Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More
During Dayton Beer Week two of Dayton’s local, family owned and operated companies are teaming up to delight the Miami Valley’s taste buds.
Mikesell’s, a staple of Dayton kitchens, barbecues and parties since 1910, is launching two new snack flavors: Beer Can Chicken Groovy Chips and Southwest Queso Cheese Curls.
There’s no doubt about it, Daytonians love beer. Considering Dayton’s long history with beer, it’s no surprise we like to wet our whistles with the stuff. The brewing industry was booming in Dayton up until stupid Prohibition, and I like to imagine all of the great Dayton icons clinking together their mugs after a long day of inventing stuff. Luckily for us, Carillon Brewing Company will be giving us an opportunity to see what it was like to have a brewery in 1850’s Dayton. It’s kind of like going to an exhibit about brewing in the 19th Century and then getting to drink the beer, wine, and cider once they’re done… Come to think of it, that’s exactly what it is.
The BuildingAs you probably would imagine, creating an authentic 19th century experience in the 21st century is no easy task. But even before entering, the building’s brick exterior, hand-painted signage, and dozens of pastoral windows create an old-world atmosphere. When you pass through the giant wooden entrance doors, you see that brick paneling line the walls, and gigantic solid pieces of un-sanded timber wood provide the support to the wide-open, two story interior. The rustic wooden tables were hand-made by the staff, including Tanya Brock, the manager of Carillon Brewing, and Brady Kress, the President and CEO of Dayton History. The seasonal bier garden, which seats around 100 people, will feature an outdoor bar, and will be lit by live gas lanterns. To contrast the 1850’s atmosphere, behind-the-scenes areas are completely contemporary. The kitchen, for example, is full of pristine stainless steel. However, these modern amenities don’t take away from the experience of stepping into a 19th century brewpub.
The restaurant, which will be open for lunch and dinner, will feature dishes that are inspired mainly by German cuisine, but will also have influences of Irish and English fare. The inspiration for the menu comes from the fact that many of the early Dayton breweries were owned and operated by 1st or 2nd generation German families.
In the main dining area (which seats around 180 guests) sits the brewery, which is a two story, three-tiered brick oven. It will serve as both a functional brewery and an interactive exhibit; patrons will not only be able to sample the beer, but will get to aid in the brewing process. This alone makes Carillon Brewing Company a unique visit for Daytonians and tourists alike. Once the beer has finished fermenting and conditioning, it will be served out of taps in oak barrels. The brewing system will utilize good ol’ fashioned fire for heating, and gravity to move from the mash to the boil.
It’s hard not to be excited about Dayton after visiting Carillon Brewing. As with the other exhibits at Carillon Park, they strive to make the experience as authentic as possible. It’s worth visiting for a number of amazing reasons, not the least of which is pre-prohibition beer.
They will be having a soft opening on Friday, August 22nd. The restaurant and brewery will be fully operational within a month. The hours will be Monday through Saturday 9:30 AM -10:00 PM and Sunday 11:00am- 10:00pm, with food service starting at 11:00am daily.
Special thanks to Tom Gilliam of @DaytonGram and @DaytonHistory for providing photographs.
Eudora Brewing Company, located at 4716 Wilmington Pike in Kettering, has just announced they will be debuting their newest beer, Le Cheval Magique on Wed, August 14th. It’s a Belgian Golden Strong Ale made with Belgian yeast, Belgian malt, and Belgian hops. The yeast gives it a fruity/spiced character.
At 8.9% alcohol by volume, it’s the strongest beer they’ve brewed to date. If you’re wondering what the name means, it’s named after a mystical horse that is said to live in a wooded area of Belgium. “Cheval Magique” is French for “magic horse”. Just in case you didn’t know, French is one of the official languages of Belgium. Anyway, it will be on tap at Eudora starting tomorrow, and they will be rotating it with the Mother Fuggle from this day forward. Come in and try it, it’s MAGICALLY delicious!
Eudora is also the only Dayton area brewery that allows you to be the brewmaster. A variety of recipes are available for you to brew. Whether you’ve brewed before or you have no idea what you’re doing, they pro’s at Eudora are there to guide you through every step of the process and make it as easy and as fun as possible.
