I want to tell you about Bookhouse Brewing. It ran for seven years in a historic building on West 25th Street in Ohio City. No neon, no blaring music, just a reading-room vibe with lower-ABV beers and housemade ciders. The kind of place where you could sit with a book and a pint and not feel like you were in the way. We were regulars, and when the taproom closed January 1, 2026, we were sorry to see it go.
The Building: 1866, Magdalena Baehr, and a Return to Purpose
The space was part of the draw. It's at 1526 W. 25th St. The building was constructed in 1866 as the Jacob Baehr Brewery. Jacob and Magdalena Baehr, German immigrants, ran it with a strict moral code: churchgoing employees only, temperate drinkers only. Seven years in, Jacob died, leaving Magdalena with eight kids and a brewery. She ran both. She grew the business for twenty-eight years before selling to Cleveland & Sandusky Brewing in 1901. "Cleveland's widow brewer," as she became known. Her son Herman later became mayor.
The building changed hands over the decades. The Cleveland & Sandusky Brewing Company continued operations until 1907. Reister & Thesmacher Co., a metalworks, moved in. By the mid-twentieth century, the structure cycled through periods of use and disuse. It was on the verge of demolition before renovations began in 2014. When Bookhouse opened in 2018, they brought the space back to its original purpose, brewing and serving beer, while preserving surviving features: original brick, wallpaper, and tin.
The historic building on West 25th Street, back to brewing after more than a century.
The main entrance, the threshold between Ohio City's bustle and the calm inside.
The taproom interior, original brick, wallpaper, and tin preserved from the 1866 Baehr Brewery. Photo: Cleveland Scene.
Walking in felt like stepping into a museum that happened to pour pints. Write Up Review nailed it: "walking into a museum instead of a bar," especially on a quiet Thursday in winter. You know that feeling?
Drinking in a room that's held beer for over 150 years. It hits different. Magdalena's story deserves to be in the textbooks: widow with eight kids, running a brewery in the 1870s and 1880s, growing it when most would've sold. Her son became mayor, and the building survived long enough for Stewart and Brevoort to bring it full circle. Ohio City's full of new construction, and Bookhouse was a reminder that the neighborhood's brewing roots run deep.
The Founders: Vaughn, Luke, and the "Calm Within the Storm"
Luke Brevoort and Vaughn Stewart opened in September 2018. They'd met at Ohio University's college radio station. Both music nerds, bluegrass especially. They took different paths after graduation. Stewart went into brewing. He worked at Northern Brewer, Arcadia Ales in Kalamazoo, and spent his final eighteen months at Portside Distillery in Cleveland. Brevoort managed a bookstore. The combo made sense for what they wanted: something different from what Ohio City already had.
"There are already several breweries in the Ohio City area," Stewart told the Akron Beacon Journal before opening. "As such, our focus will be on less-common types of beer. We want to make beers that show our passion for the eclectic, the unusual and the historical. At the same time, we also want to have something for everyone, from the casual beer fan to the hardcore beer geek. We're all about curiosity and fun."
Cleveland Scene's 2018 First Look piece captured it: "Differentiating itself from both the rough and ready garage-style brewhouse and the cavernous factory-size production facility, Bookhouse is delightfully cozy, with fine carpentry softening exposed brick walls, tile floors and tin ceilings." Brevoort put it plainly: "We really want to differentiate ourselves in terms of the vibe of the place, to sort of be the calm within the storm. Places can get a little crazy on weekend nights and we want to be a place that's a little lower key."
That philosophy shaped everything: the beer list, the lack of televisions, the books on every surface. The logo, designed by Minneapolis-based graphic designer Garth Blomberg, carried the theme: a pint glass emerging from the pages of an unfolding book.
The Bookhouse logo, a pint glass emerging from an unfolding book.
The Beacon Journal broke down the name: "book" for thoughtful, "house" for hospitality. They pulled it off. The place always felt natural.
The Beer: Lower ABV, Eclectic Styles, and the Whoopsie Line
Stewart brewed on a seven-barrel Bridgetown system from Portland. It's the same manufacturer that supplied equipment to other respected small breweries. The tap list favored lower-alcohol beers, the kind that encourage conversation and a second round without wiping you out. They had fourteen taps at opening, with room for guest beers and collaborations. The system was small by design. It was built to serve the taproom, keep the beer fresh and the rotation interesting. "Those are the beers that Vaughn and I tend to drink," Brevoort told the Beacon Journal. They cited English IPA and Belgian-style patersbier as examples. The opening lineup included West Coast-style IPAs, wet-hopped blonde ales, Belgian pale ales, goses, saisons, and porters. Over the years, the roster evolved.
