Within three months, fans of Buckeye Brewing beers like Hippie IPA and Ho Ho Ho Magic Dubbel will be able to enjoy a pint or two at the very source — well, very close to the source, at least. Brewer Garin Wright says that he is in the final stages of opening a taproom in the complex that houses his production brewery (9985 Walford Ave., 216-431-1600, buckeyebrewing.com).
"We're putting it on the other side of the building, by Ray's Indoor Mountain Bike Park," says Wright. "It will be a very urban, non-yuppie type place that caters to Westsiders and out-of-towners."
Wright says that it just makes sense to piggyback off the incredible success and presence of Ray's, which attracts riders from all over the Midwest. "Ray's has a huge following, so we've got a good demographic. It's a great opportunity for us to get more exposure."
Called Tapstack, a reference to the brick smokestack that rises high above the industrial park, the taproom will be isolated from the brewery, serve only Buckeye beer, and offer no food, says Wright. "We don't want to complicate things — it's just about the beer."
In addition to "very economical pints" priced in the three-dollar range, the taproom will sell 22-ounce special releases and fill growlers to go. There will be seating for 70 to 80 guests at hand-carved walnut tables and bars. Kegs outfitted with cushions will serve as the chairs.
"I never thought in a million years that we would ever do a taproom here," says Wright. "But we were starting to get burned out a little bit; we needed a spark and this is pretty exciting. It will allow us to be a little more creative with our beers without all the red tape that goes along with all labeling requirements."
