Deschutes Brewery officially starts distributing in Ohio on Friday and the craft brewer from Bend, Ore., has arranged a million special events — well, it seems like a million — across the state to celebrate.
Deschutes, the fifth-largest craft brewer in the U.S., is bringing its Mirror Pond Pale Ale, Black Butte Porter, Red Chair Northwest Pale Ale and Inversion IPA, along with some limited release brews, to the state.
In the Akron area, “Meet, Greet, Sample” events are set Monday:
• 4 to 6 p.m. at Acme stores at 1835 W. Market St., Akron, and 1474 N. Main St., North Canton.
• 4 to 6 p.m. at Mustard Seed Market, 3885 W. Market St., Bath Township.
• 4 to 6 p.m. at West Point Market, 1711 W. Market St., Akron.
• 4 to 6 p.m. at 101 Bottles, 115 N. Willow St., Kent.
• 5 to 7 p.m. at Lizardville, 79 Springside Drive, Copley Township.
• 7 p.m. at the Merchant Tavern, 1824 Merriman Road, Akron.
• 7 p.m. at Ray’s Place, 135 Franklin Ave., Kent.
For a complete rundown statewide, including events in Cleveland, go to www.deschutesbrewery.com.
Bean of the apocalypse
The Jelly Belly Candy Co. is releasing a Hefeweizen-inspired bean called Draft Beer.
It took about three years to create the bean, which contains no alcohol, the company says.
“Usually the factory has a sweet and fruity aroma, but when we’re making this flavor it’s just like being in an ale house,” Jeff Brown, vice president in charge of manufacturing, said in a news release.
Crave beer dinner
Crave, 57 E. Market St., Akron, will hold a five-course beer dinner with Hoppin’ Frog Brewery at 6 p.m. Monday.
The dinner will feature seared yellow fin with Karminator Imperial Dopplebock Lager, beer braised chicken burrito with Hoppin’ to Heaven IPA, chargrilled duck orange sausage with Frog’s Hollow Double Pumpkin Ale, lamb slider with Mean Manalishi Double IPA, and hot cocoa cheesecake with Barrel Aged BORIS Oatmeal-Imperial Stout.
Tickets are $50, plus tax and tip. Reservations can be made by calling 330-253-1234.
Social media rankings
Great Lakes Brewing rules Ohio when it comes to Facebook and Twitter.
The blog Queen City Fresh in Cincinnati analyzed Facebook likes and Twitter followers for Ohio-based craft breweries and determined the Cleveland brewery is well ahead of others in the state.
Great Lakes, the oldest craft brewery in Ohio, had more than 91,000 Facebook likes. Willoughby Brewing, a brewpub in Willoughby, was second with 11,571. Great Lakes also had 30,956 Twitter followers. Hoppin’ Frog Brewery in Akron was second with more than 17,000.
To read the full analysis and see all the rankings, go to http://queencityfresh.com.
Craft growth
The craft brewing industry continues to grow at an astronomical rate.
The Brewers Association, a Colorado-based trade group, reports that nearly 400 new breweries opened nationwide last year and there are now 2,722 operating in the country.
That’s the highest number since the 1870s, Brewers Association economist Bart Watson wrote in a blog post. The most ever recorded was 3,286 in 1870.
As if 2,722 weren’t enough, he said another 1,744 breweries were in the planning stages at the end of last year.
“It is interesting to note that 2013 marks the first year since 1987 that microbreweries (1,376) outnumbered brewpubs (1,202) in the country,” Watson wrote.
New canned beer
Portside Distillery in Cleveland will release its first canned beer early next month with the help of Buckeye Canning Systems.
The first beer — yes, there will be others — will be Man O’ War, an imperial India pale ale with a hefty 9.6 percent alcohol by volume.
The beer will be canned Feb. 1 and is expected to hit Heinen’s and Acme grocery stores in Northeast Ohio a few days later. It will be available in 16-ounce cans in four-packs.
“I’m a person who’s all about high alcohol and hoppy beer,” co-owner and brewer Dan Malz said about the choice to release Man O’ War.
The hope is to release a new canned beer each month, Malz said. He is mulling over what to release next.
Ferret fundraiser
Ferrets Unlimited Rescue Services will hold a fundraising event from 2 to 6 p.m. Feb. 9 at the Fat Head’s Brewery tasting room, 18741 Sheldon Road, Middleburg Heights.
Tickets for FURS FerretFest are $30 and include six sampling tickets, each good for “one generous sample of Fat Head’s beer.” Three tickets can be redeemed for a full beer.
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his beer blog at www.ohio.com/beer. Follow him on Twitter at @armonrick.