After scheduling an appointment, you’ll be asked to choose a recipe. After deciding on what recipe you want to brew, you’ll start heating up your strike water and fetch your ingredients with the help from a staff member. The staff member will then help you through the brewing process (or simply supervise to make sure you’re doing okay) from start to finish.
After the actual brewing process is complete, you leave the beer with them to ferment in their fermentation room for 2-4 weeks. They monitor the fermentation and carbonate the beer once it’s done fermenting.
You’ll then return to Eudora on your previously-scheduled bottling day to package the beer. After bottling and applying labels, the beer is yours to take home and enjoy.
A 5-gallon batch makes about 40-45 12oz. bottles of beer and runs about $70 for a standard series beer like a Blonde Ale, Hefeweizen, English Brown Ale, Irish Red Ale or Belgian Pale Ale. Premium beers like the Robust Porter, Milk Stout or Belgian Dubbel will run you $85 for a 5 gallon batch and you can even step up to a Strong Scottish Ale, Imperial IPA or Russian Imperial Stout for about $100 a batch. Add bottles and custom labels for another $30. For more info on the Brew Your Own option, please contact Eudora at (937) 723-6863.
The 16th annual AleFest Dayton returns to the Miami Valley on Saturday, August 23, 2014 showcasing over 400 unique beers and ciders from more than 180 craft breweries around the world with a special focus on Dayton area breweries.
This year’s event offers exciting changes starting with new owners, Jennifer Dean and Amanda Pond, a new venue, Wegerzyn Gardens (1301 Siebenthaler Ave., Dayton, OH 45414) and a brand new VIP ticket option. Up to 500 beer enthusiasts will have the opportunity to enter at 1PM to mingle in a relaxed environment with brewery representatives and industry experts. Special cask tappings like abby XXXX from Toxic Brew Company will also be a part of the VIP experience. VIP tickets are $50 and only available for purchase online here!.
General admission tickets, which run $40 at the door or $35 in advance, include 20 tasting tickets, a commemorative glass, and program guide. Designated drivers will be admitted for $15 and will receive a commemorative tasting glass as well as complimentary soda and water. No one under 21 will be admitted. All guests can enjoy the live music and a variety of food from some of the Miami Valley’s favorite local restaurants will be available for purchase. A portion of the proceeds from this year’s event will benefit the Epilepsy Foundation of Western Ohio.
AleFest Co-Owner Jennifer Dean shares, “We’re especially excited to be able to showcase so many of our local beers.” The explosion of local breweries has added a plethora of new options for beer enthusiasts and here are the local beers you’ll be able to taste:
The Dayton Beer Co. – Oregon Alley IPA, Broken Empire Russian Imperial IPA
Eudora Brewing Company – Summer Pilsner, Boomerang IPA, Oatmeal Stout, Blonde Ale
Fifth Street Brew Pub – Scottish 85, Jo’s Midnight Stout
Lucky Star Brewery – Wicked Mutha Milk Stout, We Eat Honey Wheat, Ojos Locos Pale Lager
Toxic Brew Company – Black Toni, Cap City Hustler, Porn or Pawn Pepper
Warped Wing Brewery – Ermal’s, Self Starter, Secret Hoperation,
Yellow Springs Brewery – Goats Eye Belgian Style Pale Ale, Smoking Handsome Brown Ale, Greeat Lakes Collaboration
Cellar Dweller – Copperhead APA, Look Out Dry Irish Stout
Rhinegeist – Truth IPA, Zen Pale Ale, Cougar Blond
And like those aren’t tempting enough, there will be selecitons for the following Regional Breweries: Mission, North Coast, Stone, Breckenridge, Great Divide, Left Hand, Boulder Beer Co., Dogfish Head, 5 Rabbit, Revolution, Two Brothers, Alltech, Jolly Pumpkin, Heavy Seas, Sixpoint, Fad Heads, Hoppin Frog, Hinterland, Madtree, Jackie O’s, Unibroue, Chouffe, La Trappe, St. Feullien, JW Lees, Greene King, Aecht Schlenkerla, Schneider, Weihenstephaner, Schneider, Riegele, Bards, Wyders, Original Sin, Virtue, Sonoma and many more!
