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The Century Bar

Beer & Bourbon -Matches Made At The Century Bar

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tl-horizontal_mainThe idea of a beer and a shot aren’t new, but as the craft beer movement is expanding the flavor profiles of beer available in the Miami Valley and with the expertise of the staff and the abundance of bourbons on the shelf at The Century Bar, it just seems inevitable that the bar has been raised on the concept.  So when Warped Wing Brewing Company and The Century announced a paring event for this Saturday, May 31st, I knew it would be something special.  So when Joe invited me to attend the pairing meeting, I was pretty excited.

Joe Head and Tim Fry from The Century and Head Brewmaster John Haggerty, Sales & Marketing Manager Nick Bowman and assistant brewmaster Jeff Fortney of IMG_2236Warped Wing (pictured left to right)showed up at the bar for the planning session full of ideas.  They all agreed on a working theory of starting with the beers- lightest to heaviest and then finding the most complimentary bourbon to pair with it.  I know everyone thinks that would be an easy job, but with the tasting, discussion about finish, mouth taste and complimentary vs. contrasting  flavors, I realized that this was real work.  Were flavors that blended better than opposite tastes?  Did a too strong bourbon wash out the spice in a beer?  “The power of the pairing can calm down an IPA and give it a creamy mouth feel,” observed Joe Head after one potential pairing.  At one point, there were over 30 glasses on the bar and it was pretty confusing trying to keep up what was in each glass.

I could only stick around for an hour and so I’m not sure what the final pairings will be, but the beers to be featured start with a brand new Warped Wing release – Catfight- a Belgian Saison, followed by Flyin’Rye, – a rye IPA, Gypsy Queen, a Chile Beer and 10 Ton – an Oatmeal Stout. The bourbons won’t be announced in advance, so you’ll have to  make a reservation for the Sat 4-6pm event to find out what they are.  It’s a true bargain at $25, and includes four 4oz beer and 1 oz bourbon duo’s served up with a good deal of background from some of the most knowledgable bartenders and beer aficionado’s this town has to offer.   There are only 50 tickets available and about 1/2 of those have been sold already. Call The Century at 223-3382 or stop by to reserve your seat.

And just from the flow of conversations and chemistry that was evident between these men that take their drinking seriously, you can be sure that this won’t be the only partnership between Warped Wing and The Century.

Update:  The event was a sell out!

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A Spot of Tea to Warm the Soul

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Hot ToddyThere is something absolutely thrilling to people about looking at fossils in a museum. Staring up at the skeletons of huge, ancient lizards allows your imagination to wander. What did they really look like? What sort of coloration did they have? You can stand there and look at the artists renderings of them, what the scientists tell you they should look like based on what they know about modern lizards and how they might have changed over the years. However, you can also look at them and imagine what you think they might have looked like. Add some spines, or smoother skin, or different colors, absolutely anything to suit your fancy. A simple structure to allow your imagination to play and an ancient history are also part of cocktail culture. January 11th is a day where we celebrate one of those cocktail dinosaurs; something that is more of a skeletal idea than a fully evolved, finished recipe. It is the hot toddy, and January 11th is National Hot Toddy Day.

The toddy palm is common in India, and that is where the first bones of the cocktail can be found. The locals would tap the trees to get the sap and they allow the sap to ferment in the warm sun, creating a palm wine. If you take the wine and distill it, you get brandy; if you take palm wine and distill it, it becomes arrack.  India is a very hot country, and the British were not used to that sort of heat. The colonists would drink anything to cool off and get away from the heat. Fortunately the natives already had something ready for the overheated British; a drink called “panch”, which is Indian for “five”, supposedly the number of ingredients contained in the beverage.  It had water, some spices, lemon, sugar, and the arrack. It watered everything down, was refreshing, and made the days a little more bearable. It was so good they brought this panch back to Britain with them, but used the name of the tree that it originally came from. The drink became known as a toddy. A cold toddy.

