Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
The historic building with 170-year-old eaves calls for some larger projects, and the brewpub hopes to complete them through a community investment campaign.
Since launching the fundraiser in June, they have been able to raise almost $30,000 to buy a new fryer. They are hoping to raise a total of $150,000 to enhance the interior, improve the kitchen and preserve the building itself.
“The support for this place is really phenomenal,” said board treasurer Michael McGovern. “This place was founded by people chipping in to start a brewpub in their neighborhood and that’s still our model moving forward.”
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Ohio’s only co-op brewpub
In 2009, several neighbors in the St. Anne’s Hill Historic District purchased the building at 1600 E. Fifth St. with the idea of creating a gathering space.
“This building has always served some version of a community gathering space since its inception,” Naghski said. “The longest running business here was Jo-Jo’s Cafe.”
After purchasing the building, the neighbors sold shares into a cooperative.
“The cooperative in their minds, at the time, from what’s been shared, is that it brings the community element,” Naghski said. “If the history of this building is a community gathering space, then all the better to tell the story and have it be owned by the community.”
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Being a cooperative means profits are reinvested into the bettering of the space, as well as the community.
There are nearly 3,800 member-owners who receive special discounts on food and drafts, as well as a vote on the board of directors and bylaws at the annual members’ assembly.
“I think what’s exciting to me as a board member and someone who’s been coming here for more than a decade is the fact that we have weathered these storms and are coming out in such a strong position,” McGovern said. “We feel very confident that between great service, great beer (and) great food, we’re in that place to keep this place going.”
A focus on classic-style beers
When Fifth Street first opened, the brewpub was offering other breweries’ beers while its brewhouse was under construction.
In 2014, the brewpub started offering its own beers.
“Right now, we’re living in that space where we focus on classic styles,” Naghski said. “We have five or six of our mainstays — from a pilsner to a house IPA to a brown ale that was named for the original brewer’s daughter... to an easy drinking farmhouse Belgian style to a stout and a seltzer."
Other options on draft rotate seasonally such as the King Basil, a honey basil pale ale that uses locally sourced ingredients.
The brewpub also offers nonalcoholic options such as a hop water tinted with butterfly pea flower or a house made ginger soda.
Brewing beers with a local connection
“I’ve been brewing beer for about 15 years. I love making beer. It’s a very fun activity. I find it rather interdisciplinary,” Naghski said. “Having worked in brewpub settings, I think the best part of the brewing process is you get to make it here on-site, transfer it, finish it here, maintain the draft lines, and at the end of the day, get to talk with regulars and folks behind the bar.”
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Naghski is originally from Chicago where he worked as the head brewer for Goose Island Beer Company. Prior to Covid, he opened several brewpub concepts for them internationally in places like Brazil, Canada, China and South Korea.
He moved to Dayton with his wife, who is from the area, in 2021.
Naghski said the Icebreaker IPA is the brewpub’s most popular beer. He described it as a classic west coast-style that’s dry, clear and pungent with Nelson, Sauvin, Citra and Mosaic.
His favorite is the Linden Gold, an English golden ale that’s light and sessionable, with a little bit more multi-purpose and backbone.
“I really enjoy working with fresh ingredients,” Naghski said. Right now, we have a fresh strawberry sour. We’re partnering with La Brisa Farms in Beavercreek. They grow the best strawberries in the Miami Valley."
Supporting local is part of the brewpub’s co-op model.
“If we are working our hardest to keep the resources that we’re using here and local, then we need to find people that are here and local to also work with,” Naghski said.
A carefully curated wine and cocktail list
Fifth Street Brewpub brews roughly 250 barrels (or 7,750 gallons) of beer a year. Ninety to 95% of is consumed on site, Naghski said.
“I want us to be a place that makes fantastic beer, but that doesn’t have to be the entire draw,” Naghski said. “We also have a great kitchen pumping out wonderful food. We pay just as much attention to our wine list and to our cocktail list as we do the beer that we’re making.”
The brewpub offers a wide variety of wine with a focus on smaller vineyards that keep sustainability in mind.
Favorite cocktails on the menu include Dayton Royale (rum, Malibu, lime and Grape Crush) or The White Lotus (Espolon tequila, Grand Marnier, lychee and toasted coconut).
A new chef offering pub-style fare
Fifth Street recently hired Matt Ellis, a chef with 25 years of experience in the food and beverage industry.
Over the last six months, he has taken ownership of the menu with several new offerings.
Customer favorites include the Smash & Draft special featuring a double patty smash burger with a classic pint for $15. This is offered on weekdays before 6 p.m.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Other favorites include:
- Fifth Street Nachos (tortilla chips, BBQ brisket from East Dayton Meat & Poultry, beer cheese, chipotle ranch, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and tomato salsa) $18
- Brisket Tacos (two tacos with smoked brisket, cilantro, onion, queso fresco and chipotle ranch) $16
- Southwest Salad (romaine, black bean and corn salsa, tomatoes, cheese and chipotle ranch) $12
- Blue Jacket Cheese Curds (house-battered cheese curds from Blue Jacket Dairy in Bellefontaine served with house made ranch and mixed berry preserves) $12
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Expanded brunch hours
The brewpub recently expanded brunch hours on the weekends: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Favorites on the brunch menu include:
- Shrimp & Grits (creamy grits with blackened shrimp, bacon and cheese) $16
- Chicken Pimento Sandwich (pickle-brined fried chicken, bacon, fried egg and pimento cheese on a biscuit) $14
- East Dayton Poutine (French fries with sausage gravy, bacon crumbles, shredded cheddar and two eggs) $16
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Giving back to the local community
As a co-op, part of the brewpub’s mission is giving back to the community.
Every Thursday, the brewpub teams up with nonprofits from across the Miami Valley by donating 10% of net sales from the evening, plus 100% of raffle proceeds with donated prizes.
Fifth Street upholds the responsibility of being a pillar in the local community.
“The folks who live here are committed to the historic nature of the neighborhood. They’re committed to those kind of aesthetics and taking a lot of pride in this area,” Naghski said. “At the end of the day, it’s beer and cheeseburgers done very well.”
MORE DETAILS
Fifth Street Brewpub is open 2 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, noon to 11 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
The family friendly brewpub features a variety of entertainment such as trivia on Tuesdays and Irish musicians on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month.
Weekly food specials include chicken wings on Wednesdays and fish and chips on Fridays.
For more information, visit fifthstreetbrewpub.com or the brewpub’s Facebook (@FifthStreetBrewpub) or Instagram (@FifthStBrewpub) pages.
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