Tickets can be purchased at www.AleFest.com or at any of your favorite beer venues listed below:
5th Street Wine & Deli, A Taste of Wine, Archer’s Tavern, Arrow Wine Centerville, Arrow Wine Kettering, Bee Gee’s Market, Beer Barn, Belmont Party Supply, Blind Bob’s, Bottle No. 121, Brixx Ice Company, Bruning’s Wine Cellar, Buffalo Wild Wings Troy, Bunkers Bar, Cellar Dweller Brewery, Centerville Carry Out, Century Bar, Chappys Tap Room & Grille, Company 7 BBQ, Cuvée Wine Bar & Cellar, Dayton Beer Company, DLM Centerville, DLM Oakwood, DLM Springboro, Dublin Pub, Eudora Brewing Co., Fifth Street Brewpub Co-Op, FiftyWest, Flanagan’s Pub, Flyboys Deli, Hareless Hare, Jerardi’s Little Store, Jimmie’s Ladder 11, Jungle Jim’s (Cincinnati), Jungle Jim’s (Eastgate), King’s Table, Liquor & Wine Warehouse Miller Lane, Listermann’s Brewing Supply (Cincinnati), Lock 27 Brewing Company, Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery, MadTree Brewing, Manor Wine & Liquor, Miami Valley Wine & Spirits (Tipp City), Milanos Atlantic City Subs Beavercreek, Milanos Atlantic City Subs Brown St., Milanos Atlantic City Subs SR 741, Oregon Express, Piqua Beverage Center, Pour Haus, River’s Bend Wine & Spirits, Rivertown Brewery, Rhinegeist, Rumbleseat Wines, Slyder’s Tavern, South Park Tavern, Spinoza’s Pizza & Salads, Star City, Tank’s Bar & Grill, Thai9, The Market, The Pub at the Greene, Toxic Brew Company, Trolley Stop, Wine Works, Yellow Springs Brewery, and Warped Wing.
Special DMM Ticket Offer: For our MostMetro.com readers we’ve got tickets to give away. To be entered in our drawing, like and share this story, enter below and share a comment below on telling us about your favorite beer or one you are looking forward to try! We’ll name our winners on Sunday! [form 55 “DMM Contest Entry – Generic”]
Yes, they do really glow like that.
Behold humulus lupulus – a plant that grows in very similar climates that grapes do. It is dioecious, which means that the male and female part flower separately. There are a wide variety of them, found all over the world. It is a climbing plant, so when cultivating it you will see rows and rows of upright poles for the plant to grow on. The female flowering cones are the part of the plant we are most familiar with. We refer to them as hops, and they are used mainly as a bittering agent in beer. The bitterness comes from alpha acids that are natural to the plant. They stay with the brew, protecting it from wild bacteria and filtering the beer to make it look clearer. If that is not enough, they add a variety of flavors to the beer (most often herbal, citrusy, or earthy ones), as well as cut down the sweetness of the fermented malt.
Why are hops so important? The first Thursday in August is rapidly being established as International IPA Day, and the most important thing to an IPA is hops. Lots and lots of hops. IPA is the shortening of “India pale ale”, a style of beer that is almost 200 years old. IPAs are most noted for their bitterness and complexity, having enough malt to balance out the hops. Some brewers also add other ingredients to the mix (Three Floyd’s Apocalypse Cow adds milk sugar) to tame the hoppiness. The colors of IPAs usually fall into the golden or amber hues, but some will get dark as the malts are given a deep roast (like 21st Amendment’s Back In Black).
Where it all began…British India.
The history of the IPA is, say it with me, muddy at best. The most common story is this one: Britain was colonizing India in the 18th and 19th centuries. The soldiers out there still wanted a fine beer to drink, and getting fine British ales out to the troops was problematic. Popular British ales had a tendency to spoil on the long trip over, so they needed something that was a little hardier. A gentleman named George Hodgson was the first to crack to code with October beer. It was well hopped and intended to be cellared for up to two years. It was considered “pale ale” because it was lighter than the porters and ales England was used to. It also traveled much better than normal ales because of the hops’ nature of keeping the beer protected from microbes. While Hodgson was the first to send such pale ales over to India, the breweries in Burton-on-Trent became the most popular. Because of certain impurities in the water there, the beer was a little more bitter than normal. The soldiers (and people of India) fell in love with the ale, and it became a staple. It was popular until nearly the 20th century, when it was replaced with a mix of whiskies, gins, and teas. Mainly teas.
