The Brew Kettle Taproom & Smokehouse / Production Works

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev -0.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

I enjoyed stopping here with BA friends Phatz, witbier and his girlfriend. We sat down for lunch and some ale eager to try one of the many menu offerings.

Atmosphere - The place has charm with a nice barbecue joint vibe. There is a massive collection of Breweriana, too much to list by name I was seated near an old tray by Esslinger of Philly. They have great tapboards which are chalkboard w/ abv/style/price listed for each selection on tap. The place is spacious and clean, I liked the saying on the garage door near the brewhouse "Be Nice Or Leave-Thank You"

Selection - They have about 26 taps w/out any crap - all very good craft selections and house brewed ales including Pale, Red, Helles, Frambozen and Rye.

Service - The service really sets this place apart. They have warm friendly waitstaff and Bartenders who know a good deal about what they serve. The food is served quickly and they were helpful to the traveling sort we were.

Quality - Nice attention to detail w/ glassware that is appropriate. They have food that is well prepared w/ a detailed menu and descriptive information. The dining and bathroom areas are clean and the beer served tastes fresh.

Food - The ham and bean soup rocked, just great w/ sweet tomato and slightly smokey ham w/ a light cream and celery taste in the broth. I found the overall value of the establishment to be great considering everything you get for what you pay. They have a handle on how to please craft beer drinkers.

05-02-2008 15:14:03 | More by Slatetank

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

4.36/5  rDev +1.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.75 | food: 4.25 | $$

I can't believe I didn't stop at the Brew Kettle sooner on my many trips back and forth from DC. Maybe it was just because I wanted to just keep going...regardless, I'm glad I found it!!

A: typical American style bar, however, it has a nice buzz from the great beer menu and brew your own facility in the back
S: decent, nothing unusual
S: how could you go wrong with 30 beers on tap to include their own (which are well-made), and Goose Island Pep Nero, Tripel Karmeliet, Victory Smokin' Oats, Stone Old Guardian Belgo-Barleywine, Geants Goliath Tripel, Ithaca Apricot Wit, Victory Old Horizontal, etc.
F: very good with a wide selection of specialties with emphasis on BBQ -- I recommend the Barbecued Spaghetti
V: all-in-all very good, prices are very reasonable with a nice ability to sample any beer on tap for prices that range from $1.25 to $3.50

04-27-2013 02:56:50 | More by wisrarebeer

PittBeerGirl

Pennsylvania

4.55/5  rDev +6.1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $$

This place is located in a strip mall area off of I-77 In strongsville OH

A- Nothing too impressive about the atmosphere. Pretty plain and simple. Bar/restaurant. Some dark wood and old brewery/beer and travel signs all around.

The beer- 30 taps- at least 5 are of brew kettles own beers and the rest are guest taps. But this isn't your run of the mill guest taps- its stuff thats hard to find. The current taplist contains Stone 12.12.12 AND 11.11.11, Jolly Pumpkin, Ommegang Art of Darkness, Columbus IPA-enough to make a beer geek want all 30 of them-because their own beers are really good too. They list description and price-so you are never surprised on the bill.

The food- They have a lot of options depending on what you are in the mood for and everything from salads, to burgers, to ribs, to wraps, to tacos. The food, to me was great-but here's what really impressed me. My fiance is really into burgers- rare burgers- he sends back burgers all the time. The burger came out right the first time for him and he really enjoyed it. Thats important.

This place also has a B.O.P. and a lot of other cool stuff to.

One of my favorite places so far.

01-02-2013 23:27:50 | More by PittBeerGirl

rubicat

Ohio

4.85/5  rDev +13.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $

I was a customer of The Brew Kettle way back in their infancy in the mid-90's. They were one of the pioneers in "brew-on-premise" where you can go and brew your own batch of beer. They still offer brew-on-premise at their current facility. Chris, the owner/brewmaster definitely has a passion for his craft.

They have a huge selection of beer on tap, which includes a half dozen or so of their own, and a bunch of guest taps. Bottles of their beer are also available. They recently opened a separate production facility and are cranking out beer like never before. Many of their beers are now available at Ohio retailers.

I've never had a Brew Kettle beer that I didn't like. White Rajah, Old 21, 4C's, and Tunguska being standouts for me. Jack Hammer is also a great barley wine.

I am surprised to hear some say that the service Brew Kettle Taproom & Smokehouse is bad. I have never received anything but great service at the bar or at tables. The servers and bartenders have always been friendly and attentive, even when the place is very busy (which it usually is). The owners, Chris and Pam are also great people and love to talk beer with customers.

The food is excellent and very reasonably priced. The pulled pork is great. The burgers, ribs, and wings are also really good. I have taken my family of five there for dinner for just over $50, which includes beer for my wife and I. Outstanding!