The toddy continued to evolve once it made it north. Britain is a chilly, damp place. Cool and refreshing drinks do not go over as well there, since the messagepart-2environment is chilly more often than not. They are trying to figure out ways to warm up, not cool down.  Water, spices, sugar…sounds like a good hot cup of tea to me. They were now roughly five thousand miles away from the arrack that was used in the original recipe. Being British, they kept calm and carried on, substituting the arrack for whiskey and gin. Some stories say that this mixture of sugar, water, and lemon was used to soften the overly peaty and strong Scotch whiskeys in the 18th century, making them more favorable to women. England loves their gin, and the juniper in the gin went well with some spices that are found in tea. Yes, tea had also become an element to add to this loose recipe, mixed more to the taste of the drinker and a general idea than any specific recipe. The bones of the recipe were still there, but the flavors and the details adapted themselves to the environment.

When the British travelled to America, the evolution continued. Scotch was not as easily available, but there was no shortage of liquors ready to take its place. Traditional liquors like gin and brandy were still very popular in the colonies, but newcomers like rum, bourbon, and rye whiskey were growing in popularity. There was also more access to sweeteners like honey and molasses, not just the sugar that was more traditional in Great Britain. In colonial times, sugar was not granular; it was brought in blocks and you had chip off and crush what you needed for the drink. The stick that was used (in some of the tales) was called a toddy stick, another possibility for where the name came from. Tea was still readily available to mix all of the ingredients in. The one major thing the colonies added was a standardization of the size. It went from something that could be made in a mug, a quart, a punch bowl, or any large container for multiple servings. By the end of the 19th century, famous bartender Jerry Thomas had compressed the cocktail into a cup. Everything had also start to become a little more codified. The revolving carousel of liquors finally stopped at whiskey (though rum and gin was still found to be more popular in New England), the sweetener became sugar, and the tea went away for a while in favor of hot water (though now tea or spice is considered part of the drink).

messagepart-5What kept such a simple, erratic cocktail so popular over such a long period of time? While the flexibility of the drink helped keep it popular for a wide range of palates and environments, the biggest reason was the supposed medicinal purposes. People would drink it when they were under the weather, which made them feel a little better for a while. It was hot, which helps loosens up mucous and helps you breathe a little easier; if you use tea, you also get the benefits tea brings. The acid in the lemon adds some vitamin C, and using honey helps to coat your throat as well as the other medical benefits honey has. Alcohol has been used for years either as a medicine (as vodka was in Poland and Russia) or as a big part of medicine (like it was at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century). The problem of using alcohol as medicine too often is that the cure can be worse than the disease. Yes, the alcohol makes you feel a little better for a short time, but it is dehydrating. It may leave you feeling a little worse than before you drank it. Drinking too many will give you a hangover. A small dose before bed, however, can help you sleep a little better while the rest of the ingredients go to work. A hot toddy will help to relieve some of the symptoms of a cold or flu, but it is not a cure. You should still use medicine for that.

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1.5 oz. whiskey
.5 oz. lemon juice
.75 oz. simple syrup
4-6 oz. of hot water
Tea bag or other spices (cinnamon or nutmeg are traditional)(optional)

Brew the cup of tea to your taste. In a cup, stir together the whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Add the tea, and then stir the mixture a few more times. You can garnish it with a lemon wedge or cinnamon stick. You can also substitute hot water or cider for the tea, and rum or brandy for the whiskey.

As this mysterious cocmessagepart-6ktail passed from continent to continent, it changed and adapted to the needs of the environment it was in. With all of the changes it made, from a cooling drink in India to a warming drink in America, the basics never changed. The skeleton of a drink was created that maintained a certain simplicity while emphasizing a world of possibilities. You can usually order one at a bar (can you imagine the whiskeys you can choose from at The Century Bar for this one?), but why? Wrap yourself in your warmest blanket, find a great book, and settle in with this steaming cup of goodness next time you feel a little under the weather. What you put in it is all in your imagination, as long as you stick to the basic structure. Happy National Hot Toddy Day!

