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Yellow Springs Brewery

Last Chance Cheers

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We’re bringing back some very special brews at the Barrel Room!

Join us to sample limited quantities of some of your favorite mixed-fermentation and Barrel-aged brews on draft including: Nestle in the Woods, Silent Dawn Red, Silent Dawn White, Through the mirror and more.

We’ll also be featuring a specialty pre-release Dream Nectar cask! (Dream Nectar release 2/22)

Sushi Hikari will be on site all day with the eats and we’ll have a few of our other brews on tap for your enjoyment, cocktails, wine and NA beverages.

Yellow Springs Brewery To Expand Into Columbus

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Yellow Springs Brewery will be opening a taproom in the Clintonville neighborhood in Columbus. They’ll be taking over the spot that has operated at The Crest since 2013.

The taproom and kitchen will undergo minor renovations only, retaining much of its current atmosphere. Yellow Springs Brewery plans to open the new space in October.

“Known for great tasting beers and strong brand authenticity, Yellow Springs Brewery has built a following of beer lovers in the Dayton and Columbus area that has grown year after year,” a press release stated.. “Considering that a large number of weekend customers in their Yellow Springs taproom come from Columbus, an extensive effort has been made to send more products into the Columbus area over the last couple of years.”

Yellow Springs Brewery

Coming this fall to:

2855 Indianola Ave
Clintonville, OH 43201

Celebrating Yellow Springs Brewery’s 5th Anniversary!

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Saturday, April 14th Yellow Springs Brewery is celebrating their fifth anniversary of crafting and sharing their brews with the super supportive Ohio craft beer community! Fifth anniversaries are traditionally known as the “wood” anniversary so this celebration has a special significance to them as wood serves as an integral part in aging, conditioning and flavoring craft brews. They’ve decided to show their appreciation to our loyal customers with a barrel- and wood-aged Birthday Bash!

Master Brewer, Jeffrey McElfresh has created a limited release white oak IPA in honor of this special occasion and it will be available in 12 oz. cans for $12 per 4-pack. This IPA is aged with American white oak staves giving it a sweet, earthy bouquet with warm vanilla overtones. Dry hopping lends a piney and grapefruit flavor that enhances the soft character of the white oak. And there’s no better way to enjoy this delicious IPA than in their new limited-edition 5th anniversary glassware! This Perl Goblet style glassware features a design by Just A Jar Design Press in Marietta, OH, and has a delightfully low price tag of $10!

This celebration is loaded with opportunities to obtain limited-edition brewery merch and we will feature a series of timed raffles from 2-9 PM. The day-long raffle includes prizes from House of Aum, Current Cuisine, Dino’s Coffee, The Winds and many more! Raffle tickets will be sold as a pack of 5 tickets for $5 or 20 tickets for $10 and all proceeds from the raffle will benefit Glen Helen Nature Preserve. They will also be on site for the Birthday Bash to hand out special gifts to those who become members during the celebration! Culinary options include the incredible wood-fired food of La Pampa Argentinian Grill and Bella Sorella Pizza! There will also be selling a limited-edition woodcut poster, created by Just A Jar Design Press, which will be on sale for $15. Only 100 of these have been printed!

The hit of the day may very well be the selection of some of the area’s most rare and sought after barrel-aged beers that will be featured on our taps! YSB’s resident beer curator, Chris Hutson, has managed to acquire a list of brews that is sure to please the palate of even the most particular beer geeks out there. Two bars will be set up for timed trappings of our celebratory beers. These taps will occur once every two hours starting at 2 pm with White Oak IPA, with the last tapping at 7 pm! Don’t miss out on this anniversary extravaganza, join Yellow Springs Brewery in celebration of 5 years growing with this amazing community!

Yellow Springs Brewery is located at 305 North Walnut Street, Suite B in Yellow Springs, Ohio

Taproom Hours:

Mon-Fri 3-10pm, Sat 1-10pm, Sun 1-8pm

Yellow Springs Brewery Hosts Photographer Wayne Heinfeld

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The Yellow Springs Brewery will be hosting the latest works from photographer Wayne Heinfeld from May 1 – 29 with an Art Party on Sunday, May 7 from 2 – 4 pm. The exhibit is part of an ongoing monthly series hosted by the Yellow Springs Brewery entitled, Art + Ale, featuring the latest work from local artists in the brewery taproom.

