As more and more breweries and beer gardens have opened across the country in the last decade, it’s become increasingly difficult for beer lovers to enjoy an adult beverage in the company of an adult. That’s why one brewery in Cleveland, OH recently made a “kid-unfriendly” decision by banning all minors under the age of 16.
Forest City Brewery, located on the site of the nation’s oldest beer garden, implemented the new rule because unsupervised children were wreaking havoc on the historic property. Owner Jay Demagall chalked up his frustration to “kids being kids.” But Demagall said Cleveland’s 19 News“The situation got worse when it became a safety issue and parents were not monitoring their children.”
“I came in here to use the restroom and there were five kids in there, throwing things around and breaking them,” she explained. “We have to do something.” In addition to some customers complaining about the kids and their behavior, Demagall said staff have also expressed concerns.
And while the policy may alienate some families, it appears Forest City will be a welcome relief for those who don’t want to deal with unruly children. “Good. A trip to Cleveland is now on the bucket list,” one user commented on a Facebook post. “Why would anyone bring their kids here?” another asked. “There are some places you just don’t take them and this is one of them! And young people don’t belong here.”
But Demagall did not rule out allowing children to return in the future, as long as it was a way to do it responsibly. “We’re still looking at some ways to include children here, but where we can do it safely, where there can be someone monitoring an area or a situation,” he added.
Forest City has been open for nine years on the same lot as what is believed to be America's oldest beer garden. Originally opened in 1865 by a French family, the Atlantic Beer Garden remained open until about 1915, when part of the garden was occupied by a warehouse.
“The beer garden is the only original beer garden left in Northeast Ohio. It is also the oldest beer garden in Ohio and probably in the United States,” Demagall said Cleveland.com He returned in 2019. He added that there are even trees still standing on the site from the days of the original Atlantic Beer Garden.