Distilled Wisdom

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The Century logo

THE Dayton bourbon house.

This month is a big month for The Century, located on Jefferson Street downtown. It is National Bourbon Month, and for the premier bourbon bar in Dayton, this is an opportunity to really show this community what a gem of a place they have hidden in the city (View all of the different bourbon tastings/events at Century Bar here). They have an incredible line up of events, from blind bourbon tasting this Saturday to a representative from whiskey distilleries later in the month. They kick it all off tonight with a midnight toast to get Bourbon Month into high gear, and will salute the passing of the month in the same way.

While the outside my not grab the eye as you are driving down the street, once you get in you cannot help but notice the grand, dark wood bar that dominates the main room. It has a wide collection of bottles, most of which are whiskeys in some way or form. The lights in the bar are dim, and some of the lights that exist are flooding over bourbon bottles filled with grains.  It is comfortable, warm, and intimate. The people behind the bar know their whiskeys. They are tested on a monthly basis by the general manager of The Century, Joe Head, because he knows he cannot always be there. He wants to make sure his bartenders, Tim, Jared, Heather, and Josh, know what they are talking about. Joe took some time this week to sit down with me to talk about the bar and its history.

Some of the old customers come in, and remember the old bar. They have commented that the bar had diminished in their other liquors since their focus shifted to bourbon. “We have not got rid of another thing,” he states quite plainly. “We still have vodka, we still have gin. That’s part of being in the business. We know that bourbon drinkers have friends that don’t drink bourbon. I imagine the Dublin Pub has a Bud Light.” Joe is very knowledgeable about not only bourbon (he has probably forgotten more than most people know), but about his customers and the industry. He is incredibly friendly and easy to chat with. He respects all whiskeys and bourbons, knowing they have a place on the taste buds of all his different customers. “Jim Beam white label is certainly not the greatest Jim Beam, but even Porsche makes a crappy Porsche.”

Classic Menu

A few of these were found in the walls while remodeling the kitchen. The original menu.

1. How long has The Century been around?

It has been here since early 1900’s as the Frank Steffen Company. It has been The Century Bar since 1942. It was originally a lunch and Chaminade Julienne hangout. It was the number one place to eat downtown when Dayton had more business people looking for lunch.

2. Why is it named “The Century”?

It was changed in 1942 to The Century. I don’t know what significance was to them. Some of that history was lost. Things look similar as they did in the 70’s. It was a restaurant during day, and a bar at night. No food was served past 4 PM. When I first started here there were low top tables and chairs. All we did in the last year is strip the décor back so the bar is the focus. No more Jagermeister machines, no more Budweiser neon signs. The bar speaks for itself. All of our lights out there are bourbon bottles and they’re filled with grain that makes the recipe for each of the bourbons.  All of our tables, we made them ourselves, buying the barrels from a cooperage in Louisville. We bought the furniture tops from a local place.

3. How long have you been with the place?

Since February 1, 1998. Diane Spitzig owns the bar, but I run the business for her. I wanted to do this for a few years. I did not plan on being here for fifteen years. We’ve always carried twenty bourbons, because I am a bourbon guy. In New York, San Francisco and Chicago, this is what they are doing. They are getting away from the beer. You want to drink less and drink better. For us, it felt like the way to go with it.

4. What made you become a fan of bourbon?

You know, I would love to say I sat on my grandpa’s lap when I was a kid. But honestly, when I was a kid my friends and I were Hank Williams Jr. fans. When we got old enough to think about drinking, we heard about Jim Beam. Today I still drink Jim Beam. I wish there was a more romantic story. There’s not. It’s the truth.