Wayne Heinfeld is a photographer based in Enon. His Art + Ale exhibit will feature a series of color photos focused on elements of nature he has found in his many travels through the Smokey Mountains, in New England, out west, and in Glen Helen. Heinfeld worked with professional slide film for many years and prefers that to the prevalent use of digital photography today.

Heinfeld was a mail carrier in Dayton for 33 years before retiring a few years ago. He is self-taught and always considered photography a hobby until people started asking to buy his prints. He now sells many of his images on notecards which are available at Glen Garden Gifts in Yellow Springs.

For information on Wayne Heinfeld or the Yellow Springs Brewery, visit yellowspringsbrewery.com.

Get Your ‘Spring’er on with Yellow Springs Brewery

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Come ready to party Yellow Springs-style wearing your tie-dye, flowing skirts and Birkenstocks. On Friday, March 10, 5:00 pm, Yellow Springs Brewery is throwing a party in their taproom to celebrate the release of Springer Golden Ale in 12-ounce cans. It will be distributed to restaurants, bars and retailers starting the week of March 13th, six-packs will retail for $9.99.

This signature beer is made with local Cascade hops from Heartland Hops in northwest Ohio near Fort Recovery. At 5.4% alcohol by volume, it is light, floral and perfect for drinking anytime. Springer Golden Ale is one of the originally brewed recipes at Yellow Springs Brewery and continues to be a customer favorite, especially as the weather turns warm and the world once again becomes green.

In addition to releasing Springer Golden Ale in cans and in honor of the spring equinox, the brewery also plans to have special variants of Springer Golden Ale on tap that day. “We are planning to have a few twists of Springer on tap that we believe not only enhance the beer but will also help welcome the long awaited coming of spring” says Chris Hutson, event coordinator at Yellow Springs Brewery. “Customers will be able to experience all things Yellow Springs at the release party, after all Springer was aptly named for the local residents. It’s our hope to offer folks a chance to come out of their winter hibernation as we usher in the changing of the seasons. Along with our special variants there are also plans for live accoustic music, food, flowers and a few tricks up our sleeves,” says Hutson. Springer Golden Ale will be Yellow Springs Brewery’s fourth beer to be canned and the brewery has no intention of slowing down, with future can and bottle releases on the horizon.

It’s time to welcome spring with open arms and get your ‘spring’er on with Yellow Springs Brewery. Peace, love and Springer!

 

 

Yellow Springs Brewery Hosts Quilt-Maker Pam Geisel

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Quilt Art by Pam Geisel, 20” x 20” each

The Yellow Springs Brewery will be hosting the latest works from quilt-maker Pam Geisel from January 9 – February 5 with an artist’s reception on Sunday January 15 from 2-4 pm. The exhibit is part of an ongoing monthly series hosted by the Yellow Springs Brewery entitled, Art + Ale, featuring the latest work from local artists in their taproom.

Geisel is a quilt-maker who works with traditional design blocks in non-traditional ways. For example, instead of piecing shapes together or sewing them, they are fused together using an iron on the back of the fabric which then fuses pieces together. Also, once she discovered the fusing method she found she was able to expand her repertoire by creating unique shapes that are both representational and abstract. Geisel has a background in graphic design, but prefers the intensity and colors that she finds in quilt-making, saying “I paint with fabric.”

The tap room is open Mon-Fri 3-10pm, Sat 1-10pm, Sun 1-8pm at Yellow Springs Brewery, which is located at 305 Walnut St B, Yellow Springs, OH 45387.

 

Yellow Springs Brewery’s Cans Get a Redesign

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ysbrewerylogoOn Friday, November 11th, Yellow Springs Brewery will be holding a Metamorphosis Party to celebrate the official unveiling of their new can designed. The can design will be an extension of the new logo the brewery unveiled late last month.

 

Why the makeover? Co-owner Lisa Wolters explains that, “We were not unhappy with the old logo, but when we tried to apply it to our package, it didn’t lend itself to what we had in mind.” Namely, while the cans themselves looked great, the brewery name in the logo was hard to read, obviously a situation not conducive to retail sales.

 

The new logo retains the eagle from the original logo, but in the update, the eagle becomes the main focal point. “Eagles can mean a lot of things — freedom, strength, vision — but to Yellow Springs Brewery, the eagle suggests a certain spirit. A spirit that means you have the freedom, strength, and vision to reach higher, to not just accept the status quo, to embrace new perspectives and to dream,” explains Wolters. “It a was simplistic idea,” she elaborates, “the American entrepreneurial spirit. That’s who we are.”

