Bleeding Buckeye Red Ale - Beer of the Week

Bleeding Buckeye Red Ale. Photo: Jenene Chesbrough.

In central Ohio, folks are fervent for beer and football -- namely, the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Come college game days in Columbus, the city is a sea of scarlet and gray. Bars swell with face-painted fanatics drinking watery swill (Bud, Coors and the domestic gang). But if Dick Stevens had his druthers, every die-hard would celebrate touchdowns with Bleeding Buckeye Red Ale, which was recently released in bottles.

"There's certainly a market for Ohio State football fans who like to drink beer," kids Stevens, who founded Columbus' Elevator Brewing 10 years ago with his son, Ryan. Since the company's inception in an old grain elevator (hence the name), the microbrewery has crafted brews such as the medal-winning Dark Horse Lager and the chocolate-tinged Procrastinator Dopplebock. Still, it's the Bleeding Buckeye that's poised to be Elevator's breakout star.

Mimicking the college colors, the brew pours a rich scarlet with a dainty white head. The scent is sweet caramel, with a gentle bill of hops. Buckeye Red is a smooth-sipper, a perfect session brew (just 5.7 percent ABV) that finishes with a fizzy bitterness. Yes, the body's a bit too thin and a metallic tang sometimes sneaks in, but not even the finest pigskin squad is without its flaws.

Got a fave football beer? Toss some suggestions into the comments.