5. What was the impetus to mold The Century into a bourbon bar? How successful has it been?

I always thought that this was possible. You can be one spirit specific. You can see it more and more in the magazines. We have representatives from Jim Beam come here and say “You guys are way ahead of the curve. What you are doing here, they are doing in the big cities.” I spent fourteen days in Louisville, KY, visiting every bourbon bar I could go to, and I never left like we were not doing it right. The only thing we are limited by is Ohio’s regulations. They have to get it so we can get it. It is quite the process. We were in the Jockey Silks in the Galt House, a legendary bourbon bar, and another couple was sitting next to us. The bartender was talking with me for fifteen minutes, asking me about my opinion on bourbon. They asked the bartender a question, and he gestured to me and said “I don’t know, but I bet this guy could answer your question.” We laughed. I went there to be wowed, and left feeling good that what we are doing here with our staff is right. Bourbon is a passion for us; it is something we believe in.

Vintage decanters

A small preview of vintage bourbon decanters you can see during Urban Nights.

6. Where did the idea for a blind bourbon tasting come from?

I had read and talked about bourbon tastings. The biggest hurdle we have with bourbon is label prejudice. People say “I do not like Jim Beam” or “I do not like Wild Turkey”. That is not necessarily true. They make a lot of bourbons, they just don’t make one. We want to strip away everything but what is in the glass. We had seventeen people at first one in October. The next one we had thirty five, and we haven’t had fewer than forty five since. All forty five people at the last one liked number six. It was Wild Turkey 101. If they knew, they would have told you they did not like it. When all they judged is what their taste buds told them, the whole room loved it. We are not trying to trick people. We are just trying to show them not to get caught up on what is on the front of the bottle; what is in the bottle is what is important.

You try to separate yourself from everyone else. We are on an island here by ourselves. We are a downtown bar; a destination. Part of our deal is to get away from the dive bar. It becomes negative. Most people that work here are in their 30’s. You have to see the market and separate yourself. It gives people quality option to come to downtown Dayton. The bourbon tasting we did earlier tonight, we tied also in with Olive. Those women are getting the whole downtown experience.

7. What is the “Bourbon Rocks” event for the Downtown Dayton Festival about?

We’re trying to tie into the Downtown Dayton Revival event and promote it as well. We will feature some appropriate bourbon that weekend. When we did our March tasting, we did two distilleries versus each other, to tie in with the March Madness play in game. We are just trying to promote from another angle what downtown is doing.

8. Why should more people be drinking bourbon?

I think things cycle, like clothing. In the 60’ and 70’s, people wanted to get away from what their mom and dad drank and went to the vodkas and gins. It was the opposite of Ozzie and Harriet, like dad had a glass of whiskey after work.  We get a lot of twenty-somethings that want to drink what their grandparent’s drank, or their great grandparents drank. All things come around. When you sip on it, you’re not just shooting it at a party. We have 242 people in signed up in our bourbon club, half of them are women. Half of tickets for Saturday’s tasting are for women. We don’t believe bourbon is for everyone, but it is for enough people. We have sixty eight bourbons and one hundred and twenty total whiskeys. Bourbon is our focus.

9. What do you think of the trend of flavored bourbons, like American Honey by Wild Turkey, Tennessee Honey by Jack Daniels, and Red Stag by Jim Beam?

As a traditional bourbon drinker, it is not for me. But they don’t want me to drink it. They are trying to get past that “whiskey” thing. There are people who absolutely love it. We embrace it. Whatever grows the industry is good for us. They make good Manhattans. We mix it with lemonade and sweet tea and Coke. People ask me “What is the best way to enjoy whiskey?” Drink it any way you want, it’s yours. The best part of bourbon is there is no right or wrong way to enjoy it. This party that was in earlier said they would never have guessed they would enjoy sitting and drinking bourbon that much. That is what we are looking for.

Joe Head

The soul of the bar and bourbon enthusiast, Joe Head.

10. What is your favorite bourbon?

What day of the week is it? George T Stagg and W.L. Weller are two of my favorite bourbons. Stagg only comes out once a year. It is a 141 proof from Buffalo Trace. It comes out every October. This 1792 is an everyday drinker for me. It is in my bourbon flight.

