Akron is known as a blue-collar city, earning the nickname Rubber City for being the home to Goodyear, and is also of course the birthplace of LeBron James.
But Akron is also home to some of Ohio’s best and oldest breweries. I recently got to visit a couple on a recent trip there to do commentary for Honor Fighting Championship, but I make regular trips up there and will likely add to this post as I visit more places in the future. My fiancee Angie joined me for visits to these breweries as well.
Hoppin’ Frog Brewing Company
Hoppin’ Frog is known as one of the best breweries in Ohio, and for good reason. Although it’s located in an industrial park, the inside of the tasting room is cozy yet small. We visited on a Saturday afternoon and nearly every table was taken up and the bar was full. I guess word has gotten out that they’ve been rated in the top 100 breweries in the world by RateBeer.com for 11 years running.
The beer is nothing short of spectacular. Their flagship beer is the popular B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher Imperial Oatmeal Stout, a nice thick stout that’s got a little bit of sweetness thrown in. The beer has a ton of variations and spinoffs, and it’s obvious why: it’s delicious. We tried this beer in a flight alongside the Grapefruit Turbo Shandy Citrus Ale, Gangster Frog IPA, and Infusion A: Peanut Butter Chocolate Coffee Porter.
The IPA has a malty sweetness and is solid, but the shandy and Infusion A were both standouts. Despite being on completely different ends of the spectrum, both were flavorful and I could drink them again and again. The shandy is a perfect light summer beer, while the Infusion A is a decadent desert treat.
We also had lunch here. The menu is small but varied, including some appetizers and sandwiches. They even have a veggie burger for non-meat eaters. Hoppin’ Frog is definitely a must-visit for anyone in Akron.
HiHo Brewing Co.
Our second stop in the Akron area was HiHo Brewing in Cuyahoga Falls. It was right next door to our hotel so we of course had to check it out. They opened in 2017 and are one of the newer breweries in the area, but they’re in an awesome spot in family-friendly Cuyahoga Falls.
The atmosphere in their rehabbed building is awesome, with modern finishes and touches that perfectly accent the old building. It’s got a warehouse feel, with a big long bar in the front that is the centerpiece of the operation.
The beer was definitely solid, and the Touchdown Brown Ale was a standout of our flight. We also had the light Kayaker’s Kolsch, Bossy Lady IPA, and Opening Day: Saison. All four were true to style and we ended up deciding that the Brown Ale was too good to not get a pint.
They’ve also got a t-shirt shop right next door that we checked out and is a great option for a unique Akron or Ohio themed souvenir.
Check out more Brewery Adventures here.
Check out the full list of breweries I’ve visited here.