Tag Archives: USA

Craft Beer Day in Cleveland

It seems that on my travels I often find myself in a city with only 1 day to jump around and explore the best beer joints.

That is probably because I prefer to travel around forests, mountains and lakes…but eventually you need some civilization (and food and drink).

My first couple of visits to Cleveland were all about baseball games – cheering on the Blue Jays when they were in town to take on the Indians. Compared to the beer options at Rogers Centre in Toronto, the beer choices at Progressive Field are pretty decent. They have a bar with 40 different beers on tap! Half of them are local Cleveland / Ohio brews. I think Toronto has a total of 10 different beers available, with next to no local craft beers.

Great Lakes Brewery - Cleveland
Tasty beer at Great Lakes Brewing Company in Cleveland

 

Perhaps now that we have taken Cleveland’s GM, he’ll bring a craft beer loving mindset to Rogers Centre?

Breweries to Visit in Cleveland

Anyhow, enough about baseball, back to craft beer in Cleveland. There are a few solid places to visit. The big guy is Great Lakes Brewery. They’ve been around for what seems forever, and they have a great bar/restaurant that serves up a wide selection of their beers. Definitely worth a visit. I was there during Oktoberfest celebrations and had some solid food to go along with their quality brews. Their Lake Erie Monster and Edmund Fitzgerald are worth trying, but if they have any special barrel-aged or infused versions of their tops beers on tap, go for those too!

Nano Brew is another top spot. I’d say it is my favourite place overall for local beer in Cleveland. They had a very unassuming vibe, and knowledgeable, friendly staff that were more than happy to talk about their beers. they had good food options here too. It’s not a huge place (as you may guess by the name), but the outdoor patio in summer is great, complete with a life-size Jenga game.

Nano Brew in Cleveland
Sampling brews at Nano Brew in Cleveland

 

Their tap list is damn good, featuring not only their own one-off brews and regulars, but a careful selection of taps from other Ohio brewers and great brewers from other states. Expect about half the taps to be Nano brew and Market Garden Brewery beers. Why? because Sam McNulty, the owner of Nano Brew also owns Market Garden. If a beer experiment does great at Nano, it has a good chance of becoming a regular brew over at Market Garden. Oh, and Sam also owns Bier Markt, a top spot for Belgian-themed food and brews in Cleveland.

Funny how that works. If you’ve read my Beer Day in Buffalo post, you’ll recall how many of the best beer spots are owned by one guy there too.

For non-McNulty places, check out Platform Brewing. It’s a really cool concept of being an incubator for homebrewers, and you’ll find many of Cleveland’s most interesting, different and unusual beers here. Worth supporting if you want to see the beer scene in Cleveland continue to grow and improve!

Finally, the best spot for beer + food is Butcher and the Brewer. A simple name that, as you may have guessed, serves up their own beers alongside some great cuts of meat. Hit this place when you’re hungry and you won’t be disappointed.

Market Garden Brewery, Cleveland
Market Garden Brewery, Cleveland

 

Realistically, a beer day in Cleveland would end here. The above spots are more than enough for a couple of meals and lots of sampling. Actually, they’re still the best options even if you delve into beer bars and restaurants. But hey, if you want to go all out, or turn your trip into a beer “Days” in Cleveland, then read on.

Beer Bars to Visit in Cleveland

To be honest, I’m not a fan of any of the beer bars in Cleveland. I much prefer the breweries themselves. If you have more time, or want to squeeze in some other beers, then see what La Cave du Vin has on tap. They often get special variations of top beers on tap. They have a huge bottle selection as well. It’s an intimate, small kind of place so if that is what you’re looking for, check it out.

Unless there is a special beer event going on, skip Tremont Tap House. Seriously. If you only have 1 day of beer-ing in Cleveland, it’s not worth it. Go to Cave du Vin instead. Chances are if you check the tap list here before hand you’ll be able to find everything at the breweries or other bars in town. My last visit to Tremont included one of the managers/owners sitting at the end of the bar harassing his employees and bitching about how some customers complained about him. Yet, here he was again making a fool of himself. The female employees were obviously intimidated by him, but he was too drunk and obnoxious to realize how harassing he was being. It was the type of scene that wouldn’t be tolerated at home in Toronto or at any other decent bar.