11. How long have you been doing bourbon flights?

December was our relaunch, so we started the flights in December. Each of the guys that work here has their favorite four, and when you reach the fifty whiskey mark in the club you also get to pick your favorite four. We feature that for a few months. We also do one that’s called Aged. I show people how white corn whiskey is and then increment the age so they can see how whiskey matures. The flights are very popular.

12. Do you need a beard to enjoy bourbon more?

No! Tim and I both, obviously, have facial hair. We thought it would be a nice night (September 22nd) to tie beards in with bourbon. Come in and wear fake beards. Draw in a handle bar moustache.

Joe also left me with a few final words: “We did not want to get ahead of ourselves. We did not want to sit down and have this conversation until we were ready as a business. We are up and running. All of our staff had to be taught, and they did really well with it. You can buy all the good bourbon you want, but your staff needs to make it a good experience. We are passionate about it and understand it. We look forward to coming into work.”

We look forward to coming to The Century all month to celebrate. If you are someone who loves bourbon, or have just been curious about it for a long time and want to try it, now is the time, and this is the place to educate yourself on the finer points of America’s spirit. Happy National Bourbon Month! Cheers!

Downtown Dayton’s Biggest Street Party Returns May 11

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Approximately 30,000 people come downtown for Urban Nights.

On Urban Nights, downtown will be teeming with activity and people ready to enjoy the dining, nightlife, art, music, shopping and housing that can be found only in Dayton. The next free Urban Nights will be held 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, May 11, in downtown, the Oregon Arts District and Wright-Dunbar Business Village.

Click here for a complete performance schedule, map of participating venues, and list of all participating locations’ events and specials.

The Green Street Project, designed to celebrate all things green and promote environmental sustainability, will include interactive and art-making activities for the whole family, exhibits on green technology, games, and more on Main Street, which will be closed between Second and Third streets. The Green Street Project is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership, Montgomery County Solid Waste District and PNC Bank. Activities include:

• The Dayton Regional Green 3 Initiative will host fun and educational activities and booths to promote greener and more sustainable practices in the Dayton region.

• The Montgomery County Solid Waste District’s two mascots, Curby the Cardinal and Lucky the Ladybug, will be on hand, as well as its Extreme Recycling trailer.

• The Dayton Art Institute will lead a community art mural-making project using recyclable materials.

• Zoot Theatre Company will demonstrate its larger puppets and visitors will have an opportunity to create masks out of reused and found materials.

• Visitors can ride a segway, courtesy of Dayton Segway Tours; chalk the street; have their picture taken in an open-air photo booth, courtesy of Lift-Off Entertainment; and check out an eco-friendly bus from Greater Dayton RTA and the eco-friendly Buick LaCrosse eAssist, courtesy of Bob Ross Buick.

• The Victoria Theatre Association will provide activities inspired by the Broadway musical Wicked.

Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights is a ride through the event’s action ending at Courthouse Square.

Urban Nights visitors can get around the event by participating in Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights, a community ride through downtown that starts at 6 p.m. at Don Crawford Plaza in front of Fifth Third Field. The best way to see as much as possible during Urban Nights is to walk, and many of the destinations are just a short distance from each other. Greater Dayton RTA also will provide free event trolleys to help visitors get around.

As visitors make their way through the Urban Nights action, those locals who are professional and amateur photographers and videographers are encouraged to capture some shots or footage to submit in the 2012 Downtown in Focus photo contest and a new video contest, Downtown on Film. This year’s photo contest will include a category highlighting downtown festivals and events, and the theme for the video contest will be “Summer in the City.” Details for both contests will be announced in early summer, with deadlines in August and winners announced at the Sept. 14 Urban Nights.

