Drink Beer, Support the Market

A bottle from the original batch of Butcher's Brew. The beer won't be
bottled this time around. (Photo by Amira Maher)

A wave of supportive efforts that launched after the Jan. 30 fire at the West Side Market -- from a cash mob to Michael Symon's fund-raising campaign — has largely died down. But Great Lakes Brewing Co.’s contribution is just now being poured.

Soon after the fire, the brewery decided to help the market through a re-release of Butcher’s Brew — a lager originally made in honor of the West Side Market for last year’s Centennial Gala. But beer can’t be brewed overnight.

Now it’s ready. Starting tomorrow, Butcher’s Brew will be available in for-donation samples at the West Side Market Café and in $6 pints at the brewery, across the street on Market Avenue, until the contents of seven barrels run dry. This time around, the velvety yet subtly bitter Kulmbacher-style lager won’t be bottled.

All proceeds, which the brewery expects will be about $10,000, will go to Ohio City Inc.’s Market Bonds program. Customers who buy $40 worth of bond certificates to the West Side Market will get $10 for free, funded by donations from the brewery. Vendors can turn in certificates they receive for cash.

“It’s a good way for us to make sure that the proceeds are going to the vendors,” says Mary LaVenia, public relations assistant at Great Lakes. “We want to make sure that the vendors can stay in business and be able to repurchase things that they lost during the fire.”

Since its 1988 inception, Great Lakes Brewing Co.’s menu has included meat and some produce from West Side Market vendors, including Dohar Meats, Ohio City Pasta and Lance’s Beef. Over the years, partnerships that were strictly business have turned into friendships.

“The happiness there the first day it was reopened. It wasn’t just about them doing business again,” says LaVenia. “It was about seeing the friends that you used to see every week when you went to patronize their business. We couldn’t be more happy to have it back.”

The restaurant and bar saw a decrease in foot traffic during the almost three weeks the West Side Market was closed.

“Everyone, I think — we’ve talked about it in our merchant meetings — realized that the West Side Market impacted their business a lot more strongly than they ever knew,” LaVenia says. “We just want to help out the market.”

For more coverage of the market, including the vendor families who’ve been at the market for 100 years, take a look at our stories from November. For more on the brewery, including its pub-only specialty beers, check out our February beer package.

New House Pours and Plates

There are some new beverages at the West Side Market Café. The alcoholic content means they won’t go with your early morning eggs, hash browns, and sausage. Though I do recall seeing a group of guys in there wearing hospital scrubs- hopefully coming off a late night shift and not heading to work- order beers with their over-easies and toast. It might however, pair up nicely with a turkey club or a tuna melt.

I’m talking about wine- which many people don’t realize is sold by the glass and the bottle here. But not just any wines. The two signature vintages I’m referring to feature images of the Market tower, the Café sign, and the Historic District marker on the label. The white’s a Sauvignon Blanc and the red’s a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cab Franc. Both are estate bottled in Bordeaux, France by Chateau des Tuquets, known for its south-facing clay and limestone hills. Grapes have been grown on the property since ancient times and some vineyards have been steadily cultivated since the 18th century.
photo by Barney Taxel
A Cleveland company, European Wine Imports, is bringing the wines in and doing a private labeling program for the Cafe. I’ve tried the Cab and really enjoyed it. It’s approachable, nicely balancing berries and pepper, and goes down easy with a relatively smooth finish. Definitely a nice wine for the price. You can take home a bottle of either one for $13.95.

That’s not all that’s new. Tom Szoradi took over as chef two months ago and starts serving his menu- more adventurous and creative than the previous version- this week. I got a sneak peak and some items immeditaley caught my eye: a twist on lox and eggs made with house cured salmon on pumpernickel with pickled onions, arugula, boursin, and shaved hard boiled eggs; an open-faced Spanish omelette made with cilantro lime chicken and queso fresca; lamb sliders; a Korean BBQ pulled pork sandwich; and a burger topped with onion bacon spread and fontina cheese.

Remember that the Café’s open even on days the Market is not, from 7 AM till 3 or 4 most week days, and till 6 PM Fridays and Saturdays. And I hear that if the weather cooperates they’ll be offering sidewalk seating beginning this Friday.