A Century-Old Building Finds New Life as Mosaic Brewing: First Look

From the moment Mosaic Brewing Co. opened its doors last Friday afternoon, the taps didn’t stop flowing all weekend long. The outpouring of support from the community was sweet reward after two long years of planning, construction and fine-tuning.

Mosaic at 2070 West 7th St. is nestled into a 100-year-old building that began life as the Cleveland Marble Mosaic Co. It is perched high above the industrial flats and commands views of the Towpath Trail, Cuyahoga River, and the whole of the Cleveland skyline. The views are even better from the rooftop patio.

Mosaic is the first brewery to set up shop in Tremont proper in recent history. The plan all along, says partner-GM Bart Gabbard, was to make great beer, serve the community, and create a welcoming destination for neighbors and friends.

“When we say ‘neighborhood beer,’ we mean it,” Gabbard states. “We’re a neighborhood brewery not focused on distribution. Making beer that we’re proud of and making people happy.”

Between Gabbard and brewer-partner Caleb Brown, the pair have worked at pretty much every brewery in town over the years, including Great Lakes, Market Garden, Platform, Thirsty Dog, Bookhouse and more.

“We worked together at Phunkenship back in the day,” adds Gabbard. “When that sadly closed, we always knew we wanted to do something together. From tragic closure to partners in opening a brewery, it’s a good story.”

Brown works in a very exposed 7-barrel brewhouse just a few yards away from the bar.

“We’re trying to be the neighborhood spot, so I want to get to know some of these people,” he says of his accessible brewhouse. “We want them to feel like they’re part of this. That’s one of the reasons why it is like this.”

Brown is a skilled brewer with exceptional range, but for Mosaic he will be concentrating his efforts on the styles of the UK.

“We are going to lean heavy into English ales and lagers,” he explains. “Milds, bitters, pub ales – the beers that, in my mind, are the pilsners of England.”

Those “session-able, drinkable, non-high ABV” will be joined by a few IPAs and, especially to start, more than a few local and regional guest brews. House brews currently on tap are a helles lager, ESB, stout, black lager, light lager, West Coast IPA and hazy IPA. Flights containing four, five-ounce pours are available.

Joining the suds are wines by the glass, batched cocktails, ciders, seltzers and NA options.

From a full kitchen, chef Herb Singleton offers an approachable mix of snacks and shareable plates, fresh salads, pizzas, wraps and paninis.

“I think it’s important to offer fare that pairs well with our beer,” says Gabbard. “The idea was always to offer tavern-style pies, paninis, shareables and things of that nature. Bringing in [chef] Los with his Southern flair/comfort food paired with that original vision turned out to be a pretty cool menu.”

Gabbard and Brown’s partners in the business are Ed King and Toby Hagedorn.