1765 West 3rd Ave.
Columbus, OH 43212
614.817.1515
website
One of the many craft breweries that calls Columbus, Ohio home, Knotty Pine Brewing is kind of a community brewing shop in the Grandview Heights area just northwest of downtown Columbus. Cozy inside, and with a short-but-sweet list of local beers to be enjoyed, this shop has a few things you’ll definitely want to remember. The beers here may not be among the better known names around the state, but make no mistake, that doesn’t mean anything less about them.
The beers are the best thing to try. Some of the ones I like:
- Mirror Lake IPA: Built with four kinds of hops, this mid-range IPA goes a bit lighter on the bitter but that’s not to say it doesn’t lack hops. Crushable, and definitely citrusy.
- Buckeye Blonde: Another of the lighter options on the menu, with a lighter body and without a lot of smooth, rich flavor.
- Black Bones IPA: True to the black IPA, this one has a caramel bitterness forward and a bit of the hops at the end. A nice balance between the two.
- Toasty Roasty Stout: This strong brew has a strong flavor of roasted coffee, which hits the palette and lingers for a pleasant, warm and heavy feel. Probably best in the cold months to match some of those heavy dishes and the like. Definitely best if you like smokier and thicker beer.
- Amber Ale: A delightfully balanced brew; relatively speaking the body is light but the flavor is deep, with this sweet maltiness to it. You pick up on the caramel notes later on in the drink.
- Hallowed Spice: As a saison, it’s got a very light ginger, cinnamon and clove-based flavor to it. A friendly sip.
- Pine Lite: One of the very crushable easy beers. Piney, just a tad.
And for food:
- Po Boy: Crispy shrimp with a warm heat. Crunchy and perfect with a pint.
- Salmon: On the lighter end, can be made simple and easy. I like it with veggies because the whole thing goes well with one of the lighter brews.
- Brisket pizza: Topped with jalapenos and red onion. This one is spicy!
The bar is kind of a quiet community gathering place, located kind of off the beaten path in an area mostly surrounded by houses, and without any of the loudness and noise of the main stretches of bars nearby. Knotty Pine tends to be more of a low key bar though there is often live music and sometimes other kinds of activities.
The craft beer shops around town fulfill a specific kinda thirst in Columbus, which is to say, a desire to support the local businesses and farmers while enjoying good beers. Grandview is a friendly neighborhood, and it shows. I like this place for that more reserved sensibility. Price points are good, staff is pretty nice and overall I don’t mind this bar at all.
Recommendations
- Beers are far cheaper during happy hour and I recommend trying then if you want to save a bit of money.
- The beer menu changes pretty seasonally, but overall the IPAs are the most popular.
- There is some food, too.
Another Food Critic 