Blue Heron Brewery’s new mother of all Bloody Marys pulls back the curtain on the fall season
By Ken McEntee
The mother of all Bloody Marys has signaled the opening of the Blue Heron Brewery’s new fall season of brunches, day parties and other exhilarating patio events.
“We wanted to create the biggest and boldest Bloody Mary in town,” said General Manager Khadar Soussou, explaining the origin of the Hail Mary Bloody Mary brunch feast in a mug that features a skewered filet mignon medallion slider.
Topped with a portobello mushroom and supported by a breakfast sausage, the slider is surrounded by a Caprese skewer of prosciutto wrapped asparagus, peppers, olives, pickles and a boneless chicken wing, flanked by shrimp.
“That’s all on top of a traditional Bloody Mary,” emphasizes Executive Chef Ben Erjavec. “We wanted to see how big and crazy we could get with it.”
The Hail Mary Bloody Mary costs $22, with $6 refills on the drink.
The concoction is available during Blue Heron’s Sunday brunch, which is offered from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The popular brunch, which restarted last month, drew a line of hungry and thirsty guests that went out the door, Khadar said. The à la carte brunch has a revised menu that offers some of Ben’s latest creations, like the Heron Sandwich of Texas toast with avocado, aged cheddar cheese, scrambled eggs and bacon. You might also try the fried chicken bagel or breakfast tacos, stuffed with breakfast sausage and chipotle aioli scrambled eggs.
“All of our breakfast items are served with our crunchy au gratin potatoes,” Ben says.
Ben, Khadar and Blue Heron Brewmaster Mike Piazza agreed that the corned beef breakfast burrito, with corned beef, Swiss cheese, scrambled eggs and Thousand Island dressing, is among their favorite items.
“We like a side of buffalo sauce to spice it up a little,” suggests Ben, who says he’s gradually transitioning the Blue Heron menu to heartier autumn fare. “We’ll be moving from summer salads and light pastas to more squashes and heavier items.”
Likewise, the Blue Heron’s 16 taps feature some of Mike’s fall flavors that are brewed on-site.
“We’re gearing up for the change in the weather,” Mike says. “For example, we’ve got a multigrain harvest ale—stronger English amber ale that reflects my interpretation of where fall beers are headed—a little more full-body and a little more character than the paler American beers that we love to drink during the summer.”
Mike’s Prenuptial German Dunkel is a dark lager with notes of toasted bread, chocolate and malty richness.
Your Blue Heron server will be happy to help you pair Mike’s autumn brews with Ben’s fall fare.
“We’ve got an excellent selection of savory items that pair perfectly with our beers,” Ben says. “People love our burgers, which go wonderfully with amber and darker colored beers.”
You can enjoy your selections during Blue Heron’s patio parties, featuring live bands on Friday and Saturday evenings, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.—and the Saturday afternoon day parties, from noon to 4:00 p.m. Khadar notes that Blue Heron’s popular igloo domes will soon be available on the patio.
On Wednesdays, the Blue Heron is offering all-you-can-eat crab legs, served with a choice of house salad or chowder, homemade cheddar hush puppies and sides, for $49. Reservations, Khadar advises, are “highly encouraged.”
Tuesday nights are charity nights—5 percent of all carryout and dine-in meals will be donated to charity. September donations are going to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
You can make reservations, place a family pick-up order and learn more about Blue Heron Brewery, at BlueHeronMedina.com or by calling 330-870-BLUE. Blue Heron is located at 3227 Blue Heron Trace, in Medina.