11-22-2012 17:15:56 | More by rubicat

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -11.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | $$

Stopped in here for some White Rajah, The service was quick and attentive but not overly friendly. It was pretty typical of most bars. The bartender was busy shooting the shit with the "regulars" and not with people who were just popping in. The beers were really quite nice here from all the ones I drank/sampled. The selection was impressive, very large amount of beers on draft. I didn't order any food but I did see people getting wings and other stuff and it all looked and smelled great. The value was pretty decent I thought, nothing over the top but still not too bad. I would stop in again if I was in the area.

10-03-2012 02:34:13 | More by Knapp85

Stinger80OH

Ohio

4/5  rDev -6.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5 | $$

The Brew Kettle is another great example of a small, local business doing well and being able to grow in a turbulent economy. TBK has succeeded to grow and expand and the demand for their product continues to rise. The original location has expanded and the operation just announced the opening of a larger production facility down the road. TBK is located in a small strip mall in Strongsville and is easily accessible by I-71 and the Ohio Turnpike.

TBK's atmosphere is like many craft beer joints...simple seating arrangements (2 dining rooms and a moderate size bar), the smell of hops in the air, and a large variety of brewiana along the walls, hanging from the ceiling and arranged nicely on overhead shelves throughout the place. Every TBK brew that I have tried were above average. My favorites include White Rajah, Black Rajah (new), Jackhammer Barleywine (regular and BA), Irish Dry Stout and 4C's. Their firkin' specials are also unique, creative spins on regularly rotated beers (like Kitka Chocolate Coconut Milk Stout). Service is very attentive and they are always well staffed. My success has always come from sitting at the bar, which allows for your glass to never hit empty before another one is there waiting for you (thanks to an awesome core of bartenders). In terms of selection, TBK generally has 5-8 of their beers at any given time. The guest beer selection is always superb and they are one of Cleveland's best purveyors of kegs that are rare to the market (ie there have been guest such Lost Coast and rare FFF that are otherwise unavailable anywhere in Ohio). Like other fine establishments, TBK does not offer bottled beers so you won't see any Bud, Miller, or Coors. Food is decent and about par for a brewhouse but I don't typically eat here because there's so many good beers to be consumed (read Liquid Diet 101). The smokehouse wings are always a good choice. The overall value is reasonable. As one may expect, TBK beers are always cheaper than the guests. Some of the guest beers, depending on the rarity and ABV of them, can range in price from $5-10/glass. TBK beer prices are slashed nicely during the daily happy hour so one can expect to pay about half of the usually price. TBK also offers samplers and each beer on the daily menu is categorized A-D in terms of price, with D class beers being the most expensive.

Overall, TBK is a place to visit and visit often. If you like variety and a comfortable environment, this is the place for you.

Cheers

09-07-2012 14:01:53 | More by Stinger80OH

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.08/5  rDev -4.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

I decided to stop by The Brew Kettle on my way back to Buffalo after Hoppin' Frog's Barrel Aged Naked Evil release. I was already familiar with a few of their wonderful beers, and who can turn down a brewery/smokehouse to begin with?

The atmosphere was decent (typical watering hole), but we were seated right away. The waitress took awhile to come over and take our drink order, but she was attentive the remainder of the meal.

I started off with a White Rajah, and finished with the Kitka Chocolate Coconut Milk Stout. The White Rajah was pretty darn good, but the Kitka was outstanding.

I ordered the Fish & Chips, which were solid. The homemade tartar sauce with dill was a pleasant surprise.

If you ware ever in the Cleveland area, I highly recommend stopping off for a bite to eat at the Brew Kettle.

06-24-2012 21:10:23 | More by trxxpaxxs

SpeedwayJim

New York

4.83/5  rDev +12.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $

Visited this place at the beginning of a road trip and was so impressed that I had to go back on the way home.

Atmosphere is really great. 2 seating areas, a long bar, spacious, but at the same time homely. Just really nice. Like the neighborhood bar, but with better beer.

Quality overall is also really good. Again, clean, friendly, with a rustic, but at the same time, energetic and lively feel.

The service was really good. I went once during lunch and once during dinner and the waitresses never made us wait long for the food, drinks, menus, or checks.

About 20-25 guest taps with 5 house beers on at all times. Kegs are replaced with something new as soon as they kick. Surprisingly to me, their hous beer blows away their guest taps. On top of all that, they have bottles of their own beer to sell for take-away or to drink there also.

Food is impeccable. Get the pulled pork and enjoy the ride! Best pulled pork that I've had in recent memory. Their ribs and burgers are no slouches either.

2 lunches, 5 drinks, and 1 growler to go came out to less than $50. Coming from NYC, I felt like I was robbing the place. Prices are outrageously cheap.

This place is not to be missed if you ever find yourself travelling through Ohio and its the best brewpub I've been to this side of California. Just unspeakably awesome!!

06-19-2012 18:35:24 | More by SpeedwayJim

millermason

Ohio

4.58/5  rDev +6.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 3 | $$

I live in Cinci, but I am from Cleveland. Brew Kettle is one of my favorite brew pubs and I always go there when I visit home 2 or 3 times a year. Brew Kettle is much better now that it is expanded and there aren't long waits for tables. Food is typical "pub food" and of reasonable quality.

