E-Malt.com News article: USA, OH: Eight new breweries to open in Dayton within the next year

Dayton is entering a beer renaissance. With seven breweries set to open locally, the region is becoming a hotbed for craft beer enthusiasts, bizjournals.com reported on December, 26.

Within the next six to 12 months the Dayton region will be able to boast eight breweries, reminiscing of a time when breweries in Dayton put out 200,000 barrels of beer per year.

While the total output of these groups will be a far cry from Dayton’s glory days of 1908, when beer production was a roaring $28 mln industry (adjusted for inflation), the beer enthusiasts say the concentration of craft beer brewers in Dayton will improve the city’s ability to recruit and retain top talent and draw more tourism.

At full production level, which many of the brewers admit they won’t reach for many years, these breweries could produce up to 17,100 barrels a year. The average startup cost is about $230,000, which includes major renovations of often old, decaying spaces, and brewing equipment. Initially the seven breweries could create up to 80 jobs for the region.

Pete Hilgeman, owner of The Dayton Beer Co., the first Dayton-based brewery to open its doors in more than 50 years, and currently the only local brewery in operation, said he thinks breweries in Dayton will have a tremendous positive impact.

“I think they definitely bring excitement, pride, uniqueness and tourism to a city,” said Hilgeman, who opened his Kettering location in May. “All are much needed characteristics for attracting young people to live and play in Dayton.”


04 January, 2013