STRONGSVILLE, Ohio — Do you like beer? Ever think about brewing it yourself? If you want to try it without the hassle of buying equipment and learning all the ins and outs, The Brew Kettle in Strongsville offers a brew-on-premise experience, a rarity in the state.
Chris Wheeler is the manager of the brew-on-premise experience at the bar and restaurant.
He revels in the scene and art of teaching people how to craft their own ales and lagers.
“They can bring their own recipe if they want," Wheeler said. "They can work off of our recipes."
The room that hosts the brew parties has a wall of fame where some customers’ creations, complete with custom names and labels, are featured.
Wheeler said it’s kind of like making soup.
"You're temperature controlling. You're adding ingredients," Wheeler said. "You just have to make sure you're doing them in the right order and at the right times."
He said it’s fun being able to give people the confidence to create something they’ve always dreamed of.
The process starts in the grain room, where everything is weighed, before it’s brewed together with hops in a steam-heated kettle.
"You’re going to start building your wort that way," Wheeler said.
After the boil, the wort is chilled, and yeast is added. Fermentation lasts anywhere from three to five weeks. When ready, the beer is prepared for serving, carbonated and kegged.
Customers can choose to come back if they want to bottle and cap the beer.
They walk away with 72 22-ounce bottles.
"That’s six cases. They’re bomber bottles, if you’re familiar with the term," Wheeler said.
Chris told me the learning at the brew-on-premise experience goes both ways.
"I'm sure you learn from the customers, too?" I said.
"It's very interesting to learn, like, the different methods throughout the years and the different ways that these people have come up with ways to flavor their distinct beer," Wheeler said.
The brew-on-premise experience costs between $140 and $200, plus the cost of bottles and labels.
Damon Maloney is a Cuyahoga County and We Follow Through anchor at News 5 Cleveland. Follow him on X
