Among the drinks featured are a Margar(IPA) made with Patron Silver, simple syrup, lemon and lime juices and IPA; the Florida Squeeze with Disaronno, orange juice and hefeweizen; and a Mojito with Pyrat Rum, lime juice, simple syrup, fresh mint and a pale lager. Four other beer-centric cocktails and two beer-free beverages round out the new drink menu.

In all the drinks, the particular beer used for each recipe is at the discretion of the bartender unless requested specifically by the patron, partially because World of Beer rotates their taps so often but also to keep things interesting.

With their new liquor license, World of Beer Easton is also carrying spirits from Columbus’ own Watershed Distillery and Middle West Spirits.

The Short North’s Camelot Cellars won a gold medal for its first Ohio wine (Vidal Ice Wine) made using Vidal juice from Geneva, OH.

Hidden Lakes Winery (Canal Winchester) took silver for their Glacier White, Riesling and Rip Roarin’ Raz, and bronze for Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Road House Red and Summer Red.

Wyandotte Winery took a bronze for their 2010 White Roses wine.

Full results are available here.

Here are a few reason why I may be switching my after work hangout to The Pint Room.

The Beer Selection

What The Pint Room lacks in human shaped shrubbery it makes up for with a vast and diverse selection of beer. I was especially impressed with its selection of Ohio beers. Most of the time when perusing the Ohio selection at a bar you’re left with a choice between nine different flavors of Great Lakes and Columbus IPA thrown in for good measure. At The Pint Room you can choose beer from Brew Kettle, Fat Head’s, Weasel Boy and several other Ohio breweries I had no idea existed – a full 25 taps are dedicated to local brew.

Ultimately if you can’t find a beer you like out of 101 choices you’re probably the kind of person who sends a steak back to the kitchen for being medium when you ordered medium well. There was no pleasing you to begin with.

The Hours

Unlike The Topiary Park, The Pint Room is open after sunset. As an added bonus you are less likely to be mugged or arrested for trespassing if you happen to be at The Pint Room after sunset.

The Food

It’s always been difficult to get a good meal at The Topiary Park. First you have to catch your own squirrels, then you have to skin them, then you have to start a fire and cook them. All of which is difficult to do amid shocked gasps and the screams of children. Rest assured it’s much easier to get a meal at The Pint Room. First someone comes to your table, then you order your food, then they bring it to you. All for a moderate price. It’s that easy.

Of all the items on the menu their burgers seem to be the way to go. I wasn’t brave enough to try their P-B-B & J which includes peanut butter, strawberry jam, strawberries, and bacon but I have heard good things. The Oscar also sounds intriguing. Crab meat, asparagus and hollandaise sauce on a burger? I’m not sure I can lift my pinky high enough to eat that. No, I opted for the Hangover Burger. It’s too hard for me to resist a burger with a fried egg, bacon and a hash brown.

As a word to the wise get the onion rings. I consider myself an onion ring connoisseur, so trust me when I say these are the best onion rings I have had. Ever. If Jesus were alive today he would wholeheartedly endorse The Pint Room’s onion rings. They’re that good.

The Ambiance

Nothing says high society like Georges Seurat’s A Sunday Afternoon in plant form. But sometimes I yearn for the simpler things. Like a beer, a burger and a television to watch whatever sporting event is important at the moment. This is what The Pint Room delivers.

Imagine going to a sports bar. Now imagine they have great, interesting beer on tap. Now imagine it has good food. Now imagine the moron next to you isn’t yelling at the T.V. and spilling beer all over you because some guy on the T.V missed a free throw. You my friend just imagined yourself at The Pint Room.

It’s hard for me to classify The Pint Room as a sports bar but with the abundance of televisions showing sports it’s hard not to. It’s Hal & Al’s meets BW-3’s. A good place to get a beer and a burger with friends to the backdrop of sports as opposed to a place to watch sports with the backdrop of a beer, a burger and friends.

The lure of the Topiary Park is great but I have to say I may no longer be going there to unwind. Which is OK. After my last squirrel dinner I’m fairly certain I’ve been banned for life anyway.

If you’re looking for a pointillist masterpiece rendered in foliage check out The Topiary Park. If you’re looking for great beer, delicious burgers and a place to hangout with friends check out The Pint Room. I’d go with The Pint Room. And get the onion rings.