 

416890_408501209165657_1083456839_nThe brewery’s new logo and can designs are a creation of Don Pendleton, a nationally recognized artist residing in Dayton. Pendleton has a connection with Yellow Spring Brewery’s salesperson Shawn Combs, who worked with Pendleton at Alien Workshop. Nate Cornett, the brewery’s other co-owner, and Wolters were fans of Pendleton’s work and were eager to have his help on redesigning the cans.

 

With its geometric shapes and muted colors, the new logo is reflective of Pendleton’s work. The burnt yellow and the purple were retained to tie into the existing Yellow Springs branding (which will be slowly phased out). The new cans will feature a single signature color per brand, so consumers will be able to differentiate beers like Zoetic from Captain Stardust. The logo itself will tie the brands together and retain consistency among labels.

 

The brewery’s taproom doubles as a gallery for local artists, and at The Metamorphosis Party, Pendleton’s art will be on display and for sale (for a sneak peak, check out his website. < http://www.elephont.com>). The party starts at 3 pm with a lineup of special Captain Stardust and Zoetic tappings (the Stardust variants include versions with coffee, biscotti, strawberry daiguiri, grapefruit, and one served on nitro. There will also be a habanero Zoetic variant). Stick around as they unveil additional limited releases throughout the night: Gindust (5 pm), Zoetic with mango (6 pm), Captain Stardust with sour cherry (7 pm) and Zoetic with grapefruit (8 pm).

ysbrewery

The party runs from 3-10 pm and will feature merchandise with the new logo, a photo booth, and food available to purchase from Harvest Food Truck. The brewery is located at 305 North Walnut Street, Suite B; Yellow Springs, OH 45387. For more information, contact Lisa Wolters at 937-767- 0222 or find them on the web at www.yellowspringsbrewery.com.

 

3rd Local Brewer To Offer Canned Beer

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12194698_893449180692155_1353519630233311369_oWarped Wing was the first, Dayton Beer Company came next and next week Yellow Springs Brewery will start offering two of their more popular beers in cans.

You’ll be able to pick up a six pack of Captain Stardust Saison and , at the brewery for $9.99. According to co-owner Nate Cornett, “in September, we debuted our new 15-barrel brewhouse886003_893449247358815_4141915354502987647_o and that has allowed us enough capacity to get two of our favorites in cans.”   Prior to the expansion Yellow Spring Brewery hasn’t been able to keep up with the demand for their beers.

Want to pick up a six pack?  They’ll be available starting at 3pm on Friday the 13th.  Sounds like a lucky day!

The Super Bowl – One Long Session for Beers!

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Super Bowl 49 logo

Super Bowl XLIX is here. Is your beer fridge ready for it?

The Super Bowl XLIX festivities begin at noon on Sunday, February 1. Pundits are going to spend the entire day analyzing the players, discussing past Super Bowls, and making deflated ball puns. The game itself starts at 6 PM, and will end around 11 PM after all the awards have been given out and more analysis of the game. That is a long drinking day for anyone. You have to pace yourself through a day filled with salty snacks, good friends, and lots and lots of fine, locally crafted beer. Fortunately, British brewers thought of this decades ago, and developed something called a session beer.

During World War I, production of material for the war effort was important. Parliament created a law that allowed for two drinking sessions a day; one at lunch and one at dinner time. Since drinking was much more limited, any typically could only be done at a bar, people would have a few more at lunch then they normally would. They did not want to go back work around dangerous equipment inebriated, so British brewers started to brew beers that were lower in ABV. They typically capped at 5%, but many went as low as 3%. Pilsners, bitters, and pale ales were the styles that were used, offering the most flavor while delivering a love tap of alcohol.

The United States does not have the same fondness for low ABV beers. The legacy of the “little beer” began just before Prohibition as a desperate attempt by then president Woodrow Wilson to stop the inevitable. He proposed that beers of no more than 2.75% ABV be brewed, minimizing the harsh effects of the terrible affliction of alcohol on a delicate public. Clearly, that did not work, and the country dried up for thirteen years. The first beer that came out after the Volstead Act was repealed but before the 21st Amendment went into effect? 3.2% beers. Our legacy with them is much more contentious, thus when the craft beer movement rolled forward, the LAST thing brewers wanted to do was create beers in the Budweiser range of ABV. The ABV War began, trying to create bigger beers, beers full of flavor and alcohol. The winning brewery at this point in time is Brewmeister’s Armageddon out of Scotland, ringing in at an overwhelming 65% ABV. Most beers like this are brewed once for effect, then retired.

