A new brewery with large outdoor space & taproom is joining central Ohio
All great stories start with: “I got together with my brother and some guys for a poker night, and one of them said, ‘We should open a brewery!’”
At least, that’s how Eric (Ice) Kehres’ story began. And after two years of hunting for the perfect space to put all his chips into a brewery, he settled on a spot that he couldn’t turn down, in a place that Ice said feels like it’s up and coming, but with a small town feel.
Picture this: a large brewery with a huge patio, complete with open, glass garage doors, porch swings, live edge tables and bar tops, plants and natural light everywhere, all situated in a serene location surrounded by nature, right on the outskirts of a quaint Downtown.
Happenstance Brewing Project is going to be all that, and more.
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The new brewery, which is still in the construction phase at 410 E. 4th St. in Marysville, is planning on being your home away from home this summer. “Our motto is beer, nature, community,” emphasized Ice.
Ice, his wife Rhonda, and co-owner Chris Goodman are working hard to make Happenstance Brewing Project a place where everyone is welcome, no matter their background, or their beer preference.
Goodman, who’s spent the last 8 and a half years at Restoration Brew Works in Delaware, is the self-proclaimed “mad scientist/beer nerd” behind Happenstance’s recipes. “Outside of beer, I don’t have much going on inside my brain,” he joked. He’s planning on making and offering a wide variety of beer, making sure there’s not a style left out. “I’m going to make the menu diverse so everyone can come in and find something they like and want,” he explained. Half the menu at Happenstance will include historical, standard styles, then the other half will be more adventurous, with pastry beers (think of creme brulee coffee stouts, etc.) and sours.
They are sticking to a taproom only route for now, focusing on building a gathering space rather than canning and distributing the beer to surrounding stores. Rhonda, who’s in charge of the interior and exterior magic, is ensuring that this community space is as beautiful as possible, with an open concept that makes guests feel immersed in nature, but also part of the beer making process. Customers will be able to see the open lawn through the garage doors, and also right into the space that the beer is made. Another interesting aspect is their eco-friendly initiative. “We’ll be zero carbon as best as we can, reusing water, using energy-efficient processes, and hopefully soon, we’ll get solar panels on the roof,” Ice said.
Sitting on an acre of property, Happenstance Brewing Project is still considered part of the DORA (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area), so guests can walk around with their beers and visit the other Downtown Marysville spots. Or, if they choose to stay at the Brewery, they can enjoy lawn games, outdoor movies, and lounging about on the huge patio.
Ice mentioned that their goal is to incorporate rotating food trucks, plus offer free popcorn as a snack, and hopefully collaborate with other local Marysville eateries for delicious food options.
Happenstance is projected to open sometime this summer, depending on everything it requires to actually open a new business (contracting, liquor licensing, etc.), but stay updated on their social media account for an opening date!
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