The Pint Room is located at 4415 West Dublin Granville Rd.

It’s early May once again, and that can only mean that American Craft Beer Week is just around the corner.  This year (the 8th year of ACBW), the celebration of American craft beer will run May 13th to the 19th.  The Brewer’s Association designates a week in May to be the nationwide culmination of many of the city based “Beer Week”s such as Philly Beer Week, San Francisco Beer Week, etc.  Which begs the question… how long until we get a Columbus Beer Week?  After all, there is a Cincinnati Beer Week and a Cleveland Beer Week, why hasn’t Columbus joined it’s fellow Ohio C-cities? With the recent boom in local breweries and good beer bars, it may just be a matter of time.

In celebration of ACBW, there are a few things going on in the capital city:

• The Pub at Polaris will be featuring a special four course meal paired with various Sam Adams beers, as well as other featured brews, on May 13.
• Bodega, one of THE places to go for good beer and good selection in Columbus, will once again be releasing a special and rare beer each day of ACBW.  Rumor has it that they’ve been sitting on a keg of KBS that may make an appearance, but they are still working on deciding their final lineup for the week. **Update: Kegs that Bodega will be tapping include, Founder’s KBS, Victory & Market Garden Brewing collaboration Kennet Ale, Three Floyd’s Rabbid Rabbit Saison, Sierra Nevada’s Hoptimum, Southern Tier’s Plum Noir, Fat Head’s #1 Saison, and Barley’s Chupacabra.  This list isn’t necessarily in chronological order, so you just might have to go multiple nights to catch as many as possible.
• Columbus Brewing Company has a few events planned throughout the week, including an event at 4th Street Bar and Patio and one at The Pint House
• Daily featured beers are basically the name of the game over at The Daily Growler, but they are planning on doing something for their patrons in addition to their regular daily specials.  Each day of the week will feature a different state, with $2 off growler fills, and $1 off pints (outside of happy hour) of beer from any brewery located in that state.  Monday- Colorado, Tuesday- New York, Wednesday- Illinois, Thursday-Michigan, Friday- California, Saturday- Ohio, Sunday-?.
• St. James Tavern will have a number of special beers on tap throughout the week, including North Coast/Rogue/Deschutes’ Class of 88 Barleywine, Revolution’s Rosa hibiscus Ale, Stone’s Enjoy By 05.17.13 (it’ll be gone well before Friday!), a Founder’s release of Double Trouble and the barrel aged version, Doom, on Thursday, along with Avery’s 20th Anniversary Ale, and a number of other releases from Ohio breweries.
• Buckeye Lake Brewing will be tapping a special release of double dry-hopped Black IPA on the 17th.
• Weasel Boy Brewing will be tapping their Koelsch and Mango Wheat this week, with Open Mic on Thursday and a blues show with Austin Cane on Saturday.  They are also scheduled to do a live internet radio interview with The Brewing Network on Sunday evening.

Once again, it is Elevator Brewing Company that most fully embraces American Craft Beer Week here in Columbus, with some sort of event Monday through Saturday:

• Monday, May 13 Monthly meeting for the SODZ homebrewing club at Elevator Brewing, with Rep. Dan Ramos as a special guest speaker to discuss his proposed change to Ohio law to increase our definition of beer from 12% to a 21% maximum ABV.
• Tuesday, May 14: “Ride the Elevator” fundraiser to benefit Franklinton Cycle Works. Register at yaybikes.com.
• Wednesday: Special showing of “Beerfest” at the Strand Theatre in Delaware, OH. 7 pm social hour, 8 pm showtime. $15 for advance tickets, $20 at the door.
• Thursday: Coast to Coast Toast to Craft Beer at 8pm sharp.
• Friday: “Bark and Brew” fundraiser to benefit the Downtown Dog Park.  $20 includes brewery tour, food, beer, souvenir pint glass.
• Saturday: Beer Dinner at Elevator Brewery, a five-course beer paired and inspired meal with Chef Nate Crockett, with guest speaker Steve Croyle, beer writer. (614) 499-7828 for reservations.

