The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Goldhorn Brewery a cool, old-school addition to scene
Limited, largely European menu has appeal, but place best as a hangout for beer lovers
There’s no shortage of breweries in Northeast Ohio these days, a new one opening every few months or so, it seems. They’re so prevalent, in fact, there’s a brewery-tours cottage industry borne from the local brew biz.
If you’re ever inclined to take such a tour, you might want to make sure it’s one that stops at the year-old Goldhorn Brewery. It might not be a household name as Cleveland breweries go, but it’s about as Cleveland as a brewhouse can get.
Goldhorn is located near the intersection of East 55th Street and St. Clair, adjacent to the landmark Sterle’s Country House. It’s owned by the same developer, Rick Semersky, and shares a building with Café 55, another venture committed to Semersky’s aim to revitalize the area.
For all the old-school charm Sterle’s has, Goldhorn goes the other way. It’s a modern, wide-open, industrial-chic space, with concrete floors, high ceilings with exposed ductwork and beams and rough-hewn woods planked all around. Behind the large, coppertop bar is the brewing room, separated by glass walls and home to eight brewing kettles.
Those kettles turn out beers with Cleveland-centric names, too: Dead Man’s Curve IPA, Polka City Pilsner and Agora (after the theater) Altbier, for example. You can get a flight of four 5-ounce pours for just $6, which means you can sample the entire seven-oreight beer rotating lineup on the cheap.
If you’re an IPA fan, the Dead Man’s Curve is almost a must-try, a blend of hops and citrus flavors that are somehow not as strong-tasting as you’d expect an 8.0ABV beer to be. I also liked the Polka City, which is more a European-style pilsner, rather than what we’re accustomed to here. My wife’s favorite was the Oktoberfest, a full-bodied and very smooth marzen. Pints are $5, as good a value as the tasting flights. On Sundays, growler refills are $5.
Soon, you might be able to try the Dead Man’s, Agora and Polka City in the comfort of your own home. Goldhorn recently landed a deal to can these beers and distribute them locally. By Labor Day, you’re likely to start seeing Goldhorn beer on store shelves.
And beer is the focus at Goldhorn, named after the golden-horned mountain goat of Slovenian folklore. The food menu consists of a handful of small snacks and appetizers and about a dozen entrée-sized sandwiches and dishes.
On a recent Saturday, a few of us decided on the Bavarian pretzels and fried pickles appetizers (both $10) to start. Both were about what you’d expect from such dishes. The two large pretzels were served with a beer cheese sauce like any brewery serves, and the fried pickles came with what I’d guess is a paprika-seasoned mayo. I thought the pickles were exceptional, breaded rather than battered, with a great-tasting seasoning.
They are also the source of my biggest complaint about the place. Our pickle appetizer consisted of five thin spears, perhaps one good-sized pickled carved five ways. The thinness of the spears probably cut down on the crispiness of the dish compared to other fried pickles, so your own preference toward crisp versus tender comes into play. But no matter what, five thin spears of pickle should not cost $10.
Actually, the pretzels are a tad overpriced, too — a quick online tour of other local breweries will tell you that. My wife and I spent the same amount on our entrees combined as the two appetizers. Just seems odd.
Especially since my Polish boy ($9) was a great choice. Served with a generous amount of sauerkraut on a steak roll, the sausage itself was delicious — not too greasy and with a strong kielbasa flavor that doesn’t get overpowered by the kraut. And the thin-cut, seasoned fries that come with it are just outstanding. Not to give them any ideas, but it’s crazy to consider that my main dish cost LESS than each of our appetizers.
My wife and friends all went with even more traditional eastern European fare, the type of things served a stone-throw’s away at Sterle’s and what your grandmother made if she, like so many, called the East55th/St. Clair area the “old neighborhood.” Their orders even were served on the traditional Sterle’s dishes, white etched with every dish after the apps, they just smacked of “homemade.”
One of our friends got the chicken paprikash, and the other cabbage rolls (both $13). I didn’t try the paprikash, but it looked great and got no complaints. The cabbage rolls were interesting in that they were covered in a tomato-paste sauce but served with a side of brown gravy. They also came with amazing mashed potatoes. Both the potatoes and the stuffed cabbage — even with the red sauce — were enhanced by the gravy.
If you’re not into the old-school fare, there are a couple of other options — a pub burger or fried chicken sandwich, for example. Again, the place is more about the beer and the hanging out. If you’re into eastern European food, you almost have to consider it kind of a bonus.
That isn’t meant to detract from the place. It’s a very cool space, conducive to larger groups and super laid-back. The service we had was great, very friendly and helpful. There are no true table servers there, however. You order even food at the bar, and a bartender will bring it out to you. When the manager stopped by at our table, though, it was about the time we were ready for appetizers, and he gladly put the order in for us.
Even with the overpriced appetizers, Goldhorn is a great value overall. Everything else is so reasonably priced and done well, and the real estate itself is awesome. If you’re looking to visit every Northeast Ohio brewery, it’s going to take a while, but this one needs to be on your list.
Reviews typically are based one one anonymous visit to a restaurant. an old-fashioned blue flower pattern.
My wife’s pierogies ($11) were a big hit. Served in a brown gravy with caramelized onions and topped with sour cream, the dumplings themselves weren’t overly heavy as pierogies go. Like