“Bellbrook is a tight-knit community,” Bean said. “It’s awesome, the fact that we can do this and provide something to the community (that) would be so close.”
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
Sugarcreek Brewing Company will be located at 26 E. Franklin Street in the historical Sugarcreek Township House. Bean said the building most recently housed Little Miami Handworks, but in the late 1800s commenced the first ever graduating class of Bellbrook High School. Over the years, the space housed musical events and city council meetings and was also a polling place.
The block building in the rear, now serving as a brew room, housed the township’s only ambulance and police department evidence rooms at one time, Bean added.
“I think they’ll really appreciate the long history in that building,” he said. “It’s so unique down to the floors that were handmade from previous owners. It took them two years to install all the flooring. It’s all ash trees from the surrounding county.”
The 4,400-square-foot space will feature a tap room with 10 taps and seating for 75 to 100 guests, Bean said. They will also have outdoor seating and food trucks on site.
The 10 taps featured will be rotating taps of hand-crafted IPA forward, seasonal and experimental type beer selections, Bean said. Two examples of beer that will be on tap are The Golden Eagle Ale, a golden ale, and The Rookie, a blonde ale. Bean said The Rookie is named after his late brother-in-law, Tony Ernst, who held several football and basketball records at Bellbrook High School and the University of Dayton.
Bean said his interest in the brewing industry was first sparked in the 1990s when he frequented Main Street Brewery in Cincinnati.
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
“They were way ahead of their time before the craft brewing industry even took off,” Bean said. “I was really fascinated by the equipment and someone being able to make beer on a small scale on site.”
He said he continued to check out breweries as he traveled across the country for work and would always try to engage with the owners. About 10 years ago, he said he began homebrewing, and as he got better, he shared his product with his family, neighbors and friends.
Besides his love for craft beer and his desire to bring something new to the community, he said he decided to open a brewery because of the economic development happening in the area.
“I think providing people with good quality, crafted beer and a place where they can gather, unwind, meet friends and family and just connect with people in the local community, to me that’s what’s most important,” Bean said.
Bellbrook City Manager Rob Schommer said the city hopes the brewery is a catalyst for more great things to occur in the downtown area.
“We certainly think it’s going to be a great addition to the community,” Schommer said. “City Council over the course of the last year has put a lot of focus into efforts for revitalizing our downtown and bringing more members of the community in the area into our downtown. This is a celebration of that.”
Bean said he hopes the brewery is open for the Sugar Maple Festival at the end of April.
For more information about Sugarcreek Brewing Company, visit www.sugarcreekbrewingcompany.net.
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