Best of Ohio Valley
The most underrated craft cluster in America. Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis all have serious independent scenes. None get the press of the coasts, but the beer holds up — and the prices are still reasonable.
Covers: Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Marengo OH
Brewery
Bottle shop
Beer bar / brewpub
Tap a marker to see the spot
One day
Pittsburgh: Cinderlands → East End → Voodoo. All within 20 minutes of each other.
A weekend
Day 1: Pittsburgh. Day 2: drive to Cleveland for Great Lakes Brewing + Saucy. Day 3: Columbus or Cincinnati depending on direction home.
Pittsburgh
Cinderlands Beer Co.
Brewery
Strip District · 2601 Smallman St, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Pittsburgh's modern hazy IPA flagship. Strong food program, beautiful Strip District location, and a barrel project running alongside.
East End Brewing
Brewery
Larimer · 147 Julius St, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Pittsburgh's longtime craft anchor. Big Hop is a workhorse IPA; the small-batch barrel program rotates with the seasons.
Voodoo Brewing
Brewery
South Side · 112 Carson St E, Pittsburgh, PA 15203
Originally Meadville-based, Voodoo's Pittsburgh location continues their barrel program and adventurous hop-forward releases. Black Magick imperial stout is a local cellar staple.
Cleveland
Brewery
Ohio City · 2516 Market Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113
One of the great regional craft breweries in America. Edmund Fitzgerald Porter, Dortmunder Gold lager, Christmas Ale — all reference-grade. The brewpub is a Cleveland institution.
Known for: Edmund Fitzgerald, Dortmunder Gold
Saucy Brew Works
Brewery
Hingetown / Ohio City · 2885 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113
Cleveland's modern flagship. Habituale German pilsner is GABF-medaled; the IPA program is consistently strong. Multiple food vendors on-site.
Columbus
Land-Grant Brewing
Brewery
Franklinton · 424 W Town St, Columbus, OH 43215
Columbus craft scene anchor. 1862 Ale and Greenskeeper Pale are workhorses; the rotating IPA program holds its own.
Wolf's Ridge Brewing
Brewery
Downtown · 215 N 4th St, Columbus, OH 43215
Columbus's most decorated craft brewery. Sportsmanship Czech-style pilsner and Daybreak coffee blonde are both award-winners. Attached restaurant is genuinely good.
Cincinnati
Fifty West Brewing
Brewery
Mariemont · 7668 Wooster Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45227
Cincinnati's most ambitious independent. Heavy IPA program, food-truck park atmosphere, and a serious barrel-aged program in a former Studebaker dealership.
Rhinegeist Brewery
Brewery
Over-the-Rhine · 1910 Elm St, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Cincinnati's craft anchor. Truth IPA defines the brand; the rooftop and the production-floor taproom together make this a half-day visit.
Marengo
Brewery
Rural Ohio (60 min N of Columbus) · 31 W Main St, Marengo, OH 43334
Ohio's most irreverent and most respected brewery. Konkey Dong, Musk of the Minotaur — the names are silly, the beers are serious. Both a hazy program and a strong barrel project.
Indianapolis
Brewery
Downtown · 135 N College Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46202
Indianapolis's craft anchor since 2009. Sunlight Cream Ale is a local staple; the Osiris pale ale is approachable West Coast. Multiple Indy locations.
Bloomington
Upland Brewing
Brewery
Indiana (1 hour S of Indy) · 350 W 11th St, Bloomington, IN 47404
Indiana University-town brewery with one of the better Lambic-style sour programs in the Midwest. Worth the drive from Indianapolis.