Triple-Hopped: On The Ohio Summer Brewery Prowl

Despite signs of slowing growth, craft breweries are most certainly still a thing. According to an article in USA Today, the craft beer industry surpassed the 7,000 operating breweries by the end of 2018, according to the Brewers Association. Furthermore, the Association expects another thousand or so breweries will join the fray by the end of 2019. And while Ohio may not match the sheer numbers of craft breweries found in other states, they are more than holding their own in volume, ranking fourth in the country according to the Brewers Association.

These sheer numbers have made it more important than ever to tune in to their surrounding community. If you can’t draw the locals in on a regular basis, your chance to achieve that next level of destination brewery pretty much rates as nil.

In many ways, that had changed way of writing about the breweries from here on out. A few select ones are going to be just plain outstanding and likewise a few select ones are going to just plain terrible. Most are going to fall in that big bell curve area in the middle, and as long as they’re keeping the locals happy, they can be quite successful.

Break The Chains of Love: A Look At "Best Of" Lists (Part 2: Ohio in the House)

The Art-Deco style "Guardians of Traffic" totems provide an
eye-catching sight for those on Cleveland's Hope Memorial Bridge.

As noted in my previous post, a news story on Taco Bell being named this country's "Best Mexican Restaurant" gave me a story idea about "Best Of" lists and how often outside-the-area chains appear on these lists.  Part 1 of my series  focused on three local Columbus-based reader polls from some of the major media sources here, where I found a decent amount of chain love, including a couple of head-scratchers that named P.F. Chang's as "Best Asian" and Chipotle as "Best Burrito."

It only seemed natural that Part 2 of the series would stay within the Buckeye State and focus in on Columbus's largest state neighbors. Would we find similar results in cities of similar stature (namely, Cleveland and Cincinnati) or cities of more modest size (Dayton and Toledo)?  As you might have judged from the picture above, we're going to start with a city that has gained quite a bit of prominence in the national scene in Cleveland and work counterclockwise from there.

California Christmas Goodies from Ohio: The List (Part 1)

Celebrate Local, located in the Easton Town Center, is one
of my favorite places for all things local

By now, you've seen a tons of articles and blog posts covering the gamut of great gift ideas for the now past Christmas holiday.  I admit I've read my share of them myself since I've moved to the Buckeye State, often just simply to familiarize myself with what's out there.

Another big reason lies in what turned out to be an ideal family setup with my spouse: as all her family gathers at Thanksgiving at her parents' place in Ohio, we always spend that holiday here. Meanwhile, Christmas Eve has traditionally been the realm where all my siblings and numerous relatives gather at my parents' place in California, so December has meant travel time over to the West Coast for us two.

That yearly trip, coupled with the fact that no one else in my immediate family lives outside of California, I've started a tradition of bringing back a little bit of Ohio back for my relatives in some form as a little gift from the Midwest.  This has, in turn, created its own unique challenges for me in that I had to find gifts that met these unique criteria:

1. Ohio-based products that weren't easily obtained in California
2. Ohio-based products that weren't necessarily "Ohio-centric" (things like "Columbus 'Til I Die" t-shirts really wouldn't have any real meaning for my family members)
3. Ohio-based products that would be mostly if not universally appreciated by all (that leaves out things like craft spirits and beer, for example)

With that in mind, I thought a summary of what I as a Buckeye State Santa Claus have toted to California would be both informative and a nice little plug for these Ohio-based makers:

Beer along the National Road: Black Acre (Indianapolis, IN) and Hairless Hare (Vandalia, OH)

The Unofficial Official Map of Breweries Visited: 614ortyniner Edition

Now mind you, we have done our share of brewery hopping (we stand at about 150 breweries visited between the two of us heading into August), but our most recent road trip/vacation was really focused on the Great Eclipse of America.

So the multiple number of breweries we actually ended up visiting in seven different states was something of a happy (and tasty) accident. We thought we'd start looking at our beery contingent with the two breweries that provided the bookend experiences for our big road trip, which both happen to lie next to US Route 40, more famously known as The National Road.

Destination Dayton: The Wright Stuff and A Little Hop Funk

While "The Gem City" may be Dayton, Ohio's official nickname (for an interesting look at the origins of the nickname, check out this article by Yellow Springs-based radio station WYSO 91.3), it is the city's motto, "The Birthplace of Aviation", that most people latch onto.