Outside Great Lakes Brewing Company
Outside Great Lakes Brewing Company

 

I’d throw it out there that the Winking Lizard chain is even worth visiting, depending who you’re travelling with and what you’re looking for. As far as beer chains go, they really aren’t so bad and you can always find a beer or two worth trying. I wouldn’t put this Ohio beer chain up at the same level as Flying Saucer or even Yard’s, but they can be a good compromise if you are with some non-craft beer lovers.

Where to Buy Bottles in Cleveland

If you need to hit a bottle shop while in Cleveland, then there are two spots I suggest. First, visit Beverage Warehouse. It may be the only place you need to check out. Their selection is massive and you’ll find local Ohio stuff well represented. The second spot to track down is EZ Shop. I found a few real treats here, including a number of B.O.R.I.S. variations from Hoppin Frog brewery in Akron. The guy that was working was super friendly.

Wildlife Watching in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

On the outskirts of Cleveland is the impressive Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

I’ve visited this park a couple of times and with more than 125 miles of traisl to explore, it has no shortage of adventure options for hikers and bikers. Actually, biking is my favourite way to explore the park.

Eagle Nest
An Eagle Nest in Cuyahoga valley National Park

 

As the park is somewhat long and skinny, it’s a bit of a challenge to get around different parts of the park on foot, so the smooth and easy Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath trail is the way to go. This trail is easy and accessible to all, but don’t let it’s popularity and accessibility make you think you won’t see any wildlife.

I saw deer along here in the early morning, before having my camera ready, but I managed to see plenty of other creatures as well. By biking along the Towpath Trail, it gets you around the vast majority of the park, allowing you to lock up and hike on for further / more remote trails. Because the Towpath Trail snakes it’s way along the old canal system, it passes right beside a number of creeks, rivers and wetlands. The Cuyahoga River itself is the main attraction, luring in many birds, such as a good number of Great Blue Herons.

Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron – perched above the Cuyahoga River in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

 

Be sure to keep an eye on the water surface as you hike or bike along as well. Slow down and look carefully, as turtles seem to pop up everywhere here! It is easy to miss them if you don’t pay attention, but just check any logs that are partially submerged and you’ll start to spot a lot of them.

Fish and frogs – food for those herons – are found along the river system as well. A couple of the more elusive animals that are here (which I wasn’t lucky to spot) are beavers and coyotes.

Cuyahoga Valley
River scenery in the Cuyahoga Valley

 

Since the park runs down Ohio, it goes through a number of small towns such as Peninsula. This makes it easy to stop in for a bite to eat or relax in between your hiking and biking adventures. Another bonus, if you do take the biking route, is that the Scenic Railway that goes through the park allows you to bring your bike aboard, so you can bike and hike through the park one way, then take a easy train ride back to where you started. Super convenient.

Tinkers Creek Gorge, Brandywine Falls and the Hale Farm & Village are all worthwhile stops along the way as you explore the trails in the park.

Turtle in CVNP
Turtle in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

 

While you can see a lot in a full day of hiking and biking, the best suggestion is the book an overnight Stanford House, near Brandywine Falls. It is at about the 1/2 way mark of the park and offers both camping and rooms. There are many other nearby places to stay, but that would be tops in my books.

With that said, the park is so close to Akron and Cleveland that if you don’t book an overnight in the park, you can always make it an easy return trip for multiple days of exploring.

Typical trail in Cuyahoga Valley
Typical trail in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

 

Craft Beer Day in Buffalo

Crossing the border into Buffalo for some US beers is a common thing for craft beer lovers in southern Ontario. Even when our Canadian dollar is dropping, the lure of different beers can be strong.

I’ve hopped over to the Buffalo area for trips as short as a few hours to stock up on supplies, but most people combine a beer day in Buffalo with at least one overnight so you can actually enjoy some beers while you’re there! So, for anyone who hasn’t done a beer day in Buffalo, here are some of my personal tips on where to stay, where to drink and where to buy some bottles to bring home.

