Guys wearing lederhosen, 20-somethings with their dogs and folks in their 60s all mingle happily at Platform Beer’s taproom on a Saturday night. The decor is little more than exposed brick, communal tables, 10 stainless-steel fermenters and 32 beers chalked on wooden slats above the bar. And yet, here you are.
“The places I like to go have some level of authenticity,” says co-founder Paul Benner. “And the people that go there appreciate it because they’re the same way.”
Platform has stayed true to that mission while growing from 94 barrels in 2014 to an estimated 30,000 barrels this year thanks to its 120,000-square-foot production facility in the former Leisy Brewing Co. building. Like a mad scientist’s lab, the taproom permits Platform’s brewers to experiment with rotating sours and emerging trends such as Haze Jude ($5 for a pint) or boozy creations like Hammy Yammy ($6 for a pint), a sweet potato ale. “It’s almost hard for me to remember all the beers we have available at the tasting room,” says Benner. Our Pick: Get beamed up to space with their sour martian series, consisting of five different sour ales named after different colors ($14.99 for a four pack of 16 oz. cans). 4125 Lorain Ave., Cleveland, 216-202-1386, platformbeer.co