Two prominent examples of this aviation bent lie in Wright-Patterson AFB as well as its resident popular destination for plane nerds around the world in the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. Other hints of this heritage lie in the mascot of the University of Dayton (the Flyers) and one of the most prominent craft breweries in the area in Warped Wing.

Of course, the king daddy of all this lies in the form of two local natives with the last name of Wright, who hauled their winged construct from Ohio down to Kitty Hawk, NC, for the first ever heavier-than-air powered aircraft flight in 1903. This history, and a lot more than you might expect, is available for viewing at the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park.

Columbus Coffee Chronicles (Vol. 2): Boston Stoker

When Dayton-based Boston Stoker opened up their initial Columbus location just south of the Ohio State University campus on Neil Avenue in early 2013, it provided a wonderful opportunity for me personally. Whenever I had business on campus and I had time on my side, I fell into the very tasty habit of dropping by for a shot of espresso and snacking on the whatever Clintonville-based Pattycake Bakery sweet-tooth appealing treat they had on hand that day.

However, this location, which was something of an oasis of better coffee around the campus area, was not ideal as it was a shared space with a branch of the Credit Union of Ohio (it had been a McDonald's prior.)  The announced demolition of the building forced both tenants to relocate, with Boston Stoker finding a location down the street closer to the Thurber Village area of Victorian Village,

Warp Two And Flying Faster: Warped Wing Brewing (Dayton, OH)

A quick return from the West Coast for a slightly more local blogpost....

Being more or less locals in Central Ohio now, revisits to favorite places generally don't take terribly long, as they do now with our California travels (prime example: my last blogpost detailing our visit to Vallejo's Moschetti Coffee and Sonoma's El Molino Central.) However, a place does slip through every now and then, and in this case, it was fun to track the progress that the Warped Wing Brewery in Dayton, Ohio has made between our visits.

Warped Wing's big warehouse space holds plenty of people
and quite a few tasty brews, as we have found out

Party Like Its 1851: Carillon Brewing Company (Dayton, OH)

The Deeds Carillon is the namesake landmark of the Carillon Historical
Park in Dayton, home to the history-oriented Carillon Brewing Co.

Much like Columbus and many other parts of the state of Ohio, the city of Dayton has undergone a craft beer revival in the past couple of years, represented by companies such as Warped Wing, Toxic Brew, and Hairless Hare, among others. While most of the recent arrivals on the scene are interested in craft beer's present and future, Carillon Brewing would like to take you back to beer brewing's past, both in styles and the Dayton area itself.

One might guess from the focus that Carillon Brewing is not the usual startup venture, and that presumption would be correct. Carillon Brewing is part of the Carillon Historical Park, which is run by Dayton History, the official historical organization dedicated to preserving the history of Dayton and Montgomery County as a whole.  The brewery is one of 25 historical buildings on the 65-acre site, which provides visitors an overview of the area's history throughout via numerous exhibits.

Launched at the end of 2013, the brewery was meant to give visitors a total sensory experience on the brewing process in the 19th century. Indeed, on our visit here with friends from the area, we got that feel very early on, from the labeled barrels of fermenting beer surrounding the grain roasting area, the combo tavern/barn-like interior, and the tavern staff, who were all decked out in period clothing. Like the other historical buildings at the park, visitors can learn a fair amount of the beer brewing process and Dayton's brewing history via numerous informational exhibits scattered throughout the interior.

Carillon Brewing, operated by the Dayton History historical organization
tries to bring visitors the complete 19th century brewing experience

Our waitstaff member gave our group the summary of Carillon's purpose, mentioning that typical brewery and food production activities take place everyday of the week. He also mentioned that the brewery offered a "Brewer For A Day." which offers people a chance to spend the whole day immersed in the process as it existed over 150 years ago. As far as the beer, he explained Carillon took typical beer recipes from the era to brew its four basic beer styles (Porter, Irish Red Ale, Coriander Ale and Berliner Weisse; a cask ale is occasionally available as well.)

He added that the current brews were on older generations of yeast, which gave them more of a sour tinge than the modern beer drinker might be used to; however, this info didn't dissuade us beer drinkers to order full flights. True to expectation, that slight sour tinge was noticeable (esepcially in the Porter and Irish Red Ale) in these typically non-sour styles. We all found that quality uniquely enjoyable, though I imagine there would be a few who may not agree with that variation. I also suspect Carillon's renditions of those two styles fall closer to description when brewed with newer batches of yeast. Those who prefer a solid, pleasant brew to take them through their meal might be best served by the biscuity Coriander Ale, while their version Berliner Weisse is sufficiently tart and true to style.

