8 Best Toledo Breweries to Grab a Drink with Friends
Looking for a drink in Toledo? Here are some of the best Toledo breweries to quench your thirst.
There’s so much to see and do in Toledo, that you may find yourself in need of a drink in the midst of your day. If you are searching for a fresh and flavorful brew, then you have come to the right city.
Toledo is home to many craft breweries and microbreweries, allowing you to sample beers that have been influenced by a variety of styles and have been handcrafted in order to be one-of-a-kind creations.
Grab a Pint at Earnest Brew Works
A relative newcomer to the Toledo craft beer scene, Earnest Brew Works has made a splash in the market. This brewer-owned and operated brewery was established in 2016 by two people who had long enjoyed home brewing as a hobby and who wanted to transform their passion into their career.
At this brewery, visitors will find a variety of traditional beers on tap, many of which have been enhanced with a modern approach to flavor using unique and interesting ingredients.
Enjoy a Downtown Toledo Brewery Experience
This brewery is located in the heart of downtown Toledo, and its owners are committed to providing a neighborhood experience. At any given time, visitors will find that there are nearly 20 different beers on taps.
The beers are switched out seasonally and can include concoctions such as Smokewood, a porter with a smokey flavor, or Honeybuzz, a double IPA that is flavored with honey.
In addition to having rotating beers on tap, this brewery also has a robust food truck schedule. It partners with local food trucks in Toledo in order to bring delicious food to those who are sipping on their beers in the brewery. It’s one of the best ways to sample the flavorful beers and eclectic foods that the city has to offer.
Try a Flight of Beer at Black Frog Brewery
While it’s not located within the city’s limits, Black Frog Brewery can be found just 20 minutes away from the center of Toledo in nearby Holland.
Given the fact that it is owned and operated by a Toledo native, it comes as no surprise that this is a favorite spot among craft beer drinkers in the city.
Serving High Quality Beer at This Toledo Brewery
This brewery was founded on the principle that passionate beer drinkers deserve a high-quality beverage. The owner of this brewery spent 10 years serving in the United States Army, and he has brought the same sense of commitment, dedication, and perseverance to his locally-owned brewery. He avoids using any type of filler ingredients in his beers. Rather, he packs each brew full of flavor, making his beers stand apart from the competition.
With more than 40 different types of beers being brewed on-site, there is quite literally something for everyone at this brewery. Each beer is named according to the amphibious theme at the brewery, allowing you to order the likes of Kiss the Frog Cherry, a blonde ale, or Crouching Frog Hidden Tadpole, a New England IPA.
This brewery features a comfortable and casual tasting room, where all are welcome to pull up a seat at the bar and try a new beer. In fact, they may even be served by the brewmaster himself, making this a distinct and personal experience that you simply cannot miss.
Add a Touch of History to Your Beer Drinking Experience at Maumee Bay Brewing Company
Long before there was a craft beer scene in Toledo, there was Maumee Bay Brewing Company. Established in 1995, this brewery is considered to be the original in the city, which means that it has a loyal following of local patrons while simultaneously attracting the attention of visitors who want to sip on great beer as they pass through.
The Maumee Bay Brewing Company is ideally located in downtown Toledo, right on Broadway Street. The brewery itself is located in the Oliver House, which is a historic building that has long played a prominent role in the city’s past as well as its present.
When you stop by Maumee Bay Brewing Company, you may find it difficult to choose which beer to try next. Generally, there are about a dozen beers on tap at the brewery, and they are rotated throughout the year based on seasonal ingredients and flavor trends. If you simply can’t choose one, consider trying the sampler, which allows you to sip six different beers.
In addition to grabbing a pint or two, you also can order food from the brewery’s menu. Unlike many other local breweries in Toledo, this one serves as one of the best local Toledo restaurants with a full menu, allowing you to dine and drink while soaking up the atmosphere at this authentic brewery.
Sip with Your Soul at Patron Saints Brewery
Most craft breweries in Toledo are known as microbreweries, but Patron Saints Brewery is best described as a nano-brewery. With a smaller operation than most microbreweries in the area, this two-man show has quickly earned a reputation as one of the best places to enjoy unique craft beer in the city.
It is located in West Toledo, but its owners have their sights set on growth. Their goal is to one day be a household name throughout the entire city.