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Even if you aren’t able to make it to any official events next week, the Coast to Coast Toast is something you’d be able to do, regardless of where you are, just as long as you have a beer in hand.  The goal is for every craft beer drinker in America to raise a glass at the same moment in thanks and celebration of craft beer and those who brew it.  So at 8PM sharp on Thursday, May 16th, give thanks to good beer by raising a pint!

So, next week my challenge to you is to celebrate the love and quality that goes into craft beer, whether that be by going to a good craft beer bar or restaurant or picking up a beer from your local bottle shop you’ve been meaning to try. Just keep it American, and keep it craft!

If you know of any other ACBW events going on in Columbus, let us know!

Rockmill, for those unfamiliar with the beer, is simply amazing Belgian-style beer brewed near Lancaster, Ohio. Rockmill’s brewer, Matthew Barbee, and his family discovered that the water on the Rockmill farm is nearly identical in mineral content to the water in Wallonia, Belgium, which is where Belgian ale originated. The brewery regularly offers four beers, a witbier, a saison, a dubbel and a tripel and occasional some specialty aged beers. And they are all delicious.

Rockmill is nestled (a word which is overused but seriously perfect for this description) in Hocking Hills not far from Lancaster in Lithopolis. Green hills and quaint farms line the casual, rolling country roads that bring you to the gate that is the Rockmill sanctuary. As you drive up, a winding driveway brings you past various farm buildings to the doorway of the tasting room.

We parked and marveled at the scenery as a mellow dog, Scooby, greeted us at our car. He was clearly expecting us, as he waited for us to gather our belongings and temper our enthusiasm long enough to realize he was ready to take us to the door. Scooby walked us right up to the bar and then curled up on the couch waiting for the sound of the next guests to greet.

We cozied up on one of the large farmhouse tables set in an amazingly rustic house that feels quite like a barn in a wonderful way. Roughly eight stools are offered at the bar, and a good mix of large tables for groups and small tables for couples are scattered throughout the rooms. An iPod played Ray LaMontagne, Beirut and other calm, but great hits as Matthew came to welcome us. A quiet woman who I assume to be his mother dropped off some delicious Belgian chocolate along with crackers and bread as Matthew asked which beers we’d like to try. Of our group of seven, all but one of us opted for a tasting flight of all five beers. The seventh was already privy to his love for the OYO whiskey cask-aged tripel.

We sipped our beers, enjoyed the crackling of the fireplace and admired the different pieces of horse-related art that drive home the logo as well as the overall reminder that yes, this is a farm. We were all in awe at the amazingly quaint, comfortable atmosphere of Rockmill as we spied snowflakes the size of our fists cascading down through Rockmill’s large, high windows. This, folks, is how you spend a Saturday afternoon in February.

My round two visit to Rockmill, nearly six months later at the beginning of spring really just reminded me of one important fact: I really need to be coming to Rockmill more often. We had the same wonderful service experience, tasted a few of the fantastic beers and appreciated the greenery surrounding the tasting room’s building. The outdoor space looks gorgeous, but we were unfortunate enough to hit the brewery one of the 97% of April when it poured.

While Rockmill doesn’t offer a kitchen, if you call ahead they’ll create a carefully curated cheese plate that matches wonderfully with the Belgian-style ales. They welcome guests to bring their own goodies, so we’ve had mini-picnics at Rockmill a few times with a smattering of cheeses, nuts and pies, all of which went great with beer. (But really, what doesn’t?)

While I’ve only been to Rockmill twice, I will be back for sure, soon. The drive from Columbus is pleasant, and despite feeling like entering another world, it’s only 30 minutes away. The prices are reasonable for fresh-from-the-brewery beer made with organic ingredients and spring water from yards away. The atmosphere is calming and welcoming, and I can’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. If you want to turn it into a great afternoon beer journey, Jackie O’s is only another 45 minutes down the road.

The tasting room hasn’t been crowded while we’ve been there, but both times an interesting mix of folks enjoyed beer along with us. It seems as if Rockmill garners people from around the state of all ages, and with good reason. The beer is great and the atmosphere is impeccable. This coupled with fantastic service and the ability to ask the always-willing-to-answer brewer questions makes it ideal for both beer aficionados and willing learners.

I love Rockmill Brewery. There. I said it. It’s awesome. Rockmill, I want to be inside you.