For those who are interested in adult beverages but aren't interested in the in-house brews, a selection of draft and bottled beers are at the ready, as well as wine and liquor drinks. Also available for diners are the "Temperance Drinks", which include a house-made ginger ale and root beer.

Carillon's beer 19th century-era brews were uniquely enjoyable and
match up well with its menu of generally heartier fare

Carillon's restaurant fare leans toward the heartier, drawing from traditional English, German, and Irish dishes with some modern tweaks such as a few salads and a kid's menu. For us, the heartier fare was just fine and generally was quite tasty, from their quite eggy German Potato Salad to their Reuben to their very tasty Wurst. The in-house baked items, from their spent grain crackers to bread to pretzel braid make for nice munching should a full meal not be in order.

Carillon Brewing offers a uniquely interactive and historical brewing-related experience combined with some tasty eats, and is definitely worth a visit when you're in the Dayton area.

Carillon Brewing Co.
1000 Carillon Blvd
(Carillon Historical Park)
Dayton, OH 45409
(937) 910-0722
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A Farewell To Summer

Many people rejoiced with the arrival of the Autumnal Equinox at 4:21 AM on Wednesday. Indeed, with the fall comes cooler weather, the spectacular colors displayed by dying leaves, full fledged football and the World Series in Major League Baseball, and a whole host of other highly anticipated events.

I do love the fall, but I think I'll always be a summer person at heart. Specific to Columbus, I've come to appreciate the numerous festivals, sometimes wild weather, and being bathed in sunlight and the accompanying warmth. The following photos are something of an ode this now departed season:

Lemonade stands were plentiful (and often visited) around
our new neighborhood of residence

Renee of Mighty Macs flashes a big smile at the Moonlight Market
on Gay Street (we flashed one too when we tasted her macarons)

Some of the stones dedicated to female figures found along
the path in Women's Park in Yellow Springs, Ohio

A large crowd queues to see the special sneak peek showing
of John Green's Paper Towns movie at the Palace Theatre

Fourth of July decor was in prominent display at the
family-oriented Spirit Parade, held annually in the
Colonial Hills neighborhood in Worthington

Rain dominated the first month of summer; this torrential
downpour slowed down cars for a several minutes along
northbound State Route 315

A member of Central Ohio Plein Air works on her painting
on the grounds of the Ohio Statehouse

A closeup of the Brewmaster's Gate in Columbus Brewery District
 as seen during our tour hosted by Columbus Brew Adventures

Street musicians get into the groove during
summer edition of Yellow Springs' Street Fair

First of two from Columbus' Greek Festival:  the mosaic
rendition of Saint Mark on the dome above
inside the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral

Dancers of all ages performed traditional Greek dances
as part of Columbus Greek Festival entertainment

Some neat vintage placards found on a 1931 Arrow Pierce automobile
at the annual Cruise The 'Ville event in Clintonville's Whetstone Park

The Long Street Cultural Wall, detailing important people and landmarks in
Columbus' African-American Community, reached its first birthday this year

Terminal Tower, Cleveland's sister landmark skyscraper to
Columbus' LeVeque Tower, stands tall on a windy day

The folks at The Coffee Mess, a vendor at this year's Old Hillardfest,
show you what your face looks like before you get their pourover brews

Elsie The Cow stands guard on this building brick wall
located just outside of downtown Chillicothe, Ohio

The female winner of the half-marathon speeds down the homestretch
at the annual Air Force Marathon in Dayton, Ohio

A simple and somber tribute to those who lost their life four decades
ago in the devastating F5 category Xenia tornado, the worst
of the 148 tornadoes from the April 3-4, 1974 Super Outbreak

A slightly stylized photo of Columbus' Topiary Park, nestled
firmly within the city's Discovery District

Workers tend to the greenery on top of a Downtown Columbus bike shelter

Storm clouds try to get their act together above a Columbus
Clippers baseball game at Huntington Park

The young ladies of Bailey's Drive-Inn Donuts prepare bags of their fried
goodies at the Thursday version of the New Albany Farmers Market

High-heeled encouragement on a sign just north of the
OSU Campus along the Olentangy Trail

The giraffes and camels go two-by-two on this Noah Ark-themed
vase in Zanesville's Giant Circle of Vases

Planes and Trains by Automobile (Pt 1): National Museum of the US Air Force (Dayton, OH)

The National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, OH holds the
world's largest collection of military aerospace vehicles and missiles

Dayton, Ohio has played a large part in the development of aviation, mainly through the work of area residents Orville and Wilbur Wright, who are credited with being the first to invent a successful airplane as well as make a powered, heavier-than-air and sustained flight with such a craft. It thus only seems logical that a museum related to aviation be located near this southwestern Ohio city of just over 140,000 people.