Pick Your Saint to Pick a Brew
When you stop by the intimate taproom at Patron Saints Brewery, you will find that there are usually 10 or 12 beers on tap, all of which are named after the saints. Saint Pius, for instance, is the brewery’s signature red ale, which has hints of caramel flavor throughout. Another popular beer on tap is the Saint Luke, a blonde ale named after the Patron Saint of Artists, because they consider this beer to be a true masterpiece.
This brewery is known as an approachable and friendly place, as both half-pints and little growlers — known to most people as kids and dogs — are welcome to join their beer-drinking parents during their experience.
People who are passionate about beer and who want to experience the flavor of resolve and diligence will appreciate the effort that these two former homebrewers have put into their small brewery start-up in Toledo.
Get Beer Delivered to Your Doorstep Through Funky Turtle Brewing Company
Most breweries in Toledo have a taproom and a tasting room, allowing patrons to sip their beers and explore the place where those beers were made. However, Funky Turtle Brewing Company took a different approach to the craft beer experience.
Rather than putting its efforts into a dining locale where visitors can experience the brewery’s beers with one another, this brewery opted for a manufacturing-only space.
Currently, the brewers put all of their efforts into making the beer, and then it is distributed throughout Toledo and beyond.
Get Toledo Craft Beer Delivered
You may not be able to grab a seat at the bar and call out for a pint, but you can have the beer from Funky Turtle Brewing Company delivered directly to your doorstep. Or, you can opt for a curbside pick-up. The goal is to make it as convenient as possible for you to get the beer that you crave in Toledo.
Some of the beers and meads that you can order from Funky Turtle include the Orange Cream Farmhouse and the Smooth and Groovy, both fruit-based drinks that emphasize flavor without diminishing the complexity of the beverage itself.
Have a Pint of Positivity with Upside Brewing Company
Technically speaking, Upside Brewing Company is not located in Toledo itself, but it is situated just outside of the city in the suburb of Sylvania. This makes it a convenient place for Toledo locals to go in order to get a dose of their favorite type of craft beer.
Upside Brewing Company is actually the first brewery to make its home in Sylvania, and as of now, it is considered to be a nano brewery rather than a microbrewery. While it grows into its own, this brewery is situated inside of a pizza house, allowing people to come in to sample hot, fresh pizza as well as cool, delicious beer.
Sample Something Different Every Time
The taps at this brewery rotate frequently, as many of the beers are single-batch varieties. This means that if you find something that you love, you will need to visit again — and soon — because it may not be there the next time you go. However, you can almost always count on finding some kind of beer that you love.
Examples of beers that they have previously had available at this brewery include Strawberry Shortcake Wheat, Palace Cream Ale and The Fun Starts Here Champagne Pale Ale.
Sneak Over to Michigan for Beer at Pavlov’s Brewing Company
We know it probably sounds like blasphemy to tell you to head to Michigan to get a beer when there are so many options in Ohio, but Pavlov’s Brewing Company is located so far south in the Mitten State that it might as well be in Toledo itself.
This brewery can be discovered in Temperance, which is just north of the Ohio border and only about 20 minutes away from downtown Toledo.
Named after the man who created the conditioned response, Pavlov’s Brewing Company offers beers that will require you to respond with yet another sip. It is a locally-owned brewery with an authentic atmosphere, one that is both friendly and inviting.
It often has at least 16 beers on tap, ranging from classics such as Barking Mad Red Ale and Rollover Rover Brown Ale to more eclectic varieties, such as the Peanut Butter Treat Porter. With different beers available throughout each season, you can always find a reason to cross the state line and try something unique at Pavlov’s Brewing Company.
Take a Drive to Catawba Island Brewing Company
While not in Toledo itself, Catawba Island Brewing Company is just a short drive away and is known for its phenomenal beers and service. Catawba Island Brewing Company is a small production brewery on the beautiful Catawba Island on the shores of Lake Erie.
While they don’t serve food at this northwest Ohio brewery near Toledo, several guests have mentioned order a pizza to be delivered from Sloopy’s or grub from Lake Erie BBQ while they enjoy their craft brews and live music. Guest taps are also commonly available, such as hard ciders from Ciderboys.
