COLUMBUS, Ohio —The newest brewery in Columbus' Franklinton neighborhood brings our 27th president into the 21st century.
- Taft’s Brewing Co. is Cincinnati-based
- The managing partner says the new Brewporium is designed to reflect the art vibe of its new home
- Taft’s in Columbus will feature a rotating draft list, and has up to 20 taps
And Managing Partner of Taft’s Brewing Co. Dave Kassling says the new Brewporium is designed to reflect the art vibe of its new home.
“Franklinton is a very art-centric area… we wanted to do something that fit within that community, but was also different,” said Kassling.
With some Taft-enhanced nods to Xennial youth culture – you know – the MTV generation.
“The 80s and the 90s were great decades, where a lot of our guests grew up in those eras. So, to play on the nostalgia that has been fun for us as our team to build it out, and fun for our guests to walk through and see some of the artwork that we created in house,” said Kassling.
Cincinnati–based Taft's brewing company is another major player in the Ohio craft brewing industry to recently set up shop in another major Ohio city.
“We had a great demand for our beer here and Columbus just seemed like a great fit,” said Kassling.
And they're the third craft brewery along McDowell Street in Franklinton – joining BrewDog and Land Grant.
“Consumers continue to want craft beer and I think it really goes to an authenticity thing,” said Kassling. “I think everyone wants something that is homemade, that is handmade, that is authentic and real.”
Jared Hamilton is the director of beer operations for Taft’s, and he says the closeness in the neighborhood even inspired a new collaboration between Land Grant and Taft's called the McDowell Shuffle – a trip they think many will make in the future.
“First thing, let's make a beer together. Let's celebrate the fact that we're so close and we will be bringing more beer fans to each other's breweries,” said Hamilton.
Head brewer Ryan Blandford says Taft's in Columbus will feature a rotating draft list, and has up to 20 taps.
The beer list will be a mix of their flagship and experimental beers.
“We typically do over 50 unique beers a year, it's somewhere between 50 and a hundred. It's almost limitless, as far as styles,” said Blandford.
And a New Haven-style pizza they say you can’t find anywhere else — a nod to their namesake, who went to Yale.
Pizzas are based on a Neopolitan style — they are thin and oblong-shaped. They are done in minutes, baked in a coal oven at around 1,000 degrees.
“It's hotter than wood, it actually helps to create a wonderful char on the crust, while keeping the chewiness inside,” said Kassling. “So, the pizza gets a great bake that has a little bit of smokiness to it, that's different than what you'd find in most places."
Kassling says expanding into another Ohio market, similar to BrewDog's new taproom in Cincinnati, helps further grow the industry and their brand.
“Fortunately, so far, the establishments we have created have been very popular in the communities in which they exist and we hope to have similar success,” said Kassling.