Originating as an endeavor by the for collecting technical artifacts for preservation from Dayton's old McCook Field in the 1920s, what has eventually evolved into the current National Museum of the United States Air Force officially opened to the public in 1954. Its current site, located just outside Wright-Patterson Air Force Base opened in 1971, has become not only one the state of Ohio's largest tourist attractions but also the largest military museum in the world.

Being large in size by default implies there is a lot to be seen, and this museum does not disappoint in that regard with its over 360 air and space vehicles and other related items on display.

 

 

You want air- and spacecraft? The museum has plenty displayed
throughout its three hangar-styled buildings, including

a Space Shuttle Space Shuttle Crew Compartment Trainer

Having visited the museum twice, I have surmised that a visitor's tolerance for staring at all manner of mostly military flying aircraft for a few hours really depends on their enthusiasm for doing such. As someone who is into aviation in general and whose family has military roots, my tolerance level is pretty high, but even I was feeling a bit of mental overload as the hours wore on. Perhaps the best strategy lies in the fact that admission is free to the museum; if you live close enough, you could easily schedule two visits to the museum and concentrate on particular exhibits on each excursion.

While most exhibits are aircraft-oriented, other galleries that break up the viewing routine are available. Many of them are related to aspects of the US Air Force (no surprise there), including various memorials, the origin of the USAF song, and so forth. However, a few exhibits veer more to the general, ranging from the whimsical (a retrospective on actor/comedian Bob Hope's work in entertaining deployed troops throughout the years, and a history of the Bendix Trophy Races, which were used to encourage advancement in aviation) to the weighty (a series of Vietnam War paintings and viewpoints by painter Wilson Hurley and a collection of artifacts and recollections of Dayton-area residents who had personal experience with the Holocaust concentration camps in Nazi Germany during World War II.)

Many of the other non-aircraft exhibits are mainly Air Force-related
but other more general exhibits rating from the whimsical
to the weighty can be found.

Perhaps my favorite wing lies in the on-base hangar which contains two co-located galleries. The Presidential Gallery contains four aircraft which have served as Air Force One under eight different presidents, and this fact alone attracts individuals to go through the processing needed to visit this exhibit (only 8 shuttle bus trips are available to travel onto the base itself and visit this area; valid picture IDs are required to board.) Indeed, the chance to experience these historic vehicles close up, including the ability to walk through the larger craft and see the interior makeup within, is a pretty special treat.

However, my favorite part of this hangar currently lies in the co-located Research & Development area, where experimental and almost-were aircraft that are tightly packed around the perimeter of the presidential aircraft. Here, you'll see everything from the sleek and supersonic (the XB-70 Valkyrie, whose supersonic bombing capabilities were deemed obsolete when defense strategies shifted toward intercontinental ballistic missiles) to unusual engineering concepts (the X-29 with its forward-swept wings) to the just plain weird (the Avro Canada VZ-9AV Avrocar, which looks like a flying saucer but couldn't fly much higher than three feet off the ground without experiencing severe handling problems.) While docents are available in all areas of the facility, hanging with one here (by default, one is included as a tram escort) is especially helpful in learning the why and the how for these unique flying machines.

The Presidential and Research & Development Galleries, co-located in
an on-base hangar, give visitors a chance to experience the
U.S. Presidency and unique aviation concepts up close

This particularly intimate nature of this setup is set to end soon: come October 1st of this year, this hangar will close permanently for exhibition. However, access to the aircraft within will not be lost to the public: over the next several months, the vehicles will be transported to the newly constructed fourth wing of the existing museum, with the opening date set for June 2016.

Along with the exhibits and galleries, the museum also offers visitors the Valkyrie Cafe, which offers cafeteria-style items at fairly inexpensive prices; an extensive gift shop; various ride and flight simulators; and the Museum Theatre, which sports the largest movie screen in southwest Ohio and the latest 3D technology.

The National Museum of the US Air Force is open 9 AM to 5 PM seven days a week, except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is free to the museum, but donations are welcome and appreciated.

The National Museum of the US Air Force

1100 Spaatz Street

Wright-Patterson AFB (near Dayton), OH 45433

(937) 255-3286

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