May Specialty Beers!

With the mercury beginning to rise, Elevator Brewing Company is thrilled to unveil a pair of specialty brews designed specifically for spring sipping.

For the Masters of Beer Appreciation (MBA), Masterbrewer Vic Schiltz is introducing the second varietal of his Poor Richard's Ale.

"We wanted to try something different this year, so we used Belgian yeast," he explained. "The result is more like an American tripel." This surprising ale balances a refreshing sweetness with a potent 8% ABV kick.

For the Professor of Hearty Drinking (PHD) program, Assistant Brewer Mark Beery opted to raise his pint glass to Cinco De Mayo with a Mexican Lager.

"It's like Corona without the lime," he said. "It's a good, light summertime beer."

Both beers are available exclusively on tap at Elevator Restaurant beginning May 1.

Polish Off April Properly

There's still time to try April's specialty beers, Milk Stout and Barrel-Aged Barleywine.

Milk Stout is the creation of Mr. Sean Davies, Elevator's brewing assistant, bottling line operator, delivery driver and all-around utilityman extraordinaire. Its flavor is weighted more toward chocolate than milk, and at 7.5% ABV, it packs a punch.

"It's smoother than our doppelbock because of the lactose used in the recipe," Davies explained. Milk Stout is the official April beer in the Professor of Hearty Drinking (PHD) program.

Barrel-Aged Barleywine, yet another mighty Masters of Beer Appreciation (MBA) selection from Elevator Masterbrewer Vic Schiltz, is advertised at 12% ABV. The beer is more than a year old, and spent nine months aging in a whiskey barrel. When asked how strong it tastes, Schiltz didn't respond.

He merely smirked.

Both beers are available exclusively on tap at Elevator Restaurant, and only for a limited time.

Mogabi In Bottles!

Above: The Mogabi label features an image of Elevator Masterbrewer Vic Schiltz riding a motorcycle. "Mogabi" is his nickname.

Imagine a pint of wheat beer. Unfiltered and cloudy, right? Non-hopped, tart, perhaps garnished with fruit wedges to sweeten and soften the edge?

Not always.

Consider Elevator Brewing Company's Mogabi, a hoppy American wheat with bite, handcrafted from Masterbrewer Vic Schiltz’s own recipe.

The moniker? It’s actually Schiltz’s nickname.

Mogabi, brewed with Amarillo hops, was unveiled on Elevator taps in the fall. April 22 marked the official release of bottled Mogabi six-packs, a perfect companion on a warm spring evening.

Dick Stevens, Elevator owner and operator, accredits Mogabi’s bold flavor to “the spirit of experimentation” shared by Schiltz and Assistant Brewer Mark Beery, who have been working together for two years.

“With Mark, Vic has a counterpart,” Stevens said. “I try to give them the freedom to do things they wouldn’t have done before.”

With that freedom comes creativity – and innovation.

“This type of wheat beer is a purely American invention,” Stevens said. “We really live in Beer Nirvana. Can you think of another country that has this selection of beers?”

Fetch yourself a stash at these fine retailers:

Blacklick Wine & Spirits

Corners' (Gahanna)

Palmer's

Weiland's

Gentile's

Grapes of Mirth (North Market)

Pit Stop (Lancaster and Nelsonville)

Beverage Source (Newark)

Viking Premium Beverages

Weber Market

Whole Foods

Andersons

Clintonville Co-Op

Huffman's Market

Worthington Hills Market

Carnardo Wine & Cheese (U.A.)

Below: Mark Beery and Sean Davies bottle the first batch of Mogabi cases.