A dark day in U.S. history, but a good time for session beers.

Session beers just came back into vogue in the last ten years as a reaction to all of the high ABV beers flowing through the country. Founder’s All Day IPA may be the beer that brought this type of beer to the general attention of the public. This great Michigan brewery sells this in a fifteen-pack, acknowledging that you can sip on this all day and still be able to function at your desk on Monday. It was mentioned more than a few times as a great session beer by the people I spoke with. The 4.7% ABV is perfect for a long session of drinking, and the hops ensures that it is not boring to drink. Fat Head’s Sunshine Daydream out of Cleveland is another highly recommended session beer, creeping up to 4.9% ABV and still delivering with refreshing flavor.

Looking for a local, low alcohol growler fill for the big game? Here is a list of what was found on tap (or in a can) around the Miami Valley. Not all of these fall into the session beer category, but they all hover around the 5% ABV range.

  • Lock 27 – Pugilist’s 4.7% ABV seems light for a beer with a fighting name. Session beers are not all light and hoppy. Here is an irish stout whose punch is in the flavor, not the spirits. Order some of their Smoked Wings while you are there. You will not be disappointed.
  • Yellow Springs Brewing – If you are going to go to one brewery for all your low ABV beer needs, this is the place to go. They have the biggest selection of tap beers that fall into this category. Their Kerfluffle, an English Mild beer, is the lowest on the list at 3.1% ABV. They also have Daily’s Comet Saison (3.8% ABV), Handsome American Brown Ale (5.5% ABV), Ryatt’s Eviction English Pale Ale (5.0% ABV) and Zoetic Citra American Pale Ale (5.2% ABV). A little something for everyone!
  • Dayton Beer Company
    Shelves of growlers

    This should be enough for Sunday, right?

    – Patterson Pale Ale, at 5.5% ABV, is higher on the list for a session beer, but a delicious option. While you are there, get a growler of their award winning Java Man Cometh (7.0% ABV) to help celebrate if your team wins, or cry into if they lose.

  • Warped Wing Brewing Company – They have some heavy hitters in their line up (Baltic Argonaut at 11.5% ABV would make a short session), but they offer their own Self Starter Session IPA at 5.2% ABV. Ermal’s Belgian Cream Ale at 5.4% ABV and their delightfully unique Wedding Beer at 4.5% ABV are options for Super Bowl growler fills.
  • Fifth Street Brewing – For my money, kolsch is my favorite style of lighter beer. FSB’s 1600 Kolsch (5.0% ABV) and Deluge Pale Ale (5.4% ABV) are both excellent beers to add to the game day menu.
  • Star City Brewing – If you already have plans and will have to miss their Super Bowl Potluck Extravaganza, you can enjoy their kolschy Blonde Ale at 3.8% ABV or Weizen Star Hefeweizen at 4.8% ABV at home with a much different pot luck.
  • Lucky Star Brewery – While you are in Miamisburg, you can stop by this brewery as well and pick up their Ojos Locos Mexican Lager at 3.9% ABV or their Redemption Red at 5.3% ABV. Their Wicked Step Mutha Double Stout weighs in at 9.9% ABV, but would be a delicious late game addition to cap off the party.
  • Toxic Brew Company – Relax. There is always some Practice Yoga (5.6% ABV) to enjoy during an all-day football binge. Sign up for the Shuffle Board League while you are there so your sports enjoyment can last after football is over. Abby’s Cure at 9.6% ABV came highly recommended for Sunday, but as a tasty treat with your all day sippers.
  • Eudora Brewing Company – Another award winning craft brewery in Dayton, their Sundowner Blonde Ale weighs in at 5.0% ABV. Supporting them means you are also supporting charity:water, providing clean water to those with no access to it.
  • Hairless Hare Brewery – Hello friends up north! The American Ale here sits at a sessionable 4.9% ABV. And is there anything more American than watching the Super Bowl?
Patriots vs. Seahawks

Just discussing some dinner plans after the game.

Not enough options? Belmont Party Supply has many, many selections for session drinking. Cincinnati favorites like Madtree offers Lift at 4.7% ABV and Rhinegeist releases Cougar at 4.8% ABV for you to consider. Rivertown’s Little Sipa IPA at a nice and light 4.5% ABV is another Cincinnati option on the table. The new kid in Ohio, Boulevard Brewing Company, has their Pop Up Session IPA that sits at a respectable 4.3% ABV and 80 Acre Hoppy Wheat at 5.5% ABV. Fans of New Belgium Brewing can get their hands on Slow Ride Session IPA sitting at 4.5% ABV. You can also pick up He’Brew’s Dry Hopped Session Pale Ale (5.5% ABV) or Heavy Seas’ Cross Bones Session IPA (4.5% ABV) there. If you want a little more heavy in your seas, their Loose Cannon IPA is an amazing choice with a little more punch (7.25% ABV).

