We'll never tire of Cleveland's beer scene. But when an entire state worth of the sudsy stuff hits town, we can't miss it. The Ohio Craft Brewer's Association's Winter Warmer Fest bubbles into Windows on the River March 5, featuring hundreds of beers from 50 Ohio breweries. Here are three of our non-Cleveland favorites being poured at the 10th annual fest.
Four String Brewing Co. Payback Pilsner
Suds Study: A slightly hoppier take on a German lager, it is clean and crisp with floral notes similar to its Bavarian inspiration. With a manageable 5.1 percent alcohol by volume, the Columbus-made version is highly drinkable. Try It: "We have increased the quantity of the aroma hops," says brewmaster Larry Horwitz. "And we absolutely brought the bitter up just a bit."
Jackie O's Pub & Brewery Razz Wheat
Suds Study: Sweet meets acidity in this refreshing fruity wheat brew made in Athens. A heavy dose of real raspberry puree is added just before it's done fermenting. Try It: "It's nice and zippy," says head production brewer Seth Morton. "It has this almost doughy wheat character that gets wiped clean by the acidity of the raspberries."
Rhinegeist Truth IPA
Suds Study: The Cincinnati brewery's India pale ale smells of tropical fruit gummy bears and the flavor bursts with fresh citrus and pine notes. There's also just enough bitterness to have us coming back for more. Try It: "A lot of people that aren't IPA drinkers, who might be a little gun-shy for bitterness, really enjoy this," says Rhinegeist co-founder Bryant Goulding.
MORE INFO: ohiocraftbeer.org
