COLUMBUS – As part of the inaugural Columbus Craft Beer Week, Experience Columbus will launch the Columbus Ale Trail. The trail will highlight the city’s booming craft beer scene in a Brew Book, which features 25 local breweries. Columbus’ rich history in craft brewing, in addition to the breadth and depth of the local products brewed, has put the city on the map as a top destination for craft beer. The scene has rapidly grown as more than half of the 25 breweries have opened in the past five years.
Beginning May 1, visitors can pick up a Columbus Ale Trail Brew Book at any participating brewery or at one of two Experience Columbus Visitors Centers, in the Arena District or at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. After visiting just four stops, craft beer enthusiasts will receive a custom pint glass from Experience Columbus. The first 500 participants to visit all twenty eligible breweries will be rewarded with a special t-shirt, available at The Ohio Taproom located at 1291 W. 3rd Ave. in Grandview.
Five breweries, centrally located downtown, make up the newly created “Brewers Row.” Each brewery is within walking distance to the Greater Columbus Convention Center, surrounding hotels and the free CBUS circulator route, making it easy for visitors and convention attendees to experience the trail. Stops along “Brewers Row” include:
North High Brewing is a brew-on-premise microbrewery that offers a unique experience to visitors. Not only is all of the beer crafted on site, but also, guests can create their own personal blend. North High’s expert brewers walk brewmasters-in-training through the process to ensure success. Some two dozen taps serve up multiple choices in several different styles, from Belgian, Porter and IPA to shandy, ale and stout. www.northhighbrewing.com
Seventh Son Brewing Company features three delicious brews, along with a variety of rotating specialty beers. Seventh Son's taproom and brewery are well located in up-and-coming Italian Village. The venue hosts special events and live music, as well as some of the city's most popular food trucks, allowing visitors to enjoy some great local grub along with their beer. www.seventhsonbrewing.com
Barley's Brewing Company has been a part of the Columbus craft beer scene for more than 20 years, making them one of the more seasoned breweries in town. This company’s specialty is crafting unique ales, a process they've mastered by using the finest ingredients from all over the world. Along with their honored brew, Barley’s serves up delicious food in the Short North Arts District, making it a one-stop destination for travelers. www.barleysbrewing.com
Wolf’s Ridge Brewing opened as the vision of a father-son team and has rapidly become the perfect spot to enjoy outstanding craft beer served with some of Columbus’ finest cuisine. Far from a typical "beer joint," the spotlight here shines on both the brewmaster and chef creations. Visitors can experience imaginative dishes, such as grilled octopus, confit pig cheeks, or geranium and apple salad, with the menu offering beer pairing suggestions for each dish. Guests can sample any of 12 brews from the Wolf's Ridge taproom, or try a Stout & Espresso, Beermosa or any of the other creative cocktails crafted with brew. www.wolfsridgebrewing.com
Elevator Brewing Company offers up nine distinct brews and special seasonal beers at two locations. One is a respected full-service restaurant in a stunning Historic Registry building that boasts the city's oldest and most ornate pool tables and a colorful Victorian past as a gentlemen's club. The other houses Elevator's brewing operation and welcomes beer aficionados for tours every third Saturday. Open every Saturday, noon to 8 p.m., the taproom at the brewery allows visitors to enjoy a game of cornhole or perch atop a keg to watch football and play old-school Nintendo games -- all while enjoying Elevator brews. www.elevatorbrewing.com
Other Columbus Ale Trail stops include Buckeye Lake Brewery, Four String Brewing Company, Homestead Beer Company, Knotty Pine Brewing, Land-Grant Brewing Company, Lineage Brewing Company, Pigskin Brewing Company, Rockmill Brewery, Sideswipe Brewing Company, Smokehouse Brewing Company, Staas Brewing Company, Temperance Row Brewing Company, Zaftig Brewing Company and Zauber Brewing Company.
To celebrate the city’s vibrant craft beer scene, the first-ever Columbus Craft Beer Week will kick off May 1 and offer 200 different events, from beer dinners to tap takeovers, and highlight around 75 different beers and craft brewers. The nine-day festival will culminate May 9 with Six One Pour at Brewmasters Gate in the Brewery District, featuring more than two dozen Ohio craft breweries.
Experience Columbus collaborated with Drink up Columbus, Columbus Brew Adventures, The Ohio Taproom, Blue Label Digital Printing and the Ohio Craft Brewers Association to launch the Columbus Ale Trail and Brew Book.
Columbus Ale Trail visitors are encouraged to share their experiences using the hashtag #cbusaletrail, and can connect with the Columbus Ale Trail on Twitter and Instagram @CbusAleTrail, and at CbusAleTrail.com.
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As the convention and visitors bureau for Ohio’s capital city, Experience Columbus’ mission is to sell, market and promote the best of the destination to visitors. For more information about all Columbus has to offer for leisure visitors, sports, meetings, conventions and trade shows, go to www.ExperienceColumbus.com.