The Super Bowl has become more than just the championship game for the NFL; it is a cultural event that brings people together with friends for good food and good company. Whether you are cheering for the New England Patriots, the Seattle Seahawks, or just a halfway decent Super Bowl ad, session beers are one way to sip on great beer all day and still be ready to shout, cheer, cry, and celebrate when the game begins. Now, time to start researching the wings and nachos. Cheers!

Locally Grown Food & Local Beer On The Menu at Brewery Dinners

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ceh1jvfc6mm01rxkwqwmiuuudywnsx0vThe Yellow Springs Brewery,  located at 305 N Walnut Street in Yellow Springs, is celebrating the Autumn Equinox with two  local food special events this month.

On Tuesday, September 23rd starting at 6:30pm Yellow Springs Brewery will partner with Chef Patrick Sartin of Harvest Mobile Cuisine to host a 3 course beer dinner to celebrate Nature’s Bounty.   Reservations are required for this dinner and can be made for $55 per person by calling 767-0222.  The three courses, which will be paired with beers to be named later, are:

 

Seasonal Greens
Variety of Patchwork Gardens field greens with roasted beets, toasted pecans, crumbled goat cheese and maple vinaigrette, served with a butternut squash fritter

Free Bird
One half of a slow roasted Hill Family Farms Chicken, acorn squash, braised Swiss chard, and fennel puree with sage brown butter

Pumpkin Cheesecake
with graham cracker crust, and apple chipsimages-1

 

The following week, on Tuesday, September 30th from 7-9pm the brewery will partner with Andrea and Chris Hutson, the culinary duo behind Harvest Moon to offer vegan tapas centered around fresh locally sourced ingredients.  Brewmaster Jeffery McElfresh will discuss each food and beer pairing.  Tickets for this event will run $40 per person and again, reservations are suggested.

Food Truck & Brewery Dinner

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1544982_495834400534680_865214119_nHarvest Mobile Cuisine is partnering with Yellow Springs Brewery to serve a very special dinner!
Appetizers include artisan chesses, crudites and fresh fruits with crackers and truck made sweet potato chips

The first course will include apple fritters, smoked pork belly polenta cakd with fennel puree.

The entree course will by a walnut crusted walleye with roasted acorn squash and bulls blood beet risotto.

Dessert will be a flourless chocolate torte with Harvest caramel sauce.
Reservations are required and seating is limited. Please call 767-0222 to make your reservations for this unique event.

Recap: Big Brews & Blues.. and FOOD !

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Big Brews & Blues – one terrific event

Drinking craft beers while listening to a regional blues man hum away on his harmonica.  What better way to raise money for  Diabetes Dayton?   The annual Big Brews & Blues event was held last weekend at Carrillon Park and hundreds of attendees enjoyed dozens of craft beers.  There were Big Brews, there were Blues, and of course, there was food.   We were on hand for another Food Adventure supporting a local charity.   Pouring beer in full force were the staff of  Dayton Most Metro and Lisa Grigsby with Dayton Dining.  Tickets were $30 in advance or $35 at the door.  The event went from 5pm – 9pm and each guest received a souvenir beer tasting glass.  Full pint tickets were also available for a special price.

The crowd danced and drank.   They ate and socialized.  They sipped and quipped.    So which brews were our favorites?  What food items blues.. (ahem) blew us away?  All that is coming, but first a summary.

 

If you didn’t attend Big Brews & Blues…

HERE IS WHAT YOU MISSED:

—Endless samplings of almost 50 craft beers from local and national breweries.  A detailed list of the beers may be found HERE.

—Blues acts with roots from Chicago, Tennessee, Detroit, Cincinnati and Columbus.  It was an incredible night of good blues music.  Groups included Joe and Jack Waters, Them Bones, Johnny Mack & the Heavyweights, and finally Big Joe Blues.

—Food Vendors.  This is our thing, so we enjoyed the likes of Brock Masterson Catering, Hickory River Smokehouse, Fressa Food Truck and Kaimelsky’s Food Cart.