Live Entertainment on Six Stages

Roaming performers will entertain visitors throughout downtown and the Oregon Arts District, and stages will be set up throughout the Urban Nights area. A performance schedule follows:

Main Stage: Courthouse Square, sponsored by DP&L
5 to 5:50 p.m.                     Al Holbrook Band
5:50 to 6:10 p.m.              Circle Nerdz (breakdance crew)
6:10 to 7 p.m.                     Wheels
7 to 7:20 p.m.                    The Dropbacks (juggling duo)
7:20 to 8:10 p.m.              Hey There Morgan
8:10 to 8:30 p.m.               Soul Fire Tribe (fire dancers)
8:30 to 10 p.m.                   TOUCH

A variety of entertainment can be found on the Urban Nights stages.

Spotlight on Sinclair: Second and Jefferson streets by the Kettering Tower
5:30 to 5:50 p.m.               Sinclair Chamber Choir
6 to 6:20 p.m.                     Sinclair Opera & Musical Theater Ensemble
6:30 to 6:50 p.m.               Sinclair “Classical Café”
7 to 7:30 p.m.                     Sinclair Men’s & Women’s Ensembles
7:30 to 8 p.m.                     Sinclair Chorale
8 to 8:30 p.m.                     Sinclair Chamber Choir
8:30 to 9 p.m.                     Sinclair Gospel Ensemble
9 to 9:30 p.m.                     Sinclair Men’s Ensemble
9:30 to 10 p.m.                  Sinclair Gospel Ensemble

Community Stage: Corner of Third and Jefferson streets
Special thanks to Harvey Lehrner, owner of Don’s Pawn Shop, for use of the parking lot.
5 to 7 p.m.                           Performances by people from the community
7 to 10 p.m.                        Open call karaoke

MetroParks Pavilion at RiverScape MetroPark: Monument Avenue and Patterson Boulevard
5 to 5:30 p.m.                     Funklab
5:30 to 6:30 p.m.              Okay Lindon
6:30 to 7 p.m.                     Party Pleasers (DJ)
7 to 8 p.m.                            Son del Caribe
8 to 8:30 p.m.                     Party Pleasers (DJ)
8:30 to 10 p.m.                  Mojo Flo

Live on Five: In the historic Oregon Arts District next to the Trolley Stop 
6 to 6:45 p.m.                     David Burris
7 to 7:45 p.m.                    White Rabbit Band
8 to 8:45 p.m.                     Nasty Bingo
9 to 9:45 p.m.                     Ape the Ghost

Wright Dunbar Entertainment: Third and Williams streets
The Plaza Stage:
5:30 to 9 p.m.                     Tribute bands featuring the music of Jimi Hendrix, Santana and Bob Marley
The Lounge:
6 p.m.                                    Cyrstal Echols and line dancing
7:30 p.m.                             Big Gil and his Funky All Stars featuring Valeria
Grillin’ & Chillin’ Tent:
5 to 10 p.m.                        Master G spinning music for the dance tent
Gospel Karaoke Cafe:
5 to 8 p.m.                           Open mic with music by DJ Jerry Sanders

Art and More for Everyone

Art is at the heart of Urban Nights and often can be found in unexpected places.

In addition to the Green Street Project, several Urban Nights venues will host activities fun for the young and young at heart. Visitors can get their hands dirty at K12 Gallery for Young People/TEJAS,510 E. Third St., by working on the community art project the Xenia Avenue Mosaic Mural. Participants will have their name added to a plaque dedicated to the volunteers who helped with the project.

Garden Station on the corner of Fourth and Wayne will host a Rock Band challenge and an urban putt-putt golf course made of pallets and old tires. The CADC, formerly the Cannery Art and Design Center, will celebrate its grand re-opening in its new location at 35 S. St. Clair St. with art, games and more. My Father’s House Childcare and Learning Center,35 S. Jefferson St., will host entertainment by a clown and offer balloon animals for children and free snow cones. The Dayton Metro Library,215 E. Third St., will offer arts and entertainment for adults and children. At the Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park North, visitors can enjoy free parking and family activities.

