DISTILLERY INDUSTRY MEMBERS COLLABORATE

↑ Owners of Gahanna's breweries & distilleries get together

How Gahanna’s brewery and distillery industry members are working to help lift each other up

By Sarah Sole / Photos by James D. DeCamp

When Noble Cut Distillery made hand sanitizer last spring during the pandemic, the distillery had to get a bit creative with their sourcing.

“We were fermenting anything that we could ferment to create alcohol,” said Founder and Head Distiller Tony Guilfoy.

When Nostalgia Brewing donated Scottish Ale for Noble Cut’s sanitizer, the distillery gladly took it to produce about 500 bottles of sanitizer.

Nostalgia’s donation is but one example of community culture that pervades the numerous Gahanna businesses focused on libations. From collaborating on drinks and events to promoting each other’s businesses in other ways, these industry players are proving that working together is far better than going at it alone.

While Noble Cut was able to partner with Nostalgia to produce sanitizer, the distillery has also enjoyed a long working relationship with Simple Times Mixers. The two businesses share citrus fruits: Noble Cut uses the zest, or the fruit’s outer layer, for limoncello, while Simple Times uses the rest of the fruit for mixers.

And when Heart State Brewing moved into the same complex that houses Noble Cut and Simple Times, Guilfoy was able to serve as a resource, suggesting local vendors for the new brewery’s boiler and water profile.

“We’ve become very good friends with the Heart State guys,” Guilfoy said.

Max Unverferth, co-owner at Heart State, said Gahanna offers an opportunity for growth.

“Everyone I’ve met has been both helpful and nice,” he said.

And while Heart State is just getting started, the brewery is already getting to know its neighbors. Unverferth said they turned to Simple Times for some advice on working with lemons for Heart State’s shandy.

Simple Times Founder Mark Tinus said when he reinstates site tours this summer his goal would be to loop in Heart State as well. (Past tours at Noble Cut have also ended at Simple Times, according to Guilfoy.) →

↑ Some of Gahanna's brewery & distillery drink options

↓ Owners cheers-ing with their drinks

“It’s just been a really great, communal environment,” Tinus said.

Simple Times is also collaborating with another newcomer, Crafted Culture Brewing, producing a juice for one of their beers.

It was a collaboration that came about when Crafted Culture owner Anthony “Sizzle” Perry’s son sidled up to the bar and jokingly ordered a watermelon rattler, knowing full well that the brewery didn’t have anything like that on tap. But that was when Perry realized his son’s suggestion could be an opportunity to collaborate with Simple Times.

“As an industry, we don’t compete, we collaborate,” Perry said.

Crafted Culture is also partnering with Noble Cut on a summer offering for the Visit Gahanna's Herbal Cocktail Trail: a Country Thyme Cocktail with vodka, limoncello, and a thyme-infused, fresh-pressed lemonade.

The collaboration that Perry practices is to thank for Crafted Culture’s building. Perry said the brewery wouldn’t have moved into Gahanna without the guidance of Edison’s head brewer, Victor Ecimovich. The two worked together at Actual Brewing. Ecimovich and Edison owner Wil Schulze gave Perry a heads up about the availability of the former Kindred Brewing’s tasting room, where Crafted Culture ultimately made its home.

While Crafted Culture has Edison to thank for its location, the latter brewery also has plans to work with some of its other Gahanna neighbors in creative ways. Schulze said Edison wants to feature a couple of Simple Times cocktail mixes in mixed drinks. The brewery already offers Noble Cut’s limoncello.

And in another bid to showcase Gahanna’s libations scene, Schulze is also working to plan a 5K beer run for Gahanna.

The multiple breweries in Gahanna have made the city feel more like a destination for beer lovers, said Nostalgia owner Shawn White.

“I think Gahanna’s a great spot,” he said. ♦

as an industry, we don't compete, we collaborate "