— Breweries Represented:

Dayton Beer Company, Yellow Springs Brewery, Valley Vineyards, Weasel Boy, Listermann, Mt Carmel, Rivertown,  Christian Morlein, Hoppin Frog, Barley’s, Ohio Brewing Company, Jackie O’s, Great Lakes, Erie Brewing, Thirsty Dog, Triton, Anderson Valley, Hinterland, Fathead’s,  Revolution, Two Brothers, Stone Brewing, Brew Kettle Taproom, Bell’s, Southern Tier, Founders, Troegs,  Ommegang, Uinta, 21st Amendment, Atwater Brewery,  Elevator, Finch’s Beer Company,  Anchor Brewing, Kona, Redhook, Shocktop, Widmer Brothers, Goose Island, Boston Beer Co.,   Leinenkugel, Harpoon,  and Ace Premium Hard Ciders.

 

What goes better with beer than a Nathan’s hot Dog from Kaimelsky’s Food Cart?

There were so many good beers and decent food, that we were pressed to pick just one favorite, but here we go…

OUR FAVORITES FROM THE FESTIVAL:

HUNGRY JAX’s FAVORITE BIG BREW:   The Sam Adam’s Honey Queen Braggot was her top pick.  It is made with 3 types of honey, and had a nice hoppy flavor.   They tapped the keg right in front of her, and she was in heaven.  It was one of those “Damn, this is good!” moments.

HUNGRY JAX’S FAVORITE FOOD OFFERING: What goes better with beer than a Nathan’s hot dog from Kaimelsky’s Food Cart?  This hot dog was topped with spicy mustard, onions and Sriracha sauce.   It was worth it.

THE BIG RAGU’s FAVORITE BIG BREW:  Whippet Wheat from Thirsty Dog Brewery gets his vote for its crisp taste with touch of banana flavor.  It was the first time we had a Thirsty Dog beer on tap since the mid 1990’s.  It was like a flashback, so we put on some MC Hammer pants and danced in the tent until security showed up.

THE BIG RAGU’s FAVORITE FOOD OFFERING:  Hickory River’s Pulled Pork Sandwich is Ragu’s pick.  The slow cooked pork was great, but the real secret was the incredible BBQ sauce.  Choices of topping were Sweet, Hot or Mixed sauce on your sandwich.  We chose mixed, and that made all the difference.

This was a fun filled night.  We poured a few beers for MostMetro.  We had delicious crab cakes from Brock Masterson’s catering, and some tasty buffalo chips with blue cheese dip from Fressa Food Truck.   We talked at length with the owners and managers of  Star City Brewery, which will be opening in the former Peerless Mill site before the end of 2013.   Event photographer Sarah Browning, also chatted with us, while snapping  a few pics of  The Big Ragu.

We even had an ‘America’s Got Talent’ moment, when we were getting our groove on near the stage with the blues band.  We even snapped a photo of the lead singer during one of the blues sets.   You won’t see that anywhere else,  unless they copy our soulful dance moves.

Here’s to not having to hear about hiking and heartburn anymore ! Brews & Blues is a blast

The best part of this event is that it benefits Diabetes Dayton each year.  Proceeds from the Big Brews & Blues help uninsured local residents with diabetes.  Funds pay for desperately needed supplies.  Diabetes Dayton also educates people in the Miami Valley who are suffering from diabetes, as well as paying for summer camp for diabetic children who just want to lead a normal, active life.  Thank you to Diabetes Dayton Executive Director Susan McGovern for welcoming us as special guests to this benefit.  Canned Soft Drinks and  Bottled Water were for sale benefiting the Dougie Apple Tree Memorial Scholarship Fund.   Dougie was a local resident, who passed away from diabetes at just 26 years old.

If you missed Big Brews & Blues, make sure you catch it this time next year.  Stay tuned to Dayton Most Metro for info!   The Big Ragu will be there in 2014, at this Food Adventure for a good cause.  It will be another ‘blast in a glass.’   We promise not spill any beer or BBQ sauce on you.

BROWSE THROUGH THE PHOTO ALBUM BELOW FOR ALL THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS of BIG BREWS & BLUES !!

BREWERIES REPRESENTED INCLUDED:

Dayton Beer Company, Yellow Springs Brewery, Valley Vineyards, Weasel Boy, Listermann, Mt Carmel, Rivertown,  Christian Morlein, Hoppin Frog, Barley’s, Ohio Brewing Company, Jackie O’s, Great Lakes, Erie Brewing, Thirsty Dog, Triton, Anderson Valley, Hinterland, Fathead’s,  Revolution, Two Brothers, Stone Brewing, Brew Kettle Taproom, Bell’s, Southern Tier, Founders, Troegs,  Ommegang, Uinta, 21st Amendment, Atwater Brewery,  Elevator, Finch’s Beer Company,  Anchor Brewing, Kona, Redhook, Shocktop, Widmer Brothers, Goose Island, Boston Beer Co.,   Leinenkugel, Harpoon,  and Ace Premium Hard Ciders.

