After rumor after rumor, idea after idea – we finally have the news – Moeller Brew Barn bought Rivertown. The brewery that launched in Maria Stein back in 2015 has been on a meteoric growth over the last couple of years which makes this on one hand not surprising at all, but on another… incredibly shocking. Let’s talk.

Rivertown

When Rivertown closed, or more accurately, in the many months leading up to their eventual closing back in February of this year, there were a ton of rumors about what that meant for the space. To be open, it got to the point where I had no idea what was real, and what was complete made-up nonsense anymore.

I heard it all. A massive west coast brewery was coming, a massive east coast brewery was coming – seltzer factories, Dayton brewery outposts… it all made sense somehow, and it made it really hard to follow the real story.

I don’t know what it is about Rivertown that fuels a fire like this. The nostalgia of what the brewery meant to a lot of us might be it. It could also be that the space in Monroe is a 25,875 square foot brewing facility that is designed to crank out a TON of beer. Whoever was going to move into it needed to have big plans for the future – and I should have guessed when someone told me it was a “semi-local” spot that Moeller Brew Barn was a possibility.

About Moeller Brew Barn And Their Growth

Moeller Brew Barn opened up in Maria Stein back in 2015, as I mentioned earlier. Their original spot is fantastic. I’ve made a few stops there over the years and it’s 100% what you expect it to be. A big barn converted into a brewery in a small town in central Ohio.

In 2019 the brewery opened its second location – this one in Troy. They converted an old church into a taproom that started to show us a different side of their personality. The space might not be a “brew barn” but it is Moeller through and through. Repurposing a space, finding a home in a small town that has a dedicated group of craft beer drinkers, more than happy to find a barstool that made them feel good.

Then came, or will come, space three. This one is the one that really got me to start following these guys a lot closer. Dayton. Their currently under construction taproom in Dayton is going to be incredible. The taproom plans got slowed down by the pandemic, but it certainly didn’t stop these folks. They are working on a space that will be not just a great tourist spot (it’s right downtown by the baseball stadium… and don’t get me wrong, it’s designed to attract tourism) – but that once again finds a home in a small(ish) town and creates a taproom that local folks can rally behind and call their own.

This one? This new taproom is built to make beer.

About The New Spot

When Rivertown was built, it was built to make a ton of beer – to spread it far and wide. It’s incredible to see Moeller Brew Barn moving into that and shines a big light on their plans for the future.

The new location will be a taproom too, don’t kid yourself. There will be more than 24 beers on tap at any given point (their beers) including stuff that if you’re a current fan of the brewery, you’ll be familiar with, as well as new stuff that is going to be brewed on-site.

They’re going to keep the kitchen up and running, featuring Neopolitan-style pizza, Smoked Wings, Pretzels, and a bunch of other great “drinking food” as I call it.

It’s easy to look at this and think that Moeller Brew Barn is crazy to jump into this – but the space when you really start to think about it makes a ton of sense for them. A new southern extension of the brewery is going to be great as they keep growing into the future – and a ‘Cincinnati’ spot that is also in a small town fits them like a glove.

I’m beyond thrilled to call them a Cincinnati Brewery, soon, and I hope that you are too… stay tuned. I’m gonna have more to say about them!

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