Nine Giant Brewing
6095 Montgomery Rd, Pleasant Ridge
6111 Ridge Rd, Pleasant Ridge (Fermentorium)
Nine Giant Brewing is the quintessential modern-day brewpub, offering upscale scratch pub food and a robust tap list to boot. The brewery opened in 2016 in Pleasant Ridge, and is a cult favorite within the city.
In 2024, Nine Gaint expanded their taproom into an adjacent space in the same development in Pleasant Ridge, adding around 800 square feet of space and 50 more seats. The expansion brings their total capacity to 150 and also gave them a bigger kitchen.
Fermentorium
In 2021 the brewery expanded, as they opened the Fermentorium around the corner from their current space. It serves as a taproom that features their barrel-aged offerings, as a “dedicated drinkery” that appeals more to the person who is looking for a drinking experience that isn’t necessarily a brewpub. In addition to beer, they also feature a selection of wine and tiki-inspired cocktails.
Must-try beer: Crooked Rain (New England IPA) – I like Nine Giant’s food more than their beer, but the Crooked Rain is decent and juicy. Perhaps the trifecta hops blend of citra, mosaic and el dorado are hard to mess up.
Other great beers: Save Ferris, West End Girls
Major Awards
US Open Beer Championship
- Brilliant Corners (Barrel-Aged Belgian Quad) – Gold Medal – 2024
- Trendy (Brett Beer) – Silver Medal – 2024
- Happiness is All the Rage (Berliner Weiss) – Gold Medal – 2024
- Heavy Metal Drummer Rum (Rum Barrel Aged Beer) – Gold Medal – 2023
- Easy Tiger (German Kolsch) – Bronze Medal – 2023
- Happiness is All the Rage (Berliner Weisse) – Bronze Medal – 2023
- Brilliant Corners (Barrel Aged Quad/Belgian Dark) – Bronze Medal – 2023
- Coolverine (Baltic Porter) – Gold Medal – 2022
- Minor Swing (American-Belgo-Style Ale) – Silver Medal – 2022
- Pass the Mic: Mosaic (Australian-Style Pale Ale) – Silver Medal – 2022
- Minor Swing (American-Belgo-Style Ale) – Gold Medal – 2020
- Coolverine (Baltic Porter) – Bronze Medal – 2020
Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers
- Trendy Brett Saison (Wild Beer Brett) – Gold Medal – 2022