Resurgence Brewery in Buffalo
Resurgence Brewery in Buffalo

 

Where to Drink Craft Beer in Buffalo

There are a few places that get top mention by many beer lovers, and a handful of them are in the Mike Shatzel’s empire. He owns Moor Pat, Coles, Blue Monk, Allen Burger Venture and perhaps other places. So, feel free to hit any of them up. Coles gets a lot of love, and while they special events and tap list is impressive, I have to admit I’ve never been a big fan of their food.

Now, if you’re in town for a hockey game or other event, the old school Pearl Street Grill & Brewery is convenient, and stopping at the nearby 716 Sports Bar at Harbor Center will at least yield surprisingly decent food to go along with the massive wall of TVs to catch the game, even if the beer selection isn’t quite as solid as other options.

Pizza Plant gets a nod for people who like beer, but may be heading over with the family, so require a more family-friendly spot. Their location on Transit Road in Clarence (close to the Griffon Gastropub, another worthy beer stop) has always been popular, but they’re just opened a new spot at Canalside, which should be a great addition to that part of the city.

Beer Samples in Buffalo
Beer Samples in Buffalo at Resurgence Brewing Company

 

The Riverside neighborhood is a great area with Flying Bison and Hydraulic Hearth there (the beers at Hydraulic Hearth are brewed on-site by Community Beer Works). Plus, Resurgence Brewing is probably the top spot in town when it comes to breweries, although there are many many others I haven’t mentioned – these are just my personal favourites.

Flying Bison Brewery
Flying Bison Brewery, Buffalo

 

Where to Buy Bottles of Beer

A big attraction for Canadians heading to Buffalo for beer is picking up bottles of US beers we can’t get here at home. Grab what you like at any of the breweries that you visit, then hit Premier Gourmet. It is easily the bets bottle shop around. Chances are they’ll have the local beer you want. If you’re seeking a special brew, and can’t find it there, then Village Beer Merchant is a possible stop as well. Their selection is smaller, but they do get some beers that you may not find at Premier. For the price conscious, places like Wegmans and Consumers beverages carry good selections as well.

Where to Stay in Buffalo

Extending your beer day in Buffalo to include some actual sampling requires an overnight. The challenge here is that Buffalo is a bit spread out when it comes to hopping around to the best bottle shops, bars and breweries. Your best bet is to do your bottle shopping first, then so sampling over in the Riverside neighborhood.

Downtown Buffalo from Hampton Inn
View of Downtown Buffalo from Hampton Inn & Suites

 

Then stay somewhere close to downtown, where you can hop on the light rail train or be within an easy taxi ride or hearty walk of some of the best beer bars. For location and price, the Hampton Inn and Suites downtown hotel wins for me. It has a really solid breakfast and is close enough to all the bars and pubs. As a bonus, if you’re a meat-eater both Dinosaur BBQ and The Lodge are just minutes away, two good eating spots with decent bottle or draft beer options.

Final tip – if you’re not staying more than 48 hours in the US, then you’ll need to pay duty on any beer you bring back across the border. Sometimes they don’t mind and wave you on through even if you have alcohol any haven’t been in the US long enough to get an exception. But, don’t expect that – be prepared and have your receipts ready and expect to pay a duty surcharge when you’re crossing back into Canada.

Dinosaur BBQ - Buffalo
Local Beer Sampler and Meat at Dinosaur BBQ, Buffalo

Tasty Treats at the Historic West Side Market in Cleveland

Food markets are funny places to me. On one hand I think they are great spots, where you can buy direct from the farmers, butchers and families who are selling their products. On the other hand, they often have poor hours and prices are higher than your local supermarket.

In the end, you’re paying for freshness and getting to know the people who are behind the products you want to sell, so whether it is West Side Market in Cleveland or the St. Lawrence Market in Toronto, they’re worth frequenting and supporting.

