USA, OH: Richfield Brewing Co. scheduled to hold groundbreaking ceremony on June 13

Groundbreaking for the Richfield Brewing Co. is scheduled for Tuesday June 13, Cleveland.com reported on June 12.

Andrew Ritterbeck, a veteran brewer at several Ohio breweries, will be in the brewhouse and part of the ownership team, led by Mike Lytz. The 5,000-square-foot brewery is being constructed at 3871 Broadview Road, just south of Ohio 303 in Summit County. Target opening date is spring 2024.

“Right now there’s just a hole in the ground,” Ritterbeck said. “I’ve been involved in enough startups, it’s a moving target.”

Ironically, wine led to the beer venture. Ritterbeck’s parents know Lytz because they used to work at Sarah’s Vineyard, which Lytz owns. It’s near Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls.

“We’ve always wanted to have beer at Sarah’s Vineyard,” he said. Lytz is a former teacher, and his late wife, Margaret, was a nurse.

“We’re in the national park. We always wanted to have a winery and found an opportunity to lease land (in 2001) from the park. Whatever is sold has to be related to farming. We thought about a little brewery for a long time. Andrew came along and had some experience as a brewmaster.”

The idea for a brewery took root, and their search included the former West Hill Hardware in downtown Akron. That didn’t work out, but they did procure some beer-garden tables from the famed old store.

“It’s a big deal for us and a big deal for the village, too,” Lytz said. “The village has been kind of sleepy. The tavern is there – Olesia’s remodeled – but there hasn’t been much new there in years. The village finally got Cleveland water to extend to the village last fall.”

Wood was salvaged from a nearby barn as well as cypress from a speakeasy in Florida, Ritterbeck said.

“He’s real good at finding stuff,” Ritterbeck said of Lytz, who years ago had an old farmhouse moved from the Lodi area to Sarah’s.

In fact, recently, Lytz was traveling to the burg of Oregon, Illinois, west of Chicago, to pick up some antique iron railing.

“We’re doing a lot of repurposing,” he said.

The brewery will include a service bar and high-top tables, Ritterbeck said, adding they aim to offer top-shelf liquor.

They bought a used 15-barrel brewing system that Ritterbeck modified.

“I’m hoping that it works,” he laughed.

The plan is to do mostly seven-barrel batches, and they have one 15-barrel fermenter. He aims to brew “everything and anything.”

“The hope is to brew more often and keep it fresh,” Ritterbeck said.

As many as 16 taps will be installed, and the brewery plans a full-service restaurant.

The project remains an exciting proposition for Ritterbeck, whose brewing journey started at Rivertown Brewery in Cincinnati, Great Lakes Brewing Co. in Cleveland, back to Cincinnati for Ei8ht Ball Brewing Co. in Bellevue, Kentucky; then back up to Cleveland. He then worked at Hofbrauhaus, had a brief stint at The Brew Kettle, and is now at Avon Brewing Co. / Medina Brewing Co. (Rivertown and Ei8ht Ball have since closed.)

“I’m stoked,” he said. “Ever since my first day at Rivertown, I said, ‘I would love to one day open a brewpub, but it’s expensive. I’ll never find the money.’ I wouldn’t say it’s a dream come true – that would be I don’t have to work.

“I get to do my own thing, as much as I could, to steer the ship. It’s nice to be at the helm to make decisions on your own.”

Ritterbeck and Lytz already are having fun mulling beer names. Revere High School is nearby, prompting a possible Revolutionary War reference or two. They might brew John Brown Ale as a hat tip to the abolitionist who had a farm in the area. Also, the brewery will share a parking lot with the Richfield Library.

Lytz said staffers have told them, “I want you to name a beer after us.” So in another year or so, customers might be sipping The Dewey Decimator.

The location is near a handful of fairly recently opened breweries, including Broadview Brewing Co. in Broadview Heights and Hoppy Dude Brews in Hinckley.

“It’s a community,” Ritterbeck said. “It will be nice to have those guys close and bounce ideas off of.”

12 June, 2023