Over the years IPA has evolved into three distinct subcategories. American Style IPAs are more citrusy and herbal than their traditional counterparts, looking to go for big flavors. English Style IPAs are brewed in the traditional style, focusing more on the balance of the malt and English grown hops, and creating a well crafted and consistent beer. Belgian Style IPAs often employ American hops, but are bottle conditioned with Belgian yeast, giving the beer a little more cloudiness. American craft brewers have fallen in love with the style (and substyles) over the last few years, going out of their way to cross breed hops to try new flavors. They have imported hops from New Zealand, as well as emulated classic hops from England. The United States is one of the three largest growers of hops in the world, after Germany and Ethiopia. All of them have their characteristic bitterness, and that bitterness is measured in something called International Bittering Units, or IBUs. It is a scientific, chemical calculation. Sometimes it is listed on the bottle, depending on how proud the brewer is of the hoppiness in the beer. Most American Lagers, like Budweiser and Coors, have an IBU rating between 5 and 17. IPAs tend to range from 40-60, some going higher. Imperial stouts actually have higher IBUs (50-80), but the heavily roasted malt overpowers the bitter hops. Green Flash’s Palate Wrecker is an off the chart 100+ IBU (there is no good measurement for over 100, but their site claims 149 IBUs), and is available at the Van Buren Tap Room if you are looking for a challenge to your mouth, or you just hate your taste buds.
There is even a hashtag! They are serious about this…
Some of you may be unfamiliar with what beers to celebrate with, and that is okay. We also have a Snobby Beer Guy on staff, and I ran into him at the Kegerator. We have perks here at the office. When I asked him what some of the best IPAs are out there, he offered up Fat Head’s Head Hunter IPA and Brew Kettle’s White Raja. Ohio’s own Great Lakes Brewing Company also has a highly recommended IPA, Commodore Perry. Other highly recommended IPAs I have tried (and read about) include Flying Dog’s Raging Bitch (also banned in Michigan), Sam Adams’ Latitude 48, Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA, and Stone Brewing’s Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale. Our own local Dayton Beer Company is also brewing an IPA for you to enjoy. With the popularity of IPAs right now, any brew house will have a fine selection on hand. Some places you may look to are Chappy’s Tap Room, South Park
Tavern, and Boston’s Bistro. If you are looking to celebrate at home, you can stop at Belmont Party Supply for all of the beers mentioned above, and a few more that only their staff knows about.
If you have been hiding safely in the realm of lighter, sweeter beers, go out and wake your taste buds up with a few India pale ales. It took months of creativity and dedication to create something this complex, and you should go out and try them at least once. It is International IPA Day, and every beer deserves a chance at a good home. Cheers!
NOTE: This article originally noted that hops added alcohol content. After further research, that turned out to be false. Hops add bitter notes, antiseptic qualities, and balance.
This article originally ran in August of 2012 and we find it just as relevant today, only with many more IPA’s to choose from!
Ana & Glenn Perrine have been working for over a year on remodeling their 21,000 square foot building on 2nd Street in Miamisburg. The 170 year old building has been transformed into a taproom and Mexican style cantina. Ana’s El Paso roots can be seen in the decor and on the menu of the Cantina. Lucky Star Brewery & Cantina will be offering 5 beers to start and guests will be able to order from an appetizer menu that includes beef, chicken and vegetarian tacos as well as a selection of dips and chips.
Lucky Star will be opening up this Friday at 1pm with the ceremonial ribbon cutting at 3pm.
Glenn has a passion for IPA’s, big stouts and wheat beers and has been a home brewer for years. He worked in a Colorado brewpub, where he picked up a passion for creating non-traditional brewing systems. Lucky Star will have a 10 barrel brew system, which will the centerpiece of the tap room. By placing the brewing right in the middle of the room, guests will be able to smell the hops, and watch the process.
