My Top 3 Microbrews in Ohio

I can appreciate a great beer now and then, and in the process I went on a quest to find some smaller breweries that offered a powerful punch. Being in business for myself, I can appreciate the small business owner, so in the process of finding a small brewery that was big on taste, my husband and I were nothing short of pleased. Here are the ones we love in Ohio.

The first on our list is the Columbus Brewing Company. This is located in Columbus, Ohio as a result it got its simple name. If you have read any of my previous articles you already know we like the drinks and the food. This one made our list because it is in fact a restaurant. The beer is still tops though, and they have some interesting flavors available. I had to try to the "Summer Teeth", because it's called their "blonde ale", and sure enough it oddly tastes like summer. The one that I love though is the Apricot Ale. I don't want any flavor in a beer to be overwhelming, and this one was great. It's a medium brew, copper in color, with hints of apricot and caramel. This beer lets you taste the flavor without making it too thick They make their beers with American Hops, Golding Hops, and mix English and German malts to make their beers. Locals seem to enjoy the food more than the beers, but over time I have a feeling this place might improve those beers. I loved the ones I tried, but no two beer drinkers are alike. This brewery is located on Short Street in Columbus, Ohio.

Our second favorite is the Barrel House Brewing Company in Cincinnati, Ohio on West Liberty Street in area known as "Over-the-Rhine". This was the first microbrewery in Cincinnati and what an impression. This brewery is known for making ales and lagers, and you can get it by the keg or by the bottle. So, it's convenient for planning your next block party. What I love about this brewery? They feature a Bock that comes out in the spring, and it can be anywhere from a medium to a darker brew. They make it a little different every year. They serve it up at Bock Fest with a deep malt flavor, or they may add some hops to it to give it just a hint of a different flavor.

The other beer I love at Barrel House is the Belgian Winter Ale. I just love something that's different with a little spice to it, and this is it. This beer is made with caramel and wheat malts, and they use two different types of hops. They use cluster hops, and hallertauer. Apparently it's fermented with a Belgian style yeast, and uses dried fruits and spices to give it the warm deep flavor for winter. This beer truly warms the soul for sure. This brewery is a pleasant surprise, and is noted for blending malts and hops to create very unique beers. I would say that this microbrewery is for the true beer drinker. Their motto is "The Best Damn Beer in Town".

Last but not least, one of the newest microbreweries in the Greater Cincinnati area in Fort Thomas, Kentucky is called Red Ear Brewing Company. The brewery started in a small restaurant there called Vito's Cafe. Red Ear was started by the owner's son, and started small with a brew called "Endless Summer Ale", which took off quite well. This one I love, and I can't wait to see what more is to come from this small brewery. I was ecstatic when they offered a darker winter ale the following year after opening. I was just out April 11th, and the beer was phenomenal. They were serving a new brew called "Cat Tail Ale". The event was hosted by Mary and Vito Ciepel the owners of the cafe. We aren't quite sure yet what Red Ear is using, but If I had to guess by tasting the beers, I would say it's a mix of English and German malts like some of the other breweries we have tried. With the lighter beers it seems there is a little less malt and American Hops. The original "Endless Summer Ale", had that light flavor with a light malt taste. This beer was similar to Blue Moon with a slice of orange, but the "Cat Tail Ale", was a medium bodied beer, a little darker and was unfiltered.

Red Ear is continuing to grow, and is wanting to expand it's website, but for now they have a good place to start in the cafe. With the Oktoberfest and Bockfest in Cincinnati, I expect these two microbreweries out of Cincinnati to really do a great business.