This week Governor Kasich signed Senate Bill 48 into law, lowering the amount that small breweries must pay for their annual licensing fee from $3,906 to $1000. The bill creates a new permit specifically for small breweries, defined as those making less than 31 million gallons of beer per year.

The bill was introduced by Republican State Senator Troy Balderson of Zanesville.

“As a small business owner myself, I know how time consuming and costly excessive regulation can be for our job creators,” Sen. Balderson said in a statement. “This is a very simple piece of legislation that cuts significant red tape for both local and chain restaurants.”

The only two breweries in Ohio who do not qualify for the new small brewery permit are Anheuser-Busch in Columbus and Miller Coors in Trenton. Predictably, these two companies strongly opposed the new legislation.

“We are very disappointed that this legislation will now become law, and remain concerned about the manner in which this anti free market legislation was introduced and passed,” Anheuser-Busch said in a statement. The company was additionally concerned about an amendment to the bill that was added late in the committee process which prohibits large brewers, such as Anheuser-Busch, from having any financial stake in wholesale distribution.

The legislation will also expedite the transfer of liquor permits in an attempt to lift regulations on small businesses. Most exciting to beer fans, however, is a provision in the new law that allows brewers to open tasting rooms within a half-mile of their facilities.

Join us on Thursday, May 30 from 7-11pm for an evening of fun, prizes, and, well, drinks. Der.

The party will take place at Woodland’s Backyard (668 Grandview Ave, hidden behind a Sunoco) and will feature drink specials on local craft beer and locally-made spirits, kickass door prizes from your favorite local boozy businesses, plenty of free pizza and other tasty snacks, a live DJ, photobooth and more!

Special thanks to our event sponsors Gateway Film Center, Grandview Digfest, Brothers Drake Meadery, Four String Brewing, Granville Brewing Company, and Shutterbooth, and to our MANY prize donors!

Register (for free!) today!

Check out some of the photos from the launch party for an idea of what you’re in for!

The third time I decided to suck it up and wait 25 minutes in line and cram my butt into a tiny metal stool because SO many people had told me that I HAD to try Tasi.

And everything was pretty good, but man, I’ve had better, and with much less hassle.

Tasi has a small selection of beer, wine and cocktails, and I opted for the Lavendar Fizz which was a little gin-heavy but otherwise light and refreshing. My husband had a bloody mary, which was also a bit spirit heavy but with a good mild spice.

I ordered the toasted croissant sandwhich with rosemary ham, swiss and a fried egg. The croissant was fluffy, flaky and delicious. My husband’s chorizo and cheddar filled breakfast burrito had a good spice in a reasonable portion. Both came with a side of fresh fruit, and we ordered a plate of bacon and some really good potato latkes to share.

Again, everything was good, and the space, while on the smaller side and with shared seating, is bright and inviting. Tasi is extremely affordably priced, which is a definite perk. As is all day breakfast! But the lines will probably prevent me from re-visiting this spot for drunk brunch – especially if I’m with more than one other person.

Brunch at Tasi is available all day e’ryday (7am-5pm). Tasi is located at 680 North Pearl Street.

Read about other drunk brunch spots in Columbus.

Matt Lydy Photography

Bold statement time: to me, there is no bar in Columbus that is quite as impressive as Curio, the classic cocktail bar attached to Harvest Pizzeria in German Village.

Hey, I’m not the only one who feels that way.

In the Best of Drink Up Columbus poll, Curio won for best classic cocktails, best signature cocktails, best bartender (Joe Peppercorn) and got second for best new bar.

Owner Travis Owens, admittedly once a shot-and-a-beertender, said he has been interested in classic cocktails since he first had (a good) one.

“After experiencing a well-made Manhattan for the first time, you realise that there was some history somewhere down the line and an approach to making cocktails that was forgotten,” said Owens. “Within the last 5-8 years it’s come full circle from back in the day when there was a little bit more effort put into cocktails.”

Matt Lydy Photography

While classic cocktails never completely went away – every bartender should be familiar with making a Manhattan, properly or not – there has been a resurgence of interest in carefully crafted drinks made with fresh ingredients.

“People are paying more attention to what they’re consuming, so they’re willing to pay a little bit more for something that they know a little bit of soul and a little bit of effort has been put into,” said Owens.