Just one block down from Star City Brewing, which opened last fall in the former Peerless Mill building , the opening of Lucky Star will create a brewery district in Miamisburg. Ana says, “we get along great with Brian and Justin, we’ve been over to their place and they’ve come over to visit us. There’s no doubt the two breweries will make Miamisburg more of a beer destination than just having one open.” Lucky Star will be open 7 days a week, opening for lunch and staying open through the day, but hours may be adjusted once they’ve been open and find out what customers want, according to Ana.
Lucky Star will be the 10th brewery to open in the region and Carillon Brewing Co. is scheduled to open Aug 22nd. Cheers to Dayton’s support of local beer!
Brewmaster Darren Link, of the Fifth Street Brewpub, has been working hard in the brewhouse in St. Anne’ Hill to bring freshly us brewed beer and finally on Wed, July 16th you’ll be able to sample the first of many beers to come from the 2500+ member owned co-op. On tap this week will be:
Management shares that growlers will not be offered right away, “but will be offered to member-owners and patrons in the next upcoming months as we expand production of our FSB craft beers.”
Doors normally open at 4pm during the week, but for this special event we’ll see you there at 3pm!
And don’t worry if you can’t make it Wed, MostMetro.com is currently working on adding Fifth Street Brewpub to our Brew Tours! And later this month the 10th area brewery should also be serving, as Dayton History’s Carillon Brewing Co. is scheduled to open in August.
Warped Wing Brewing Company celebrates Dayton’s rich history of invention, innovation and industry as inspiration for their uniquely crafted beers and brewery/taproom. This is the foundation on which the Warped Wing brand is grounded. Warped Wing Brewing Company (WWBC) is excited to announce the release of cans to the Dayton market in mid July. WWBC will be the first brewery in Dayton to can beer in 64 years. President Joe Waizmann adds “We’re excited to be first to revive cans since Miami Valley Brewing closed their doors in 1950”.
story both visually and in copy about the beer, while collectively telling the Warped Wing brand story. Nick Bowman, Sales & Marketing adds “We put a lot of thought into the artistic design of our cans with the hope that people would appreciate them as much as the beer inside and think twice about throwing them away.”
Ermal’s Belgian Style Cream Ale pays homage to Ermal Fraze, inventor of the Pull-off tab (1959) and later the Pop-top can. The can design is inspired by 1950’s super hero comic books. It shows the craft can hero Ermal coming out of a steam-punk whale in a space ship fashioned after a beer can. He is off to deliver his invention to the world as he and his crew drop easy open cans down to the world.
Fifth Street Brewpub (FSB), the only co-operatively owned brewpub in Dayton, and the fastest growing one in the nation, announced today they will be celebrating their 2nd birthday on Sunday, June 22 from noon to 11 pm with a huge birthday bash. The event is open to the public and there will be something for everyone, so all are invited to join in the fun.
Board of Directors Member and Communication Director, Laura Hensley, said event attendees can expect a “fun-filled day, complete with live music by FSB favorite local artists Nick Mitchell from 1 – 3 pm and Jonathon Hamilton from 7 – 9 pm. Plus, specialty food! Our very own Executive Chef Liam Hennessy will be preparing exclusive menu items to celebrate the occasion, so you won’t want to miss out on these signature treats. And, back to help us celebrate our birthday with specially-created FSB-themed food truck items just for this occasion are two FSB fan favorite food trucks: Harvest Mobile Cuisine and Bella Sorella” said Hensley. Bella Sorrella will be at the event from 12 – 5 pm and Harvest Mobile Cuisine is scheduled to be at the Birthday Bash from 5 – 9 pm.
Then there’s the beer. General Manager Dave Tickel has quite the line-up for patrons, including: Heavy Seas Cask Ale, Heavy Seas Double Oak, Double Citra Cask Beer, and a wide selection of locally brewed craft beer.
High Spirits Cupcakes also will be back at Fifth Street Brewpub for the party, offering two flavors each of their mini cupcakes, both infused with FSB brewmaster Darren Link’s beer. Get two mini cupcakes for $3
The Birthday Bash also officially welcomes back Sunday operating hours at the brewpub. The brewpub will now be open every 
Sunday.
