I’ve been telling anyone who cares to listen (especially the people who claim that our craft beer “bubble” is bursting) that this year, especially the last half, is going to be unlike anything that this city has seen yet for brewery openings.  We’ve already seen 8 breweries open their taprooms this year, and we’re set if all things work the way I hope for 7 more to open up before the end of 2017.

The first of these openings looks like it might be Grainworks Brewing in West Chester.  That’s right… 9/9/17 better be clear on your calendar if you want to keep up on your Cincinnati Brewery checklists!

Who is Grainworks?

The Journal News first broke the exciting news for Butler County that another brewery would be opening up in Liberty Township back in January.  Since then, it seems like the team of founders (Steven Brock, Anthony Russel, and Brian McGinnis) has been flying a little bit under the radar.

The project has been in the works for two years, and Butler County… more specifically the Liberty Twp area only made sense for them to set their sights.  All three of the founders live in Liberty Township and wanted to bring what they love to their neighbors, instead of another part of town.

In their words:

We love craft beer and entertaining friends, and starting a brewery is an idea which we had always kicked around.  Talking with our neighbors, we picked up on their desire for more options to enjoy fresh, locally-made beers close to home, so we set out to make great beers in a comfortable, yet vibrant environment in our backyard.”

The brewery isn’t doing things in a small way, either.  They are kicking things off with a 10bbl brewhouse and 6 20bbl fermenters.  It’s clear that they want to let this city know that they are up here in Butler County – and that they’ve got beer.

About The Space

The brewery understands the importance that the taproom has in today’s craft beer world, and they wanted to be able to take pride not just in what comes out of the taps, but the space that those taps resided in, as well.  The taproom is full of small touches that were all constructed by the hands of the three founders themselves.  Tables and the bar, all the farm/industrial accents, the 1500 square foot patio addition… it’s all crucial parts of setting the stage of what you feel – and they wanted to make sure they did it right.

Co-Owner Steven Brock said about the taproom’s astehetic:

We are craftsmen in every sense of the word and want to share our passion for beer after a good day’s work with our friends, neighbors, and community.  We believe they will be pleasantly surprised with the results

The brewery and taproom is located at 7790 Service Center Drive, right between 75 and Cox Rd, just a bit south of the Liberty Road exit… a perfect location right in the middle of Municipal, Dogberry, Rivertown, Figleaf and Quarter Barrel.  It all feels like it’s tying together more and more perfectly!

About The Grand Opening

The brewery is gearing up for their Grand Opening on September 9th from 11 am until midnight.  They’ll have 6-8 different beers on tap for the festivities, including their flagship beers:

  • Haybale ESB
  • Scottish MISTS Scottish Ale
  • Killjoy Porter

The seasonal and special releases that you’ll find for the event are:

  • Blueberry Ale
  • Brown Ale
  • West Coast IPA
  • As well as possibly a couple other surprises if all works out!

They’ve teamed up with fellow Liberty Twp business Lyon’s BBQ to serve up their Texas-style beef brisket and pulled pork straight out of the smoker during the event – paired up with their various delicious side dishes.  There will also be some other food options that will be announced before the event.

I’ll have a lot more about these guys and this brewery once I get out there to give it a try – as usual… keep your eyes and ears peeled!!

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