ABA @ Collision Bend Brewing Company

I've landed in CLE and I'm here for three things - my bestie, the experience of being a Browns fan for a weekend, and Cleveland beer. Collision Bend Brewing is the first of a few stops while in the city of rock n' roll.

Collision is in The Flats which is a district on the north side of the twisty Cuyahoga River. They actually get their name for the bending river, in which many boats used to collide due to the turns impairing visibility. The Cuyahoga River is a light brown color, almost like chocolate milk. It wasn't the most appetizing but the sunset view on their large patio made up for it.

Obviously, I started with a Bavarian pretzel and it did not disappoint. Sh*t had everything bagel seasoning!! I love a good, giant pretzie. I also had a burger and enjoyed it. Both of my friends had the pork belly burger and thought it was a little too crispy, so take notes if you're a fan. We all agreed that the french fries were AMAZING.

As for the beers, they got it all. They’ve got a solid variety of brews, and lots of German centric styles. I had a flight of four and a stout to finish out the evening. Overall, Lake Erie Sunset was my favorite which is a 5.6% Blood Orange American Wheat. After speaking with the GM, I learned the two brewers keep their creations as a surprise. There isn't a collaborative effort or an owner telling what should be done. Both brewers pow-wow and then ferment a brew of their own creativity. Despite hating surprises, I thought that was lovely and extra fun.

Shoutout to Chelsie and Mike from @collisionbrew for their hospitality and hopefully I'll be back soon.