Founded in 1997 by John Najeway, Thirsty Dog Brewing Company has become a staple of the local beer scene in eastern Ohio. What began as a brewpub in Canton, Ohio, quickly grew to multiple locations in nearby Montrose and Dayton cities before the brewery started bottling and distributing in 2003. Najeway, who worked for a law firm prior to launching Thirsty Dog, got into the business after a client invited him to a Kentucky beer camp. The experience inspired a new passion – and new career path – and he hasn’t looked back since!
Thirsty Dog Brewing Company’s name, by the way, was inspired by Najeway’s dogs and the loving relationship that many of us have with our four legged friends. Tying together best friend’s and America’s passion for beer seemed like a fitting relationship and thus became the philosophy behind the brewery.
In 2005, Thirsty Dog was in need of a new production facility, and Najeway found a special site for his business in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. He began rehabilitating a 120 year-old building that used to house the historic Burkhardt Brewery—a massive facility built more than a century ago that takes up about two city blocks near the University of Akron which has closed in 1964—and within a couple years, was able to open both a new tasting room and brewing facilities.
Thirsty Dog consistently impresses beer lovers everywhere, from casual sippers in our home state to beer experts at national competitions. Over the years, brews such as Old Leghumper Robust Porter, Labrador Lager, Hoppus Maximus, Bernese Barleywine and tons of others took home multiple awards from the New York International Beer Competition and The Great American Beer Festival.
Thirsty Dog opened its Cleveland’s Flats East Bank location in October 2017 in a 12,000-square-foot operation that includes a brewery, taproom, restaurant and patio in the former Crop On-Air Studio spot. The new brewpub in the Flats East Bank has a 10-barrel system that features exclusive beers you can’t find anywhere else in addition to the regular Thirsty Dog favorites on 42 tap handles.
Brewmaster Tim Rastetter and Brandon Benson, head of beer operations, are constantly reinventing the beer wheel for consumers and credit unusual smells and tastes for their inspirations
The 6,900-square-foot indoor dining room seats 200 guests including a 32-seat bar and a semi-private dining room for 30 people while the 2,500-square-foot patio seats 25 at the bar and has a view of the Cuyahoga River.
Bring your pup and grab a seat at our patio bar with views over-looking the Cuyahoga river. Enjoy special events throughout the season including Pups & Pints with adoptable dogs, live entertainment and new brew tapping parties.
Here at the Thirsty Dog Brewing Company, full flavor, delicate balance, texture and aroma combine to make beer an infinitely complex and thoroughly enjoyable experience. Each of our beers is meticulously hand-crafted in small batches using the finest ingredients. High quality malted barley is the source of the beer’s sweetness and body. Select American and European hops are used to balance the malt sweetness, and at times to add special flavors and aromas to the beer. Our carefully selected ingredients, along with our specially designed recipes and brewing processes, give Thirsty Dog beers unique flavor profiles that are hard to find in today’s mass-market “one size fits all” society.