Uniontown Brewing, Ashland OH
27 March 2025
What a delightful find this was! It’s worth reading the About information on their website because they really did meet and exceed all their goals.
As you can see from the photo — and hopefully read on the website — Uniontown Brewing is in the old Gilbert Furniture building in downtown Ashland. There’s plenty of space inside, with tables in the front rooms and hightops and the bar at the back. The first photo is from the hightop where I was sitting, looking forward all the way to the street front of the building. I enjoyed an upholstered chair with back at my table.
Everything about this place was excellent and I enjoyed two flights of five plus a meal and dessert. Here’s the first flight, left to right:
Sampsal House – Kölsch, 5.5% – I love a good Kölsch and this was an excellent one, exceptionally fruity and refreshing.
Chautauqua Cherry Sour – Fruit Sour, 5.7% – There was no mistaking the cherry in this one although it was more sour than I was expecting. Still, on a hot day? It would be a wonderful beer to sip outdoors in the shade.
Ashland – American IPA, 5.6% – The bitterness came through for me more than anything else; it was a bit much even with my food. It seems they enjoy “a bit” of hops in their IPAs here!
Flxible Airway – Hazy IPA, 7% – This was the IPA for food! There was a good, fruity flavor to it with just about the right amount of bitterness on the back end (although still a bit heavy-handed, but nowhere nearly as bitter as the Ashland).
McDowell – Dunkel, 4.5% – This was full of coffee flavor with touches of chocolate and caramel. Compared to German Dunkels, it was less bready, but it was still a lovely beer.
The food menu is extensive and the Seasonal Specials menu was also large. I have to admit that I was sorely tempted by the Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs on the specials list, but opted instead for a Meatball Sub with a Side Salad from the regular menu. If these are indicative of the rest of their food, there’s no doubt in my mind that the kitchen matches the brewing operation in every way and perhaps even surpasses it! Unlike the burger from the day before, this sub was just as good and mouth-watering on the last bite as it was on the first. Those meatballs and sauce were clearly homemade from a special recipe, and the bun and cheese were perfectly toasted. (And yes, I’d already taken a bite of it before remembering to get a photo.)
Here is flight #2:
Jail Hill – Cream Ale, 5.5% – I’m not a big fan of this style but this one? Wow! So nice … tastes like a summer day. It’s probably the best cream ale I’ve ever had in spite of the slight (and surprising) bitterness at the end.
Local 1386 – Amber Ale, 5.5% – I’m sure there’s a story behind this name but I couldn’t find it anywhere and didn’t think to ask. My impression was that it tasted more like a mild Dunkel with a touch of coffee flavor, but it was very nice and an interesting take on the style.
Hemingway – Hefeweizen, 5.9% – If you enjoy a good Hefe, you’ll enjoy this one — it was just a very solid wheat beer and quite refreshing.
Center Run – Hazy IPA, 5.7% – For me, this was the best of their IPAs and one that I could drink regularly. I took a 4-pack of it with me when I left.
1850 – Stout, 8% – I think the most surprising thing of this one for me was that a lot of the head you see was still there by the time I worked my way through the rest of the flight! This was a great stout with good mouth feel and I was just sorry it wasn’t winter so I could truly enjoy a full pint of it.
To accompany that second flight, I ordered one of their two dessert options, Apple Strudel with Cinnamon Ice Cream. I would not be one bit surprised if both of these were made by the kitchen — the Strudel was amazing and the ice cream was rich and creamy with just the right, not-overpowering, amount of cinnamon flavor.
Uniontown is absolutely on my list of all-time favorite breweries to stop at on a trip, and it just may become a new tradition to come here on my way into Columbus each time I visit.