The manufacturing green Acroprint time clock at one end of the bar says everything you need to know about Working Class Brewery. Four rows of timecards document the loyalty. Punch in and drink up like it’s your j-o-b. “We’re trying to pay homage to Cleveland’s working class and unions,” says owner Richard Skains, who started as a homebrewer and put in time at Rocky River Brewing Co. and Fat Head’s Brewery.
When the taproom opened in June, Skains used his 10-barrel system for a tight roster of blue-collar session beers such as the Minutemen ($6.50 for 16 ounces) and the Pipefitter’s Porter ($5.50 for 16 ounces), which are both just over 6 percent alcohol by volume. He’s expanded to about 24 rotating beers, including a wildly popular Clockout Peanut Butter Stout ($6.50 for 16 ounces) that uses fresh ground peanut butter from the West Side Market.
Our Pick: The Bank Boss Belgian Tripel ($7 for 10 ounces) is a classic take on the style with hints of mint and clove, a thin head, a hazy golden hue and floral aromas, and the slightest bit of bitter. 17448 Lorain Ave., Cleveland, 216-417-8082, workingclassbrewery.com
