Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Breweries
395
Great Lakes Brewing Co.
Ecofriendly Brewing
Cleveland, Ohio
When brothers Patrick and Daniel Conway
founded the Great Lakes Brewing Com-
pany, they wanted to make the freshest
beer possible while creating a company
that was environmentally respectful. Since
1988, they have made hand-crafted brews
in what was once the center of Cleveland's
brewing industry. The brewpub is, in fact,
two historic buildings that have been
merged; one of them was notorious as the
chief watering hole for Eliot Ness, the Pro-
hibition agent known for pursuing 1920s
gangster Al Capone and his gang of boot-
leggers. Today, you can cool down with a
glass of Eliot Ness Amber Lager while sit-
ting at Cleveland's oldest bar, or enjoy a
meal at the Beer Garden, an ecofriendly
restaurant dedicated to serving food as
fresh as the handmade beer.
Patrick Conway's interest in beer began
when he worked as a bartender to make
money for graduate school. After a trip to
Europe that included tours of several
breweries, he was so taken with the Euro-
pean-style beers that he'd sampled, he
joined forces with his brother, a commer-
cial banker with a shared appreciation of
traditional brews. There began their dream
of establishing Ohio's first microbrewery.
Early on, however, they adopted a mis-
sion statement that deemed social con-
sciousness as important as making great
beer. The brewery's commitment to the
environment is evident: They only use vehi-
cles fueled by vegetable oil from the restau-
rant, and they conserve energy so
thoroughly, they keep heating costs for the
restaurant down to less than $8 a day.
Great Lakes' beers include stouts, ales,
and an IPA, as well as the Edmund Fitzger-
ald Porter, a complex brew with a bitter-
sweet, chocolate-coffee taste. Seasonal
beers are also available. Even if you can't
make it to Cleveland, you can find Great
Lakes beer throughout Illinois, Indiana,
Kentucky, Michigan, New York, Pennsylva-
nia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Free public tours are available on Fri-
days and Saturdays, and private tours by
arrangement.
2516 Market Ave. (
&
216/771-4404;
www.greatlakesbrewing.com).
(
Cleveland International (10 miles/
17km).
L
$$
Radisson Hotel Cleveland Gate-
way,
651 Huron Rd. (
&
800/333-3333
or 216/377-9000; www.radisson.com).
$$
Glidden House,
1901 Ford Dr. (
&
800/
759-8358
or 216/231-8900; www.glidden
house.com).
The long bar at the Great Lakes Brewing
Company in Cleveland, Ohio.
