Owner Wes Heupel said choosing a news theme is a “long story,” but it came down to wanting a “high-energy kind of atmosphere.”
“News is always evolving, always changing, constantly trying to keep up ... (it) kind of fit that vibe,” he said.
One wall of the space is covered with printed-off Middletown City Council agendas, clocks with different time zones, Post-It notes and strings connecting them all. Sandwiches are served in newspaper print food wrap.
Heupel, 36, of Franklin said the brewery side of the business is a “family environment” and not very loud; he’s hoping The Press Room can be the opposite.
“I feel like people already had an option if they wanted to bring their kids in and have a quiet meal,” he said. “They can order over there at the bar and stay on that side of the wall. If you want to come over here, then it’s more of like an ADHD environment.”
Heupel also plans to have electronic dance music pumping through the kitchen speakers.
“We’re not gonna go to sleep in here,” he said.
Credit: Bryn Dippold
Credit: Bryn Dippold
For now, Heupel is keeping the menu simple with four sandwiches available: Italian, Reuben, turkey and grilled cheese, priced $8-9.
“I brew all the beer next door, I didn’t want to have a ton more on my plate,” Heupel said.
Customers may order at the bar in the brewery’s space, and Heupel is making all of the sandwiches for the time being.
When the brewery and sandwich shop are not open, Heupel works a third job as a part-time microbiologist. He co-owns the brewery with his wife, Nikki, who also works as a teacher.
In 2020, the couple founded the brewery in a First Avenue home along with friend Beth O’Harra, who stepped away from an ownership position in June 2025. The owners moved into the brewery’s current 4,000-square-foot space at 1330 Manchester Ave. in summer 2023.
Looking forward, Heupel hopes to expand, hire some kitchen staff and add smash burgers to the menu, along with selling Red Bull and potentially coffee.
“I’m trying to build an atmosphere that thrives on chaos,” he said.
The kitchen space at N.E.W. Ales previously held Steel City Pizza, which moved to Hamilton in September 2025 and rebranded as Rossville Pizza Company.
When Steel City Pizza opened within N.E.W. Ales, Heupel said he “wasn’t ready to get into food,” but now, “I wanted to do something that I had control of.”
The sandwich shop will be open when the brewery is open.
“It won’t be 100% the same hours ... I’ll probably be opening an hour later than the brewery and closing an hour earlier,” Heupel said.
A soft opening for The Press Room is planned Wednesday evening. The brewery is open 4-9 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 12-9 p.m. Saturday and 12-6 p.m. Sunday.
About the Author