West Side Market - Sausages
West Side Market – Sausages

 

When I was in Cleveland I visited West Side Market after a big brunch meal at the West Side Market Cafe. Probably a smart thing as I wasn’t as tempted to stock up on sweets, treats and meats as I normally otherwise would be.

The market itself did remind me quite a bit of the St. Lawrence Market in Toronto, but it had a little more structure to it. As a historic building, it is more than 100 years old and has served as an important food hub to the city of Cleveland for a long time. It has grown over the decades, and now has an outdoor area extension where the produce providers are located.

West Side Market - Cheese Shop
West Side Market – Cheese Shop

 

The Pork Chop Shop had some great chorizo, and I found the produce guys outside were all competitive and eager to let you sample their stuff, in hopes of a sale. The Cheese Shop and many other stalls indoors, in particular the sausages guys at Frank’s were also generous with offering up free samples to get you hooked.

If I lived in Cleveland and was having guests over for dinner, I’d likely stop by and grab some meats, cheeses or other tasty treats from the market. One thing I noticed was that there did not seem to be a lot of high quality shops serving up prepared foods. Sure, there were some sandwich and crepe options, but overall there wasn’t as much of the ready-to-eat options as I expected to find.

West Side Market - Meat
West Side Market – Meat

 

The area around the market was really nice to walk around too. Nearby restaurants and breweries make it an easy place to stop in for a few hours and spend half a day. One spot that did get me curious and wish that I had more time in Cleveland to do some cooking was the gnocchi place…I never knew there could be so many types of gnocchi, the pumpkin sage gnocchi sounded best to me.

West Side Market = Produce
West Side Market – Produce

 

West Side Market - Gnocchi
West Side Market – Gnocchi

 

West Side Market - Meat Vendor
West Side Market – Meat Vendor

Winter Fun at Old Fort Niagara

Dressed in cozy warm, modern gore-tex, fleece and synthetic clothing, it seemed a little funny venturing into Old Fort Niagara in Youngstown, New York.

A place that epitomizes history and originally used by Native American for hunting and fishing, the site has had it’s fair share of violence over the past few hundred years! The French and British both occupied this area at times and today is nicely restored, helping to showcase what life was like during the War of 1812, the American Revolution and before.

The Log Cabin
The Log Cabin at Old Fort Niagara

 

Old Fort Niagara Entrance
Old Fort Niagara – Museum Entrance

 

Before visiting the actual fort, you need to pay at the Visitor Center, which also happens to have a gift shop and museum, with many old artefacts. It serves as a great introduction to what you are about to see when you head over to the fort itself.

Old Rifles at Fort Niagara Museum
Old Rifles at Fort Niagara Museum

 

Located along the Niagara River and Lake Ontario, the most impressive building here is the French Castle. Built back in the 1750s, this is the original building of the fort and was purposefully built to look like a trading post, instead of a military building, so that the Iroquois Indians wouldn’t get too suspicious.

Old Fort Niagara
Old Fort Niagara

 

Walking around the rooms inside the French Castle at Fort Niagara, you can envision soldiers mulling about, cooking, sleeping and guarding the fort. As I visited during winter, it seemed to give it an even more authentic feeling, with the desolation and quietness of the complex helping to let the history of the place sink in.

View of the French Castle
View of the “French Castle” at Old Fort Niagara

 

Old Fort Niagara in Winter
Old Fort Niagara in Winter

 

South Redoubt at Old Fort Niagara
South Redoubt at Old Fort Niagara

 

Of course, my visit had to include a rifle firing demonstration too!

Apparently the fort often hosts class trips, not just for day visits but for overnight experiences as well. I thought that would have been a fun experience, to eat, sleep and live in a fort like soldiers did hundreds of years ago.

Ready, Aim, Fire!
Ready, Aim, Fire! Traditional clothing and weaponry at Old Fort Niagara

 

Barracks inside the French Castle
Barracks inside the French Castle at Old Fort Niagara

 

Old Fort Niagara
Old Fort Niagara, inside the French Castle

 

Chapel at Old Fort Niagara
Chapel at Old Fort Niagara