“We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to be stay-at-home dads so we saw an opportunity along with that to take a shot at chasing a dream.”
The new nanobrewery at 7865 Cincinnati-Dayton Road in West Chester Twp. offers 11 craft beers on tap. Year-round brews include Maiden Flight RyePA, Wildfire IPA, On the Aisle Kolsch, Bray’s On Target Brown Ale and Blonde Ale.
The remaining beers on tap are seasonal brews, part of a roster that kicks off with Sir Griff’s Extra IPA, Caroline’s Cozy Christmas Ale, Nat’s Nightcap Stout, Happy Sac Smoked Porter, On The Black IPA-Imperial Black IPA and Big DIPA-Double IPA.
The nano-brewery’s 2,400-square-foot taproom is modeled after popular breweries in the Pacific Northwest, especially Seattle.
“The appeal (of a nano brewery) for us is we can control every aspect of the business, of the operation,” Meyer said. “There will be just two of us that handle all of it. If there is any distribution, it will be very small and local.”
Even at their biggest, the brewery doesn’t plan to come anywhere near the scale of Greater Cincinnati breweries that bottle their product en masse for sale around the region and beyond, Meyer said.
“We’re going to start small and stay small,” he said. “By staying small, we can always maintain the quality of the product because we will have our hands on every bit of it.”
Staying small not only will allow Frede and Meyer to experiment with different brews, but it also will allow them the leeway to maintain their roles as fathers and coaches.
“We want to be more married to our families than to our business,” Meyer said.
DogBerry got its name by blending the name of the streets on which both men live. However, it also coincidentally is a Shakespearean character described by Meyer as “a goofy nightwatchman” who enjoys an occasional drink.
DogBerry Brewing will use a one-barrel brewing system and its fermenter will hold two barrels, giving the business the capability of doing a double batch for year-round beers. Each barrel produces 31 gallons of beer. Meyer said the business hopes to makes about 220 barrels in the first year.
Nearly 40 guests are able to sit at the bar, regular tables and high-top tables. Another bar serves as overflow space, as well as a merchandising counter.
Because a brewing rig is mobile, Frede and Meyer will eventually be able to take it outside and create beer in front of the business.
Beer costs between $4 and $7 per serving, depending on the style. Samplers will be provided. Growlers range between $14 and $20.
Kegs eventually will be made available for purchase, Meyer said.
The business plans to be open 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday to start. For more information, call 513-847-8208 or visit the microbrewery on Facebook, Twitter or its website.
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