Dayton City Paper

A West Coast beer journal By Kevin J. Gray Portland, Ore. City of roses, city of bridges and, most importantly, city of beer. My wife and I have long been fascinated with Portland, so we used our anniversary as a reason to visit. Beer, coffee and wine are all part of Portland’s culture, but craft [...]

German brews here in Ohio’s heartland By Kevin J. Gray Every fall, beer lovers around the world eagerly await the arrival of Oktoberfest beers, the big, malty beer style of Bavarian origin. Traditionally, each March, Bavarian brewers would brew up batches of a style called Marzen then store the beers in caves through the summer [...]

A look at the quest to land a local brewpub by Kevin J. Gray Dayton is an amazing city. It is affordable, easy to navigate, with acres of green space and a vibrant arts community. Beer geeks thrive in the passionate brew culture, with Dayton’s committed homebrewing community and world-class bars, restaurants and carry-outs featuring [...]

Lawnmower beers that don’t suck By Kevin J. Gray The spring rains have finally stopped and suddenly it’s 90 degrees, sunny and humid. Summer has finally come to the Miami Valley. After spending the morning fighting with the lawnmower and the weed trimmer, reward yourself with a light and refreshing summer beer. Below are nine [...]

Introducing  Dayton to Microdistilling By Kevin J. Gray In late 2009, a group of four Ohio natives, dismayed at the crumbling Dayton economy, resolved to launch a local green product — artisanal vodka. Crystal Spirits, makers of Buckeye Vodka, is a family company run by Jim Finke, his brother Chris, brother-in-law Tom Rambasek, and their [...]