Want more Food Adventures?  “Like” us on Facebook by clicking HERE !

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The Food Adventures Crew Peek Into Yellow Springs Brewery!

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PSSST!! Come here….  wanna peek?  Even though the tasting room doesn’t open until April 13th, Food Adventures got a sneak peek of the new Yellow Springs Brewery on 305 N. Walnut Street.  We think you’re gonna like what you see.  The brewmasters have been busy.  Their beer has been in production for a few months.  Various brews bearing the Yellow Springs Brewery label are already being served in local restaurants.

We sampled a few craft beers and they were delicious.  Our favorite was a beer called the   “Little Bike Brown.”  It is a stout beer with a full bodied, rich taste.  All of the beers are brewed using local Yellow Springs water.    The brewery tries to use other local ingredients in the brewing process whenever possible.

Good pints. Beer model not included!

The tasting room is decorated with a local flair.   The bar is made of an old bowling lane, once used in an alley in Yellow Springs.   How is that for original and unique?  They plan to continue the local theme by adorning the walls with local artwork.  The tasting room grand opening is scheduled for Sat, April 13th from 1-9pm.

Other future plans for Yellow Springs Brewery include an outside patio.  This would be wonderful spot for a Food Adventure in the summer months and suitable stop for thirsty cyclists using the bike path.

This place is going to be a hit.  What’s not to love?  Good local brews, and a tasting room that has a lot of character just like the beer.    Upon opening, Yellow Springs Brewery will sell pints of beer and growlers.   Their motto is “crafting truth to power.”  Make sure you stop in and grab this powerful taste of Yellow Springs, sample some local brewmaster’s works, and pick a favorite of your own.  This brewery is yet another reason to make Yellow Springs your destination for a little getaway.

Comment below if you are excited to try Yellow Springs Brewery !!

For more FOOD ADVENTURES  “like” us on FACEBOOK HERE !!

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Brew it yourself!

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Belmont Party Supply

Belmont Party Supply was the original home of BrewTensils.

How are you enjoying Dayton Beer Week so far? The wide variety of beers, beer dinners, and other special events should be heaven for any beer lover in the area. Some people are not satisfied with just going out and enjoying. Some people need to create it on their own. For those people, there is BrewTensils. They have been open for just a few years, but have a much longer history than that. Darren Link, the manager at BrewTensils, took some valuable time out of his schedule to answer a few questions for us here at Dayton Most Metro. He spoke a little about the growing Dayton craft beer scene, how he started home brewing, and how you can join the ranks of home brewers in the area.

How did you get into home brewing? How long have you been doing it?

I got into it the same way almost everybody else does, a friend said “Let’s make some beer.” And I had the typical reaction “You can do that?” We made a few awful batches, I ‘borrowed’ some of his equipment to do my own beers. I got the bug and have been doing it for 4 years now.

What is your favorite style of beer to brew?

I kind of jump around with the styles I brew, so I don’t think I have a favorite style to brew. I enjoy brewing IPA’s; you will never have a fresher IPA than one you brew yourself. I also enjoy brewing English styles, Belgian Sours, and recently finished my second lager a Munich Dunkel.

What made it a good time in Dayton to open a home brewing store?

We have sold homebrewing supplies for the past 25+ years. The supplies used to be in the back of the beer store next door, Belmont Party Supply. A small shelf and items were constantly out of stock. Both BrewTensils & Belmont Party Supply are owned by Mike Schwartz. He noticed the demand increasing in the area and after the dry cleaner went out of business that used to occupy this space, established the current BrewTensils roughly 3 years ago. We’ve been consistently growing ever since.

Bulk Grain

Brew all the grains! Photo courtesy of Mike Lang

How have you seen tastes in beers change?

There’s almost an evolution in craft beer drinkers tastes. They have one craft beer or a couple beers that change their prospective. They get curious about what else is out there; they typically get into IPA’s and the hoppier styles. Then higher gravity (higher alcohol) and finally start appreciating the styles that are difficult to brew. As far a craft in general, it’s up 14% this year when beer sales in general have declined.