The Whoopsie line became the signature. Li'l Whoopsie, a sessionable 5% IPA, had a devoted following. On the brewery's final night, Raymond Lancione checked in on Untappd: "I love this Li'l 5% Whoopsie so much." He'd just had the Irish Goodbye (CO2 draft) and wrote: "This is my last beer check-in at Bookhouse Brewing. I cannot think of a more fitting last beer. Thank you to Vaughn and all of the staff at Bookhouse for being so amazing. Goodbye, Bookhouse." That kind of attachment doesn't happen by accident. Irish Red got praise too. "Amazing," recommended for first-timers. Double Whoops Juicy IPA and passionfruit IPA had their fans. Write Up Review said they'd "go back for the passionfruit IPA."
Guest beers and collabs kept the list moving. Anniversary releases, like the 7th Anniversary Baltic Imperial Stout, marked milestones, and Irish Goodbye became a fitting send-off on the final night. Stewart had a knack for styles that don't dominate tap lists, like English IPA, patersbier, goses, and saisons. The kind of stuff that rewards curiosity. Flights ran around $11, and Yelp had them at 4.5 stars with 70+ reviews. Approachable and interesting.
Start with Li'l Whoopsie or Irish Red and see where the evening goes. Lower ABV meant you could have three or four without regretting it, which was exactly the point. Brevoort wanted beers that encouraged "customers to pass the time with friendly conversation or great reading material," and the tap list rewarded staying.
The Cider: Wild, Dry, and Locally Sourced
Beyond beer, they had a cider program that actually stood out. They used locally sourced apple juice with minimal intervention: wild fermentation, dry, acidic. The ciders rotated with the seasons and matched the lower-ABV philosophy. Not in the mood for a pint? You could still have something thoughtful in your glass.
Bookhouse took cider seriously. Sour beer fans and wine drinkers both found something on the list. We brought friends who didn't consider themselves beer people, and they'd always find something on the cider list that surprised them. That kind of hospitality felt rare.
The Space: Books, No TVs, and a Reading-Room Vibe
Books lined the walls. They sat on tables, filled shelves, appeared in display cases. Bookhouse ran monthly book swaps. The name, partially inspired by Twin Peaks according to Stewart's wife Gwen, reflected the mission: "book" for thoughtful, "house" for hospitality. There were no televisions. The idea was to create a place where you could have a comfortable conversation with a book in hand if you wanted. "We're trying to make it a place where someone can have a comfortable conversation with book in hand if they want," Brevoort said.
Stools and chairs had brass plaques with Kickstarter donor names. People had skin in the game. Opening night felt like a collective project. Regulars knew the story. Newcomers could feel the space was built with intention. There were about 100 seats inside and 24 on a semi-private fenced patio. Fine carpentry softened the brick and tin. It felt like a common room, a refuge. It had a cozy atmosphere, unique room designs, and each area had its own character. The place was LGBTQ+ friendly and family-friendly. Staff treated guests like family. The vibe was inclusive.
The Food: Hand Pies, Pop-Ups, and the Occasional Pizza Whirl Run
They didn't have a full kitchen. They offered hand pies and sausage rolls from Larder, popcorn from Campbell's, and pastries. Food trucks and pop-ups filled the gaps. When nothing was scheduled, you could order in. Write Up Review got "a double order of the heavenly garlic knots from Pizza Whirl delivered from down the street." Food was supplementary. Beer and atmosphere were the main event. Some reviewers found the later pub menu inconsistent or overpriced. We always went for the pints and the peace; the snacks did the job when we wanted something to go with them.
Ohio City: North of the Market, South of Detroit
Ohio City's one of Cleveland's most brewery-dense neighborhoods. Great Lakes, Market Garden, Nano Brew are all there. West 25th gets busy on weekends. Bookhouse sat north of the Market, south of Detroit Road, farther up than the busiest stretch. That location helped the quieter feel. You had to want to be there. It was a short drive from Lakewood, Kamms, and the near-west. Walkable if you live in Ohio City. We liked that it felt slightly apart. You could do the Market, hit a few spots, then retreat to Bookhouse when you wanted to dial it back.
