The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Putting focus on European recipes
Forest City Brewery may be new, but it’s got Old World charm
The fairly new Forest City Brewery has been bringing the local community together with its oldschool European recipes and subtle flavors since opening in June.
Forest City Brewery, 2135 Columbus Road, in Cleveland, sits in a small community called Duck Island between Ohio City and Tremont.
Duck Island is an old neighborhood that was primarily comprised of bluecollar workers who staffed steel mills, factories, warehouses and river-shipping interests in the Flats.
It also was a place where bootleggers would “duck” the prohibition law.
Small business owners Jay Demagall and Matt Mapus purchased the brewery in 2014 and opened it to the public last year after making renovations.
“We helped fix an eye sore in the community because the building was vacant and falling apart,” Demagall said.
Demagall is happy to have his business in Cleveland because its where he was born and raised.
“I remember going to the West Side Market when I was younger and seeing the area from back then to now is amazing because the neighborhoods are changing for the better,” he said. “It feels great to be apart of the revitalization.”
“We knew the kind of customers that would like our beer, enjoy this kind of atmosphere live in the surrounding areas. Plus, the historic nature of the property, I mean where else are you going to find 30-foottall timber frame ceilings from 1915?”
Forest City is made up of reclaimed materials, including the bar, which features a reclaimed top that was a pew in a former life and vintage wood coolers.
Aside from Forest City being a part of the historic neighborhood, it sits in the same building as the old Atlantic Beer Garden, which was Ohio’s oldest beer garden that was founded in 1865 by immigrants from the Alsace region of France that borders Germany, Demagall said.
Demagall said 12,000 square feet of the beer garden is still left and is a part of Forest City.
“We typically host little events in the beer garden during the summer,” he said
It also has held community events such as swing dancing on the first and third Thursdays of every month; “Balance and Brews,” basically yoga and beer, on second the Thursday of every month; and “Pop Cinema “featuring Cleveland filmmakers and their work. Forest City also rents out its beer room for parties and fundraisers.
Forest City currently has about eight brews on tap, including Maide Leisg — Barrel Aged Wee Heavy, Opening Day IPA, Guten Fi Gluten Free Ale, Griffin Ciderworks Inglenook Cider and Warsteiner Pils.
All production is done on the premises with its threebarrel system.
Forest City wants to focus solely on straight-up European-style beers, according to Demagall.
“We focus more on oldschool European recipes and delicate flavors,” he said.
“We don’t want to overpower customers with one ingredient over another. We are really not into trends out here. We really just want to make a good beer.”
While all beers seem to be popular among customers, Demagall said his top three favorite beers are Tomahawk, Opening Day IPA and Furbelly Irish Stout.
Forest City is not known throughout the city, but is popular with the Duck Island community.
“Business has been good since we opened. The community has been very supportive and what we want to do with our business,” Demagall said.
Demagall said Forest City will continue to run business the way it currently does.
“We want to continue with low and slow approach for our business,” he said. “We deal in reality everyday here, so we kind of go where the opportunity takes us.”
“We knew the kind of customers that would like our beer, enjoy this kind of atmosphere live in the surrounding areas.” — Jay Demagall of Forest City Brewery