A sudsy week of beer-fueled excitement is set to cure what "ales" fun-seeking Clevelanders.
The sixth annual Cleveland Beer Week has hundreds of events scheduled at an equal number of venues from Oct. 10th through Oct. 19th. The usual concerts, parties, special tappings and educational programs will be held, capped off by the massive Brewzilla celebration featuring 80 beer makers pouring your favorite barley sodas.
Brewers directly involved with the beery proceedings are arriving with their own efforts. Platform Beer Company has collaborated with the New Albion Brewing Company on a re-release of New Albion Ale. The flagship pale ale will be on tap Oct. 17th at the Platform Brewhouse on Lorain Avenue. Partnering with the first U.S. post-Prohibition microbrewery was an opportunity to get the original recipe back in the hands of its fans, notes Platform co-owner Justin Carson.
"It was very innovative in its day," Carson says.
On Oct. 14th, Platform is hosting "Same Brew, Different Takes," where a batch of beer will be infused with unusual ingredients to create new tastes. The following evening is the brewery's "Choose Your Own Adventure" release, featuring a customer-voted beer created by in-house brewmaster Shaun Yasaki.
"We're planning on having a different beer each year," says Platform's Paul Benner.
Collaborations are a big part of CBW, and this year is no different. Joint efforts will match Great Lakes Brewing Co., Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. and other establishments with out-of-state brewers. Resulting mixtures will be made available at various watering holes throughout the city.
Meanwhile, a dozen local breweries have concocted six new beers for the Oct. 8 Gambrinus Brewery Crawl, set to raise money for restoration of the King Gambrinus statue that previously stood at Leisy Brewing. Pouring locations for the event are Platform, Butcher & The Brewer, Market Garden Brewery, and Nano Brew Cleveland.