E-Malt.com News article: USA, OH: Blue Heron Golf Club to be reborn as Blue Heron Brewery

The former Blue Heron Golf Club — after sitting vacant for years in Medina County — will be reborn as a brewery and restaurant, the Akron Beacon Journal reported.

Restaurateur Bill Rini, who owns the clubhouse and banquet hall tucked along Interstate 71 in Montville Township, has teamed up with two partners to launch the Blue Heron Brewery and Event Center.

The goal is to open inside the three-story, posh and expansive brick clubhouse in the spring of 2018 and create a destination brewery-restaurant.

“Medina County is starving for something big,” Rini said, adding that he’d like to emulate the success of Gervasi Vineyard in Stark County and bring back corporate events to the site.

Rini and his wife Dawn, along with partners Mike Piazza, who will head the brewing operation, and Ben Erjavec, who will serve as executive chef, are investing nearly $3 million in the project.

The Blue Heron Brewery, which offers picturesque views of the rolling hills and trees that used to make up the golf course, will feature a 10-barrel brewing system, beer hall, restaurant, private rooms, outdoor patio and an exclusive fine dining/wine cellar that will be available on a reservation-only basis.

The beer hall will occupy the former pro shop, while the restaurant will be housed on the second floor. The brewhouse will be located on the ground floor, with a glass ceiling allowing people to view the operation from above.

The partners also plan to break through the floor, allowing the fermenters to rise up into the restaurant on the second floor.

There’s plenty of renovation work to be done, as the clubhouse area is a shell and the partners haven’t purchased their brewing system yet.

When completed, the property will house four bars — to go along with the existing four stone fireplaces scattered throughout. There’s also a new barnstone-lined and landscaped amphitheater that overlooks a pond where they hope to offer outdoor concerts.

Craft beer is a centerpiece of the project because of the location. Blue Heron is tucked in a high-end housing development, located on Blue Heron Trace off Sharon-Copley Road.

“The Blue Heron is in a unique location and I knew that I needed to have a destination and a draw to bring people in,” Rini said about why he decided to attach a brewery to the project.

The Blue Heron Golf Club was hailed as one of the best new public courses when it opened in 2005, but the 27-hole course closed after the 2011 season. Many golfers complained that it was too difficult.

The clubhouse has sat vacant for years, while the 252-acre course has been turned into the township-owned Austin Badger Park, complete with walking trails and a mountain bike trail.

Rini, 44, and his wife Dawn, who run A Taste of Excellence catering in Strongsville, bought the property last year and have been using the banquet center for weddings and other events. They live in Hinckley Township, along with Piazza, 43. Erjavec, 36, lives in Concord Township.

Piazza, a member of the Society of Akron Area Zymurgists homebrewing club, has been homebrewing for more than seven years.

“We want approachable food and approachable beers prepared in the finest ways,” Piazza said.
Blue Heron will offer six beers on draft. He expects to begin with a pale ale, mild, cream ale, stout, porter and English-style brown ale.

Piazza, who used to work as a chef, said he’s been passionate about brewing ever since he made his first homebrew from a kit bought from the Grape and Granary shop in Akron.

His skills have improved over the years, and he feels his culinary experience has helped with his brewing, especially when it comes to tasting flavors.

Blue Heron won’t distribute or package its beer for retail sale right away — instead opting to feed the beer hall, restaurant and event center.

The project is welcome news to the neighboring homeowners. Many bought homes when the golf course was operating and have missed having a bar and restaurant there.

“We had pretty much given up hope that it would ever be a restaurant/bar again,” homeowner Chad O’Connor said. “All of the Blue Heron neighbors that I have spoken with are very excited and can’t wait to try the beer and food.”


04 July, 2017