Platform Brewhouse to Open July 4th

Driving home from dinner at Momocho last night we noticed the windows and doors were open at the Platform Brewhouse. Owner Paul Benner graciously invited us in to have a look around at his barely nascent microbrewery opening on the 4th of July.

Platform Brewhouse

Platform Brewhouse

Benner started The Cleveland Brew Shop -- a homebrew supply in Tremont -- a couple of years ago. The plan is to also move the shop into this 5,000 square-foot location at 41st and Lorain. As the latest addition to Cleveland's Brewery District, Platform Brewhouse. joins Market Garden Brewery, Nano Brew, Hansa Brewery (still in the works) and the grand-daddy of them all Great Lakes Brewing Co. 

Platform Brewhouse - Paul Benner, Owner

Platform Brewhouse - Paul Benner, Owner

Platform Brewhouse is an open, cavernous space and will have communal tables in addition to seating at a long bar that runs the center length of the room. There is also a patio off the main room on the side of the building with garage doors that open onto a beer garden. The open sliding windows give the entire place a feeling of the outdoors. Stainless steel brew kettles line the walls. The highly polished wooden bartop -- compliments of the buildings origins -- is from the Czech social hall's bowling alley that dates back to 1915.

Platform Brewhouse - Bar

Platform Brewhouse - Beer Kettles

Platform Brewhouse - Taps

Since there is no kitchen, Benner will serve food each day from a variety of area restaurants. He went on to mention that every Friday he will feature the banh mi from Jack Flaps. Their banh mi was just named 2014 Best Breakfast Sandwich in America by Restaurant Hospitality magazine. In addition, he plans to have food trucks parked outside on weekends.

There may be a few more details left to do, minor things like hooking up the taps, unpacking the glassware and unlocking the front door. Platform Brewhouse is a welcome addition to a part of Ohio City that is just beginning to develop.