Beer selection is very good. Always 30 beers on tap with several Brew Kettle beers, but the majority are "guest beers". I always get the sampler and am rarely disappointed. There are always a few beers that I have not seen before. If they have it, TBK White Rajah is a favorite.

TBK beers are very good and I get bombers to go. I have recommended this place to others and all have found it worth the trip.

05-08-2012 03:58:03 | More by millermason

slander

New York

4.14/5  rDev -3.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$

In Ohio, somewhere; and Witzel will take what credit and/or blame will be (fucking Witzel), we’ll know what’s what in a bit. Driving in from Cleveland, you can tell Ed is getting a bit tense; his GPS telling us we’re growing more minutes away as we get physically closer. And of course, the snow unexpected didn’t help any. Circled a small strip mall looking for parking, hoping to stay dry...

Seems a double wide, but damn it runs deep. Entered from the near side, and moved through the seating, dodging the hostess twinkie, to the far side bar side. Your usual strip mall industrial space, exposed piping & ductwork above. Beige walls with brewerania galore! 2 or 3 rows of old trays lined above placards, pictures, prints & pieces, and then growlers, glassware, and bottles running the length atop. All sorts of shit. And holiday lighting strung as it is the season, or was then, anyway.

On the far wall, a long “L” shaped stained copper topped sheet bar with a wood lip and piping foot rail. Seating for 18 or so on backed chairs. Barback is copper counter space with a pair of bar towers of 12 each and a 6 pack more alongside, over drainage with slight tiered boozings in between and glassware and keggery below. A trio of blackboards dangle above the taps listing beer, ABV’s, IBU’s, serving size & price. I put a lookin’ on them. Tap handles displayed atop to both sides of a (ahem) mounted deer tail. Wood shelving on both ends of the barback unit with glassware, a few football helmets displayed, and shot glasses lining the up high. Flatscreens in the bar corners, and another to the rear. Sad handpump on the bar doin’ nothing.

A dozen booths along the wall adjacent to the bar running to the rear, plus a ½ dozen tables down past the bar. Drop pan lamps over the seating. Bottling commotion of some sort to the rear of the rear. I went back there to investigate and it was a Crazytown brew on premise scene. No, no, serious. Front room holds about 2 dozen booths & tables, in the front windows, up and around the door and around past, as leads to the wine side of things. And I’m hearing there’s some distillery action happening here, too. Busy busy.

30 taps in all, 1/5 of them are house offerings (TBK Dark Helmet Black Lager, Red Eye Pale Ale, Big Woody Helles, Irish Red, 4 C’s Pale Ale, Copper Head Red), and the remainder are a mix of mostly American craft beer from coast to coast (Ommegang Seduction, Southern Tier Unearthly, Weyerbacher Winter Ale, Victory Storm King Stout, DogFishHead Chicory Stout, Thirsty Dog Wee Heavy, Great Divide Hibernation Ale, Avery Joe’s Pilsner & The Czar, Bells Double Cream Stout, Jolly Pumpkin Noel de Calabaza, Dark Horse Too Cream Stout, 21st Amendment Allies Win the War, North Coast Old Rasputin, Lagunitas A Little Sumpin Wild Ale, Lucky 13 Alt, & Old Gnarlywine, Coronado Orange Ale Wit, Rogue Yellow Snow IPA, Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA, Stone/Bruery/Elysian La Citrueille Celeste de Citracado Pumpkin Ale), with a few imports (De Proef To Ol Snowball Saison Ale, St Bernardus Christmas Ale), and a single cider (Wyders Dry Pear Cider), thrown in the mix.

You can play the sampler game, 5 minimum, each beer priced on a scale of $1.50-$3.50; I will be doing just that. Planned on sampling all 6 house beers but the Copperhead Red had kicked so there will be 5, which would be not as many (Dark Helmet, 8%, boozy for a black lager; Red Eye Pale Ale, a hoppy amber, citrus, good malt backbone; Big Woody, a nice clean German Helles, I do like; Irish Red, malty, caramel, sweety; Four C’s Pale Ale, Cascade, Chinook, Centennial, Columbus, decent bite, not bad). The Big Woody helles, Red Eye Pale Ale, and Irish Red were the best of ‘em. Ed drank an Ommegang Seduction (Yep, came to a brewpub and didn’t sample their wares). He had wanted to go to some place he saw on a TV show when he was a kid and always dreamed of going to, and I squashed that dream and ran us here. To be fair, the place he wanted to hit was in the wrong direction from everything everywhere ever.

Enjoyed most of what I had in the way of their beer, and apparently this is some kind of a BBQ house. We could’ve done better homework and started our day here, is all I’m saying. Good fun crowd barside. Nearly everyone there has made beer in that back room. I need to revisit this again sometime.

03-13-2012 01:54:08 | More by slander