By: Brendan Hader
With craft breweries continuing to pop up around Ohio, it’s getting more challenging to stand apart from the rest.
Taproom experience, outdoor seating, food menu, and the quality and diversity of beer are some of the primary areas where breweries can distinguish themselves.
But at Eudora Brewing Company in Dayton, they offer guests something very few of their competitors do: the opportunity to brew your beer.
That’s right.
In addition to drinking their delicious beer, you get to assume what is possibly the coolest title in any profession by becoming a brewmaster.
First, you head to Eudora’s website and select the type of beer you want to brew. The options are plentiful, from a classic lager or IPA to a Pumpkin Spice Ale or Russian Imperial Stout.
You schedule your first appointment where you spend about three hours at the brewery.
Then, with assistance from someone who knows what they are doing, you get to put all the ingredients together for your batch while enjoying a beer or two if you so choose.
Throughout the experience, you essentially do exactly what the pros at Eudora do—just on a smaller scale.
Different steps take different waiting times, but that time is quickly filled. You can get a complimentary behind-the-scenes tour of the Eudora facility and the brewing process.
The science behind it was over my head, despite our excellent tour guide Nigel dumbing it down, but it’s still fun to learn.
In addition, you’re welcome to spend the downtime enjoying some R&R in their taproom, which includes plenty of TVs, games, food, and beverages. It’s a kid-friendly atmosphere so the whole family can come.
It’s up to the kids whether they want to watch you in action or simply make the brewery their playground.
Once your work is done, you schedule a second session to come back for about 90 minutes to bottle and cap your beer to take home for consumption.
During the 3 to the 5-week fermentation process, you can add your personal touch to your brew by designing your beer label and using a clever name. Or you can do what I did and forget about this part. I’m still mad at myself.
As someone who has attempted brewing beer at home, it can be a complicated effort. Be it with the ingredients, equipment, sanitation, or, more likely, in my case, common sense; it’s easy to make a mistake that will torpedo the result.
At Eudora, they help you every step of the way, and the final product is something you’ll be proud of and enjoy drinking.
It’s a unique experience for beer lovers that can be enjoyable even for someone who doesn’t like beer. Seeing how the sausage is made and having a hand in making it alongside family or friends is fun.