Do you see home brewers influencing national trends, or vice versa?

I think it’s a two way street. Brewers like to see how close they can get to brewing their favorite commercial beers. There are literally millions of clone recipes on the internet; New Belgium Fat Tire, Bell’s Two Hearted, and Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald being very popular ones. On the other side of it, homebrewers have helped to save some less popular beer styles. I feel that traditional Belgian Lambics have been an example. Almost going extinct in Belgium in the 60’s & 70’s, the popularity amongst homebrewers, professional brewers & beer connoisseurs have helped to keep them alive.

IPAs look like they are all the rage right now. What do you think the next beer trend is going to be?

I think IPA’s will always be the rage. I think session beers are increasing in popularity. A session beer being defined as a beer you can drink large quantities of without getting sloshed and typically has an alcohol percentage between 4 & 5.6 or lower. People want to try several different beers in one sitting, maybe even venturing outside of their comfort zone. On the other side of that there’s ‘extreme’ beers which can clock in at 10, 12 even 18 or 20 percent, which you can have one of and be rocked.

When does your next round of classes start? What do you like most about teaching them?

I don’t have dates set for those yet but I’m looking at having a round of classes before the holidays, so October/ November time frame. Our largest attended class is right after the holidays in January. The past 2 years we’ve had 70 people attend Brewing 101.

I like seeing their excitement of getting started, getting hooked and then bringing their first or second beer in for me to taste to see what I think of it. Kind of living vicariously through my customers reminding me of how excited I was when I started.

Darren

Would you buy a home brewing kit from this man? Photo courtesy of Mike Lang

What is the:

                -best beer you have tasted brewed by one of your customers?

The one that’s in front of me. No seriously, I am always pleasantly surprised by the high quality of beers that my customers brew.

-the worst beer?  (or a beer that people seem to have the hardest time brewing)

There’s an ancient beer style that used a whole uncooked chicken thrown into the fermenter. He soaked the entire chicken in white wine to ‘sanitize’ it, put it in the secondary for about 2 weeks, and loosely filtered it. I thought I was going to get salmonella from drinking it but the white wine added more character than the chicken.

-a beer you thought sounded awful but ended up tasting really good?

It didn’t sound awful; I was more intrigued by the idea of using homegrown garden herbs and spices in a beer. I have a couple of those I’ve done with great success. Honey basil ale is a really popular summer seasonal. Several customers have brewed it also with rave reviews. Another one that came out well is Thai basil & lemongrass wheat. But not all experimentation beers have turned out well, I’m still trying to perfect a baklava inspired beer with honey, pistachios, and philo dough.

Dayton Beer Company just opened, and Toxic Brew Company, Fifth Street Brewpub, Vitruvian Brew, Yellow Springs Brewery and Dayton History are poised to open breweries in the near future. Plenty of restaurants already have a wide selection of craft beers in the area, like Boston’s, South Park Tavern, Chappy’s, and a few others. Do you think Dayton is close to a saturation point on breweries and craft beer?

Not even close, we’ve only just begun. I had a theory before the new resurgence of breweries. I think Dayton was the largest craft thirsty market in the US that didn’t have an operating brewery. Look at the numbers Fifth Street Brewpub got for their charter member drive. Their original goal was 300 they got 830, in one month. I feel that Dayton and surrounding areas could support a double digit number of breweries. Grand Rapids, Michigan and Ashville, North Carolina split the Beer City USA title this year. Those aren’t huge markets but beer tourism drives some of that. Don’t be surprised to see some beer tourism in Dayton a couple years from now.

What is your advice to someone that wants to start brewing? What is a good “beginning style” to start with?

My advice for new brewers is to do some reading first. Read Jon Palmer’s “How to Brew”. Either pick up a copy or read it online at howtobrew.com. He writes it in a way so you can avoid mistakes and have a successful beer they will enjoy and be proud of the first time they brew. Other than that, start small, pick up a Brewer’s Best Deluxe Equipment Kit and a small bottle of Star San sanitizer. Cleaning and sanitization are very important and are two separate actions. The Brewer’s Best English Brown Ale is by far the best selling first time brewer recipe kit, it comes out like a Newcastle. The nice thing about the recipe kits is they only require a 2 ½ gallon boil so it can be done on the stove

Belmont Party Supply, BrewTensils, and Stacker’s Subs and Grub are all located on Smithville Road, near Watervliet Avenue. You can call BrewTensils at (937) 252-4724, and become their fan on Facebook. Cheers!