Patrons will be able to enjoy everything the brewpub has to offer including twelve great craft beers on tap, a wide selection of red and white wine, and mixed drinks plus signature dishes created by Executive Chef Liam Hennesy.
While Fifth Street Brewpub is co-operatively owned, and has more than 2,500 member-owners, it is open to the public, too. Interested non-members can still join the brewpub at the one-time fee of $125 and own a share of the co-op. For more details visit www.brewpubgifts.com.
Fifth Street Brewpub’s hours of operation are: Monday through Thursday 4 pm to 11 pm, Friday 11 am to midnight, Saturday 11 am to midnight, and Sunday with the kitchen service ending one hour before closing. For more information, call (937) 443-0919.
Join Warped Wing Brewing Company this Thursday in the Tasting Room as they tap their newest limited release Mr Mean Imperial IPA.
Mr Mean is inspired by 13th album recorded by The Ohio Players. The Ohio Players were an American funk and R&B band, most popular in the 70’s. The band formed in Dayton, O in 1959 as the Ohio Untouchables. In 1977 the band was at the height of its popularity when actor Fred Williamson asked them to create music for Mr Mean, a movie he was writing and directing. Mr Mean was also the first time the entire band was featured on the cover posing with their model.
This Mean ass IPA is pale orange with copper highlights and has a funk load of Amarillo and Centennial hops providing citrus and fruity aromas and a very bitter finish. The malt character is slightly bready/nutty with a dry finish. At 9% ABV and 96 IBU’s this beer will keep your inner soul groovin’ with every sip!
As an added treat they will have Colemine Records in the house dropping some funky 45’s for your listening pleasure. Tapping Party kicks off at 5:00….see you then!
We are officially past what I like to think of as “Big Beer Season” – winter through early spring – which brings us higher ABV brews such as winter warmers, imperial stouts, bourbon barrel-aged beers, imperial IPAs, and doppelbocks, to name some of the more prominent suspects. I certainly enjoyed my fair share of these, but now that summer weather has arrived, I find lighter beers (both in substance and alcohol content) to be more suitable. Enter the session beer.
An ABV level of 5% or less is a general guideline for defining a session beer. A session beer is perfect for those times when you want to enjoy several 
beers without feeling too full or having your senses dulled. While many of the available mainstream lagers meet this threshold for alcohol and can actually be pretty refreshing when nice & cold, they obviously are also lighter in flavor and are all very similar. But, since we craft beer drinkers appreciate flavor and variety, it’s good to know that there are other options.
Some traditional styles that fit the bill include kölsch, pilsner (Czech or German styles), Bavarian weizen/weissbier, Belgian wit and English mild. These can check in at under 5% ABV while still offering plenty of flavor. More and more craft brewers are making excellent interpretations of these styles. Ah, but even better, American brewers have really started to catch on to this need and demand for session beers and, in typical US fashion, this has involved stretching the boundaries of an existing beer style. Enter the “session IPA” which is somewhat of an oxymoron since traditional IPAs are brewed to slightly higher ABV levels. The session IPA dials that back below a typical craft brew, yet retains a generous hopping level. Pure genius, if you ask me.
So, here’s to enjoying some tasty yet lighter beers this summer. Get your session on!
by Bill Lau of potablepastime.wordpress.com
Courtesy of The Brew News
The Dayton Racquet Club plays host to an evening of beer tasting this Wed night from 6-9pm with their Hops for Hope Benefit.
Enjoy 30 craft beers from some of the finest breweries representing the Miami Valley paired with sumptuous bites prepared by Executive Chef Joe Fish. Food pairing will be matched with each style or beer. Live entertainment and several area golf course packages will be available for bidding on during our auction, so come snap up a great deal on golf at one of our local courses. Tickets run $35 per person.
Complimentary parking is available in the Kettering Tower Parking Garage. Bring your parking ticket up to the club for validation. Smart Casual Attire.
Net proceeds raised during this Charity Classic event will be allocated evenly to Artemis Center – Dayton’s Domestic Violence Resource Agency, Augie’s Quest at the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI), and Employee Partner Care Foundation (E.P.C.F.). All registration fees will be collected by ALS TDI and distributed to the other two charities. Buy tickets online to avoid a line at the door.
