Grainworks Brewing Company
- Brrr (6.5% ABV): Cold IPA
- Oktoberfest (5.7%): Marzen
- Defroster (6.8%): Winter warmer (October release)
“Brrr is our tribute to Joe Burrow. It is a cold IPA we released for the first time last year and is the most successful seasonal release we’ve done,” said James Czar, Director of Sales and Marketing at Grainworks.
“It is a cold IPA. It is fermented at a colder temperature and that causes it to be a cleaner, crisper beer,” Czar said. “It is the right balance between the flavor of an IPA and the character of a lager.”
Grainworks is also celebrating its 6th anniversary September 8-10 with special brews including: Old Motor Oil a barrel aged imperial stout and Old Motor Oil with coffee and vanilla.
The Old Motor Oil was boiled continuously for 24 hours before aging for 11 months in Willet Bourbon and Rye barrels. The Coffee and Vanilla version was then aged on Pneuma Coffee beans and vanilla.
“The Old Motor Oil is a new version of a beer we had for a long time. We have not done a barrel aged version since 2017,” Czar said. The coffee beans are sourced from Cincinnati based Pneuma Coffee Roasters.
The anniversary weekend includes live music Friday and Saturday along with additional food truck at Grainworks West Chester taproom.
Where: 7790 Service Center Drive, West Chester Twp. (Online at grainworks.beer.)
DogBerry Brewing
- Bray’s Brown Ale (5.7%): English brown ale
- On The Black (8.0%): Black IPA
- Supernova Double Chocolate Stout (11.0%): Stout
- Festbier (6.0%): German lager
“Supernova is our take on a classic English double chocolate stout that has been elevated to 11.0% ABV,” DogBerry Brewing Co-Owner and Head Brewer Tony Meyer said. “It is a style that seems to have been forgotten by modern day brewers. Our version is served in an 11 ounce snifter and is perfect for a chilly day.”
Bray’s Brown Ale carries a mild, nutty backbone and the On The Black IPA is packed with funky hops and a bold, robust malt structure according to Meyer.
DogBerry is also carrying a German beer in a nod to Oktoberfest. Their Festbier is a dark, golden German lager.
“It is an alternative to the traditional Marzen Oktoberfest,” Meyer said.
Where: 9964 Crescent Park Drive, West Chester Twp. (Online at dogberrybrewing.com.)
Sonder Brewing
- Oktoberfest (5.5%):Oktoberfest-style
- See Me Rollin’ (4.8%): Cinnamon swirl blonde ale
“Oktoberfest is our number one selling beer,” said Danny Herold, Sonder Marketing Director. “You can have a handful of them and not feel full.”
See Me Rollin’ is a light dessert beer which was released Sept. 2.
“It has the cinnamon flavor and the sweetness of the icing,” Herold said. “It is a really delicate dessert beer.”
Sonder is hosting its own Oktoberfest on Sept. 23. They invite 20 other breweries to their Mason location for beer tastings as well as live music and food trucks for the all day celebration.
Where: Sonder Brewing, 8584 Duke Boulevard, Mason. (Online at sonderbrewing.com.)
Municipal Brew Works
- 1791 Oktoberfest (7.0%): Festbier
- Operation Pumpkin Porter (6.8%): Porter
- Hamilton Common (5.5-6.5%): California Common
“The 1791 Oktoberfest is named for the year Hamilton was founded,” Municipal Brew Works owner and co-founder Jim Goodman said. “It is a traditional fest beer with the malt forward. It’s pretty solid.”
Municipal Brew Works is releasing a collaboration beer on September 11 to mark the start of Hamilton Hospitality week.
“We are kicking it off with a collaboration beer with Third Eye Brewing,” Goodman said. “It is out tribute to Anchor Steam beer and the California Common style. It is a very balanced beer.”
Municipal also its Operation Pumpkin Porter coming this fall.
“We take our Midnight Cut Porter and we add pumpkin and pumpkin spices to it,” Goodman said. “We named it after the Operation Pumpkin festival in Hamilton and actually have a QR code on the can for the festival.”
Where: Municipal Brew Works, 20 High St., Hamilton. (Online at municipal.beer.)
Swine City Brewing
- I Put a Spell on You (9.5%): Fruit beer
- Caramel Apple Seltzer (5.0%): Seltzer
- Inside Voices Barrel Aged (13.5%): Imperial Brown ale
Swine City is capitalizing on the flavors of fall with a pumpkin beer and a caramel apple seltzer.
I Put a Spell on You is the Fairfield brewery’s pumpkin brew.
“It is made with real pumpkins, some we source locally,” Swine City owner Daniel Ebben said. “We put the pumpkins into the mash. It gives it a depth of flavor you can’t get without the real pumpkin.”
The caramel apple seltzer is a popular beverage for Swine City.
“It is one of kind,” Ebben said. “No one does a caramel apple seltzer. It flies off the shelf and out of the tap.”
The Inside Voices barrel aged is an imperial brown ale aged in New Riff Distillery Bourbon barrels.
“You can taste the rye in the beer from the rye barrels,” Ebben said.
Where: Swine City Brewing Company, 4614 Industry Drive, Fairfield. (Online at swinecitybrewing.com.)
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