but not likely Zombie Dust. Happy hunting.

 

White Rajah!!!!!!!!!!!! Do not leave without it.

The bottle date is written in black marker on the side of the cases. Not on bottles or 6-packs.

 

Seconded on White Rajah. I can't recommend it enough!

 

If you go to Marino's, check bottle dates. They have some ridiculously old stuff.

 

If you have the time, stop at either Maumee Bay Brewing downtown or Swig in Perrysburg (just outside Toledo) for lunch/dinner.

 

These are the answers to a question I didn't even think to ask. I get down to Toledo a couple times a year with the family (zoo, Mudhens) and hadn't thought about making a beer run. Thanks everyone!

 

Seconding White Rajah, enjoying one right now. Check out www.seekabrew.com. You can compare state's distros. Ohio has one of the largest selections in the country.

 

Thats 90% of the reason I agree to go to the zoo with the kids!

 

I live in Michigan and work in Toledo, so I know the scene quite well. The best stores for beer are any of the Andersons, Josephs Beverage and Marinos (be careful with IPAs from them). Highly rated beers to get. White and Black Rajah, Fat Heads Headhunter, anything from Jackie O's, Total Eclipse, Amarillo Brillo and Grasshopper IPA from Maumee Bay, anything Hopping Frog and Yuengling for those warm summer nights. Definitely hit Maumee Bay Brewing and Black Cloister downtown.

 

I sadly wasn't really into craft beer when I lived in Adrian. Now I kick myself since I was so close to Ohio and the ability to get Non Michigan stuff.

 

Aye! That zoo is pretty great and large for the area!

 

Yeah, I know. It is much nicer than the Detroit Zoo. I was just being funny.

 

Haha I figured as much, I am just always amazed that the zoo is as nice as it is being for being in Toledo. In case you haven't been yet, capers usually has something good on draft and its a fun family place real close to the zoo