[Images of America: Ohio 01] • Brewing in Cleveland

Beginning in the mid-1800s, the beer-brewing industry in Cleveland experienced its most extensive growth due to the rapidly increasing immigrant population of mostly Germans, Czechs, and Irish. The breweries enjoyed great success until the Prohibition era closed all brewing operations down for 14 dry years. In 1933, the industry started anew, and Clevelanders were able to enjoy locally made beer for 50 more years before business conditions led to the industry’s second demise. Today the industry has once again experienced a rebirth, this time on a smaller scale with the emergence of a number of popular brewpubs and microbreweries.