They hosted fundraisers, book swaps, and trivia nights. The kind of low-key evenings that don't make the highlight reel. Seeds of Literacy held a fundraiser: $1 from every full pour went to the cause. Write Up Review: "a wonderful evening for a good cause" and "a new and interesting place to grab a beer and read a book." Trivia Wednesdays drew a regular crowd. They hosted engagement photos, private events, and community gatherings. The place existed to host people.
The Details: Nitro Cold Brew, Ginger Beer, and Housemade Soda
They offered nitro cold brew, housemade ginger beer, and housemade soda. Music was a focus. Both founders were bluegrass and college radio people. There were no TVs. Conversation and reading took precedence. Later they added wine and cocktails. They had something for everyone: the designated driver, the non-beer drinker, the person who wanted a lower-octane option. Cask pours and nitro taps added variety. They had Wi-Fi, accepted Apple Pay, and offered crowlers and kegs to go. They hosted private events and meetings. The flexibility made it useful for more than a casual pint.
What Patrons Said
Yelp had them at 4.5 stars with 70+ reviews, Untappd showed thousands of check-ins, and the same things kept coming up: atmosphere, friendly staff, beer quality. Irish Red got recommended for first-timers. "Cozy, inviting ambiance," "unique room designs." Reviewers mentioned board games, books, and outdoor seating with hop plants for shade. Staff treated guests like family. The place was LGBTQ+ friendly and family-friendly. Criticism tended to focus on the food: limited menu, occasional inconsistency, undercooked tater tots. We never minded. We came for the beer and the calm.
The final night's Untappd check-ins tell the story. Raymond Lancione had the Irish Goodbye and the Li'l Whoopsie and the 7th Anniversary Baltic Imperial Stout. That's the kind of loyalty a place earns over years. We saw it in the regulars, the repeat visitors, the people who made it part of their routine.
Practical Stuff (Retrospective)
They were closed Mondays. Tue–Thu they opened at 4 and closed at 9 or 10 depending on the day, Fri from 3, Sat from noon, Sun from 2. Wednesday had extended hours and trivia. The patio had 24 seats in a semi-private fenced area and got popular when the weather cooperated. Parking at W. 25th and Church Ave. About 100 seats inside, and it rarely felt packed. That felt intentional.
First beer? I'd go with the Irish Red or Li'l Whoopsie. Passionfruit IPA if it was on. Cider if you wanted something different. Flights when you're exploring. The staff knew the list and could steer you. There were no TVs. Bring a book, bring a friend, or both. Weekday evenings had the best reading-room vibe. Weekends were busier but never chaotic.
Bottom Line
Bookhouse was the place we'd recommend to someone tired of loud taprooms, someone who wanted to read or talk without shouting, who cared about history and what was in the glass. It had a point of view: lower ABV, thoughtful hospitality, no TVs, books everywhere. Magdalena Baehr's story added depth, and the founders' commitment to being "the calm within the storm" felt genuine. They really pulled it off.
Ohio City had Great Lakes, Market Garden, a growing roster, and Bookhouse did something different: quiet over volume, conversation over screens, beer styles that rewarded attention. They filled that niche. For seven years they gave Ohio City something distinct: a place to slow down, a place where you could have a comfortable conversation with a book in hand. The taproom is closed now, but the story of what Stewart and Brevoort built, and what Magdalena Baehr built before them, deserves to be told.
Sources
Bookhouse Brewing. Bookhouse.beer. https://www.bookhouse.beer/ (Accessed March 2025).
Trattner, Douglas. "First Look: Bookhouse Brewing, Opening this Weekend in Ohio City." Cleveland Scene. January 2018. https://www.clevescene.com/food-drink/first-look-bookhouse-brewing-opening-this-weekend-in-ohio-city-23334056 (Accessed March 2025).
"Bookhouse Brewing opening in Ohio City neighborhood." Akron Beacon Journal. January 29, 2018. https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/entertainment/dining/2018/01/29/bookhouse-brewing-opening-in-ohio/10592075007/ (Accessed March 2025).
"Places I've Been: Bookhouse Brewing." Write Up Review. January 22, 2019. https://writeupreview.com/2019/01/22/places-ive-been-bookhouse-brewing/ (Accessed March 2025).
Bookhouse Brewing. Untappd. https://untappd.com/v/bookhouse-brewing/8218487 (Accessed March 2025).