The micro-brewery was voted Best Place for Craft Beer, Best Brewery/Distillery and Best Place to Play Trivia in this year’s Best of Butler County contest.
Best of Butler County 2025 winners
While Goodman said he was “very excited” by the reader recognition, he preferred to toast his employees and the community support.
“You have to have a staff that really buys into what you’re trying to achieve,” he said.
The ownership group, Goodman said, is dedicated to making sure its philosophy isn’t “just lip service.”
“We do more than say it,” he said. “We live it.”
He said those who live in Hamilton and surrounding areas have supported the brewery to “help this resurgence” that downtown has seen in recent years. Locals remember when downtown Hamilton wasn’t alive with activity. They don’t want those days to return, he said.
“We have so many great things to offer and nobody wants to see those go away,” he said.
He referred to a popular slogan often repeated by small business owners: “Buy local or bye local.”
Municipal Brew Works tries to use as many local products and vendors as possible, Goodman said.
“It’s all about giving back to the community,” he said.
While the craft beer business is ultra-competitive, Goodman said he supports other local breweries because when they succeed, everyone wins. Five successful breweries will attract more customers than one popular brewery, according to Goodman.
He said Municipal Brew Works uses a metric to gauge how many new customers are patronizing the business. The number of sample flights, when customers can taste several different beers, is an indication of people visiting the brewery for the first time.
He called downtown Hamilton “a destination” that offers plenty of free parking and a Designated Outdoor Drinking Area (DORA).
Goodman still remembers the uncertainty of opening day. But soon after opening, there was a 45-minute wait to get a beer and lots of high-fives among the customers.
“Everyone kept saying, ‘Thank you for bringing this to Hamilton,’” he said of their response.
Another key, Goodman said, was the proactive Hamilton leaders who encouraged the owners and offered sound advice.
“They really wanted us to be here,” he said. “We got that welcoming mentality from the city. We were backed up by the community. That’s where Hamilton got it right.”
Not in his “wildest dream” did Goodman envision seeing the success the brewery is enjoying in such a short period.
“We are doing things the right way and that’s an indication of our staff,” he said. “You have to have a good staff.”
One staff member, Gabe Pierce, the tap room manager, was the one who suggested hosting a trivia night, Goodman said.
“He took ownership of it,” he said. “Customers have responded.”
Besides Goodman, Municipal Brew Works is owned by Mark Jackson, Sean Willingham, Dave Frey, and Aaron Holtz. Their wives all play important roles in the success of the business, Goodman said.
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