Tour some of downtown’s historical places during Urban Nights, including The Dayton Woman’s Club,225 N. Ludlow St., a landmark Victorian home circa 1848, and the 107-year-old First Lutheran Church,138 W. First St. Of course, lots of history can be found in the Wright-Dunbar Business Village. Hop on the Wright Flyer trolley and celebrate Dayton’s rich cultural legacy at multiple locations in this historic area along West Third Street between Broadway and Williams streets. Visit the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park and the Wright Bros. Bicycle Shop; visit business open houses; and experience art, poetry, food and live entertainment.

Visitors also can tour Activated Spaces’ Street Level Art Competition. Check out local artists’ displays of works focused on the theme “Naturally Dayton” in windows throughout downtown. Vote for your favorite artist by scanning the QR code in the respective storefront window. The Urban Nights People’s Choice winner will receive gallery space for an exhibition of his or her work at a local gallery or restaurant. Artwork can be viewed at:

• 100 E. Third St.: Bethany Ramsey, Robin Dakin and Amanda Sue Allen
• Talbott Tower, 131 N. Ludlow St.: Philipe Payne, Talia Shade and Spire Arts/Montgomery County Board of Developmental Disabilities Services
• Main Street Garage, corner of Main and First streets: Mikee Huber and John Murphy
• The Biltmore, 210 N. Main St.: Dayton Creative Syndicate

While you’re touring about, check out some of downtown’s living options. The following housing units will be open:

• The Cannery Lofts,500 E. Third St.
• First Place,330 W. First St.
• The Landing,115 W. Monument Ave.
• Litehouse Living at Canal Block,135 N. Patterson Blvd.
• Patterson Square Townhomes,237 E. First St.
• St. Clair Lofts,35 S. St. Clair St.

Grown-Ups’ Night Out

Visitors never know what they might see during Urban Nights.

For those families who’d rather drop off the kids before exploring Urban Nights, Mini University at Miami Valley Hospital, 28 Hill St., and Montgomery County’s Mini University, 40 Vista View Dr., will offer discounted childcare. Care will be offered from 6 to 11 p.m., which includes dinner, for $30 per child or $50 for two children. All teachers have been fingerprinted and have completed background checks. Children must be pre-registered; call and reserve a spot at 224-3916.

And for those who’d like to get an early start on Urban Nights ― or stay late ― several venues will host events that fit the bill. The Crowne Plaza Hotel’s Stars Lounge will host “Start and Finish,” a dinner event to bookend Urban Nights, in the rooftop restaurant and lounge. From 4 to 6 p.m., enjoy a happy hour buffet of hors d’oeuvres, free to all bar guests. Join the “10 O’Clock Cast Party” from 10 p.m. to midnight for half-priced light dinners, including burgers, sandwiches and wings. In addition, the bars, restaurants and nightclubs in the Oregon Arts District and throughout downtown will keep the Urban Nights party going past 10 p.m. Click here for a complete list of downtown’s nightlife hotspots.

A weekend-long event also will open during Urban Nights and continue after the event ends. The Dayton Circus Creative Collective will host its seventh annual multimedia arts event, Sideshow 7, at the Yellow Cab building, 700 E. Fourth St. This two-day multimedia arts and music extravaganza includes an event after-party until 1 a.m.

Shop for a variety of one-of-a-kind items, such as original artwork; used and vintage clothing, furniture, records and books; gift items and much more. More than 20 stores downtown will offer sales and special events. Be sure to visit the new Pop-Up Shops:

• American π, 37 S. St. Clair St.: This gift and accessories boutique carries items made in the United States, including handbags, greeting cards, candles and food items.
• Arin 27 S. St. Clair St.: Shop owner and jewelry designer Brooke Medlin collaborates with Dayton’s creatives to showcase beautifully designed goods for self and home, along with Medlin’s line of jewelry. Visitors will be able to watch the creation process in action at Arin’s on-site studio.
• Vintage Barbershop 110 W. Fifth St.: This old-school, classic barbershop offers haircuts, hot steam towel shaves, facials and more.