DMM Ticket Contest: We’ve got a pair of tickets to give away, so just give us a like, fill out the form below and a reason you should be our winner in the comments below. We’ll randomly pick a winner Tues. [form 55 “DMM Contest Entry – Generic”]
The 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 
Warped 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!
Diabetes Dayton will hold its 5th annual Big Brews and Blues fundraiser on Friday, May 16 from 5-9pm at Carillon Park. With the event taking place at the end of American Craft Beer week, it’s only right that it features a unique selection of American beer with a specific emphasis on beer brewed in Ohio. This year there will be 60 beers to chose from, some of which will only be available at this event. One unique offering is a Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald, Boston Stoker coffee-infused cask-conditioned ale. They will have beer represented from breweries such as Thirsty Dog, Samuel Adams and Mt. Carmel, to name a few. And there is a special emphasis on our local microbreweries, with 2 selections each from: Dayton Beer Company, Eudora, Toxic Brew, Yellow Springs Brewery, Star City Brewing, Hairless Hare, and Lock 27.
Smokehouse, Taqueria Mixteca and Brock Masterson’s. The music also draws from local talent with Chris Yakopcic starting the evening off, followed by the Eric Jerardi Band, and the final act of the evening will be the Mark May Band with the Soul Satyr Horns.
Tickets for this 21 and older event are $30 presale or $40 at the door and include 20 2oz tastes with a souvenir sampling glass. General admission for those who’d like to just come out for some great music is $20. Tickets can be purchased at a variety of ticket locations throughout the Dayton area or on-line. The event is all under tents and will be held rain or shine (the forecast is 70 and sunny right now). Information can be found on the event website www.bigbrewsandblues.com and you can also call the Diabetes Dayton office at 937-220-6611.
DMM Ticket Contest
We’re giving away 2 pairs of tickets fro Big Brews and Blues. If you ‘d like to throw your name in the drawing, like this post, tell us your favorite brew in the comment below and fill out the form. We’ll announce the winners Wed night![form 55 “DMM Contest Entry – Generic”]
The brewery boom that is now happening in Dayton started just a little bit earlier in Cincinnati. Rhinegeist Brewery opened in the historic Over the Rhine near Findlay Market in June of 2013. The 50,000 square foot brewery was originally built before prohibition in 1895 and was operated as part of the Moerlein Brewing company. Rhinegeist opened their doors as a 20-barrel brewhouse with four 40-barrel fermenters, and has since expanded to an annual capacity of over 10,000BBL (20,000 kegs).
Rhinegeist co-founders Bryant Goulding (left) and Bob Bonder.
The yin/yang of their brewing philosophy is hoppy/sessionable, and they aim to brew beers where “the first sip calls for the third”. Rhinegiest co-founder Bryant Goulding was the West Coast regional sales manager for Delaware’s Dogfish Head Brewery, and prior to that, worked for California’s Anderson Valley Brewing Company. In September 2011, Goulding received a call from Bob Bonder, president of the Tazza Mia coffee house empire. Bonder, 31, met Goulding when the two worked in San Francisco. Bonder asked Goulding to visit Cincinnati to help work on the business plan for Rhinegeist. Goulding responded: “Bob, I’m not going to move to Cincinnati,” but agreed to assist. He ultimately returned to the West Coast, broke up with his girlfriend, and set in motion plans that led to his move to Ohio in 2012.
Rhinegeist Brewery recently announced that theye are expanding distribution to include the entire Dayton Ohio market. Beer drinkers throughout Dayton will be able to get their hands on the Cincinnati-made brew in local bars, restaurants, and retail locations. To celebrate the launch, Rhinegeist will be partnering with various local watering holes to throw tapping/tasting parties. Each party will include the chance to enjoy Rhinegeist beer, enter to win prizes, and even meet the brewery staff (they’re an interesting bunch, promise).
Dayton Launch Events:
Mon,May 12- Company 7 BBQ Brew Crew Event
Wed, May 14- Rhinegeist Tap Takeover at Jimmie’s Ladder 11
Thurs, May 15 – Archers Tavern Official Dayton Launch Party
Fri, May 15 – Big Brews & Blues Festival
