New ‘backyard-campfire-themed’ brewery opening this year in central Ohio
Although the making of central Ohio’s newest brewery sounds like something out of a Hallmark movie, we promise it’s based on true events.
What started as a way to bring families together while social distancing during the pandemic turned out to be a dream come true for Dan Haskins, Roland Reeb, Brett Haaser, and Eric Hatton.
Every Saturday morning, the quad would wake up at 8am and brew a new beer together, experimenting hundreds of times with different recipes and beer styles.
And by evening, one of them would light a campfire in their backyard, sending a smoke signal to the neighborhood, showing the location where everyone would be gathering for the night to try out the new beer they spent all day brewing. “All of the families would get together, wife and kids and all, and we [the adults] would drink the fruits of our labor,” laughed Reeb.
Sending out a smoke signal via campfire to get together with their community is exactly what the quad wants to encompass with their new concept, called – you guessed it – Campfire Brewery, which will be located close to their neighborhood at 6300 Frost Rd. in Westerville.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
“We want to take that ‘backyard campfire, family friendly’ feeling, and have that in the space,” emphasized Haskins.
Campfire Brewery hopes to open sometime between late August-October, depending on renovations and inspections.
The brewery, sitting on an acre of land about a quarter mile from the bike path, will feature campfires outside (of course!), with small table fires too, and hopefully s’mores kits for some good ol’ fashioned family fun. The space boasts plenty of outdoor recreational area, and the owners plan on encompassing the backyard theme with games like corn hole, Kan Jam, pickle ball, outdoor TVs, and even chalk offered to draw all over the paved area and walls.
“We hear complaints that when kids are running around in smaller breweries or bier gardens, it can ruin the atmosphere and experience for adults,” said Reeb. “So we want to create a space where kids can have separated fun, too.”
Inside, guests will find large screen TVs for sports viewing, a huge U-shaped bar, and possibly board game-themed tables, all in an open concept, where everyone is able to see how the actual brewing part operates, too.
Keeping on theme with “family-fun,” Campfire Brewery will also feature live music, trivia, game nights, karaoke nights, and more. “We plan to be a space that has a lot of events so that there’s always something to do and something new to check out in Westerville,” Reeb explained.
And now for what some would consider the most important aspect of a brewery: the beer, of course. “We pride ourselves on a very varied type of selection,” said Haskins. “We’re also very curious about trying out new recipes and new styles, and we’ll have about every different type of beer you can think of.” Along with beer classics, their more innovative beer styles include a Smoked IPA, a fully smoked porter, and an habanero pepper based Stout. Plus, “We fully plan to take our base recipes and allow the customers to mix it with others. It’s a unique factor that you can’t find at other breweries,” Reeb emphasized. He said that the habanero pepper Stout pairs incredibly well with a fresh fruit beer base, like raspberry and orange.
For those who prefer non-alcoholic options, about 5-6 creative mocktails are also on the menu, with N/A tequilas made from mushrooms. Later, hopefully by December, actual cocktails will be available, too.
You’ll be able to soak all of that up with food from a rotating food truck schedule.
“We’re most excited about sharing our love and passion around us that was first fostered with the campfires we had with our neighbors,” Reeb said. “Fire and beer go really well together, and also being with loved ones – and we want to share that joy with everybody.”
Want to read more? Check out our print publications, (614) Magazine and Stock & Barrel. Learn where you can find free copies of our newest issues here!
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