Of course, all this running is bound to make a person hungry ― and thirsty. More than 30 downtown restaurants, taverns, coffee shops and nightclubs will get into the Urban Nights spirit by offering themed drinks and menu items, special discounts, hosting arts events, and more. For example, look for volunteers from the City of Dayton’s Sister Cities outside Boulevard Haus, 329 E. Fifth St.; check out brewing demos at Press, 257 Wayne Ave.; try one of the more than 60 bourbons and view an exhibit of sculptures by artist Ron Hundt at The Century Bar,10 S. Jefferson St.; try a pint from a firkin of craft beer at Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery,520 E. Fifth St.; and enjoy music by Puzzle of Light at Jay’s Seafood, 225 E. Sixth St.

Urban Nights is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership, Montgomery County and the City of Dayton, with additional support from PNC Bank, Montgomery County Solid Waste District, DP&L, Greater Dayton RTA, Bud Light Lime, the Downtown Priority Board, Sinclair Community College, Mix 107.7-FM and the Ohio Arts Council.

Follow Urban Nights on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UrbanNightsDayton for regular updates and more information or call 937-224-1518.

The Century Scores Rare Bourbon

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Buffalo Trace Distillery in Franklin County, Ky., has long been known for making premium bourbons. The oldest continuously operating distillery in America, for more than 200 years they have been distilling fine whiskey on the spot where the buffalo migration route crossed the Kentucky River. Not content to rest on their laurels, Buffalo Trace has continued to create new products and was recently named American Whisky Brand Innovator of the Year by Whisky magazine.

Their newest product is not only a damned fine bottle of bourbon, but it also has a fascinating story behind it. On April 2, 2006, a powerful line of storms tore through Central Kentucky, tearing apart two of Buffalo Trace’s warehouses. Fortunately, one of them was empty, but the other was one of the distillery’s most treasured warehouses. Warehouse C was built by Col. E.H. Taylor Jr. himself in 1881 and held 24,000 barrels of young and premature E.H. Taylor bourbon.

The barrels miraculously survived the storm, despite the fact that the walls and roof around it were ripped off, leaving them completely exposed. The barrels basically cooked through the summer as the warehouse was repaired around them. Summer heat is actually an integral part of the whiskey aging process, as the expansion that results from the rising temperatures drives the bourbon into the wood of the barrels and allows them to come in contact with the oak, which contributes the mellow flavors of fine whiskey.

But these extreme conditions resulted in an unusually high evaporation rate that left them with a unique wood flavor integration and an extremely high “angel’s share” of 63.9 percent, more than double the normal loss due to evaporation. The bourbon that these greedy angels left behind exhibits a wonderfully spicy flavor profile with a beautiful nose and extremely complex finish.

Bottled at 100 proof, this rye-heavy mixture is the third in the Colonel E.H. Taylor series of special limited-release bourbons. Aged between nine and 11 years, this is truly a rare and special bottle of whiskey. Now, it’s not cheap at $75.99 for a fifth, but this represents a chance to experience a little bit of history in a glass; and it’s highly unlikely that circumstances like this will ever be repeated, even intentionally. Chalk up the high price to the limited availability and the fact that the angels took some of the finest hooch.


The above story from NashvilleScene.com writer Chris Chamberlain

Currently available in very limited quantities, you can try this rare bourbon at The Century- A Bourbon House, on Jefferson Street in downtown Dayton!  Just one of the many 60+ bourbons that grace the bar of this charming little bar, that reinvented itself this year by
specializing in barrel aged spirits.

For a true education in bourbons, I suggest you attend their monthly tastings that give you great exposure to a variety of brands and flavors, amusing tidbits about the history and making of the amber liquids and some tasty treats, too.  The next tasting is on Sat, April 14 and Neil’s Heritage House will be providing part of the food.  You can purchase your tickets for $30 from the bar.