Cleveland: Move over, Christmas Ale, there’s a new brew in town. Independence natives Matt and Kathy Chappel have turned their home-brewing hobby into Indigo Imp Brewery. It’s the first Cleveland microbrew to use open fermentation, meaning the tanks Matt built himself out of recycled dairy tanks aren’t sealed when the yeast starts to eat all of the sugars (aka fermentation), exposing the beer to the air in the room. “Nobody else in Cleveland makes beer this way. In fact, very few breweries in the country use open fermentation,” says Kathy. “It can produce some different flavors from season to season.”
Indigo Imp’s inaugural class includes Blonde Bombshell, a blonde ale available year-round; a seasonal amber ale called Winter Solstice; and Jester, a pale ale set to debut this month. All are available at the 17 Cleveland-area Heinen’s and on tap or by the bottle at Bar Cento and McNulty’s Bier Markt in Ohio City. Or stop by the brewery from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Fridays this month to grab a six-pack for $8.99.
Get there early. More than 70 thirsty patrons came to the first open house in December, Kathy says. “It was incredible. There was a line of people waiting to buy our beer.” 3615 Superior Ave., Suite 4201B, Cleveland, (216) 881-0650, indigoimpbrewery.com
Indigo Imp’s inaugural class includes Blonde Bombshell, a blonde ale available year-round; a seasonal amber ale called Winter Solstice; and Jester, a pale ale set to debut this month. All are available at the 17 Cleveland-area Heinen’s and on tap or by the bottle at Bar Cento and McNulty’s Bier Markt in Ohio City. Or stop by the brewery from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Fridays this month to grab a six-pack for $8.99.
Get there early. More than 70 thirsty patrons came to the first open house in December, Kathy says. “It was incredible. There was a line of people waiting to buy our beer.” 3615 Superior Ave., Suite 4201B, Cleveland, (216) 881-0650, indigoimpbrewery.com