A lot of soul and effort certainly went into the design of Curio. An old fashioned cash register sits behind the bar surrounded by sawed down sewing desks, index card drawers, books about bitters and of course bottles of liquor that somehow combine to create the effect of the pre-prohibition era.

“Some of the stuff I had been collecting, like antique glassware and curio cabinets and these old singer sewing desks,” said Owens. “In my head I had mapped out what I wanted it to look like. You have to make it fit the space, but somehow all of these legos fit together. A lot of the stuff came from my aunt’s house. She considered herself an antique dealer; she was an antique hoarder.”

It was a massive curio cabinet from Owen’s aunt’s collectionhoard that inspired the name of the bar.

Curio features over a dozen original drink creations and another dozen classic cocktails on their menu, with a new featured cocktail every day. The feature the day I was in was a bright green, smoky concoction dubbed the Pablano Escabar, a play on a margarita made with Mezcal, fresh pablano juice, smoked salt, agave, nectarm orange liqueur and lime juice. I also has a slightly modified and amazing version of a classic Vieux Carre (modified with black fig bitters and Cherry Heering.) A favorite from past visits is the Violet Fizz, with gin, Creme de Violet, Luxardo, lemon, egg white and soda, shaken to frothy goodness.

Matt Lydy Photography

“It’s exciting getting people back into [classic cocktails],” said Owens. “Some of it’s very trying at times because people are so accustomed to their standard, but we do a good job of getting them to drink a little bit of gin here and there.”

If you’re not sold on the classic cocktail concept, Curio has other drinks to keep you content.

“We want people to know that we’re approachable,” said Owens. “We have plenty of vodka if people want it. A lot of people don’t realize we have beer, we have a pretty slammin’ beer selection, we call it our secret stash. So you can come here and have a beer, you can come here and have a martini, and you can come here and have a Vieux Carre or a cocktail Joe just came up with off the cuff that has five ingredients that should never go together and for some reason they go together very well.”

The secret stash includes selections from Rockmill, Evil Twin and even cans of Burger Beer, as well as a few beers I’ve never seen before – but for me, Curio is 100& about the cocktails.

“This Spring we’re trying to go back to what we did when we opened,” said Owens. “We got away from it a little bit with some more winter-y cocktails and some more obscure stuff. We tried to push the boundaries a little bit. We’re gonna bring it back to being a little funner in Spring, a little bit more based in simplicity, always keeping with fresh juices and some unique spirits [with cocktails] only made with two or three ingredients, but doing something people aren’t going to see anywhere else in the city.”

Photography by Matt Lydy

Photography by Matt Lydy

The Pint House prominently features an open-air beer garden in the front of the building and possibly the largest bar in the Short North in the back. It’s an impressive space, with details like a fountain pouring water from tap handles and hand-carved wooden plates and paddles.

46 taps between the beer garden and back bar feature 42 different beers, including a specially brewed house beer, Pint House IPA made by Epic Brewing Company in Salt Lake City. While nowhere near as tasty as Epic’s own Hopulent IPA, it was pretty solid. Local breweries like Four String and Seventh Son will be featured regularly, along with a decent variety of beer styles. Most of Pint House’s beers are served in massive 21 ounce mugs at a not-so-massive price – $6 across the board. Select drafts will be half-off during happy hour. Pint House will offer beer flights and growler fills, too. Here was the beer list for their Sunday soft opening, though it’s likely to have changed.

The Pint House’s cocktail list includes a little bit of beer mixology: the Summer Lovin blends tequila, watermelon juice and Elevator’s hefeweizen, the Death by Bulleit combines Rogue Dead Guy Ale with Bullleit Rye, sweet vermouth and orange bitters, and the Shandy Gaff mixes Hoegaarden Lemonade, Shock Top Lemon Shandy and St. Germain elderflower liqueur.

There is plenty of good food, too – there’s a beer and cheese pizza with bacon and caramelized onion that might change your life, along with several other tempting pizzas, appetizers like loaded fries and blue cheese chips and a handful of other entrees.

The Pint House is open from 3pm-close Monday-Friday and 11am-close Saturday and Sunday.

The Pint House is located at 780 N. High Street.