With nearly twenty breweries in the Greater Miami Valley, Dayton’s craft beer resurgence is no longer a surprise to most people. However, today’s breweries draw upon a long brewing tradition in the area, one with historical roots that many may find staggering.

Local author Timothy R. Gaffney’s new book, Dayton Beer: A History of Brewing in the Miami Valley, takes an in-depth look at how Dayton made beer and how beer made Dayton. By piecing together thousands of public records, Gaffney paints a coherent view of the Miami Valley’s brewing heritage as it existed leading up to Prohibition. And it’s worth noting that Gaffney timed the release of his book with the centennial anniversary of that failed experiment.

Just as the Miami Valley’s brewing trail extends beyond the borders of Dayton proper, so does Gaffney’s report. In covering not only Montgomery, but also five other surrounding counties—Auglaize, Clark, Darke, Miami, and Shelby—Gaffney depicts a broad picture of how interconnected the brewing community was and how integral is was to the daily life of Southwest Ohio citizens. He explores not only the breweries themselves, but also the individuals behind the beer.

Gaffney is touring the Miami Valley this fall, giving a talk about his book. Fittingly enough, the talks are nearly all held at breweries (except the Barrel House, which is a Dayton beer institution in its own right). His first talk was Wednesday, August 7th at Warped Wing, but if you missed that event, he has seven more appearances scheduled. See the schedule below, or find more details on Gaffney’s FaceBook events page: https://www.facebook.com/DaytonBeerBook/

Thursday Aug 15—5:30 pm
The Barrel House
417 E. Third St. Dayton

Friday Aug 23—5:30 pm
Star City Brewing
320 S. 2nd St. Miamisburg

Tuesday Sep 10—6 pm
Eudora Brewing Co.
3022 Wilmington Pike, Dayton

Wednesday Sep 18—6 pm
Lock 27 Brewing
329 E. First St. Dayton

Saturday, Oct 5—3 pm
Carillon Historical Park
1000 Carillon Blvd. Dayton

Saturday, Oct 12—1 pm
Moeller Brew Barn-Maria Stein
8016 Marion Dr. Maria Stein

Thursday Oct 17—6 pm
Mother Stewart’s Brewing
109 W. North St. Springfield

There are 2 big football rivalries this weekend..

Michigan at Ohio State Saturday Nov 24th at Noon and

The Browns at the Bengals Sunday Nov 25th at 1pm

You love to go out and see the games, but tired of crowds?

We have some tips on places to get good eats and watch the games without wrestling people for tables or a decent seat.

We call them our secret places for Food Adventures during popular sporting events ….

Get to the restaurant about 20 minutes before the games start and you should have no trouble grabbing a “primo seat.”

1) BENNETTS PUBLICAL in MIAMISBURG:

Sriracha Sweet Wings at Bennett’s Publical

67 S Main St, Miamisburg, OH 45342
This undiscovered gem, continues to amaze us. From their 7 bean soup from grandmas recipe, to their gorgonzola topped local beef steaks, this is a PERFECT place to catch the games. Plenty of TV’s and plenty of bottled and draft beer choices, this place features a full cocktail bar and a full menu that impresses. Other must eats are the wings and the fish platter. We love this place!

2) LOCK 27 in CENTERVILLE
1035 S Main St, Centerville, OH 45458
Sit at the bar or not and enjoy the games on this gastro pub’s TV’s. Some of the best local beers will also be at your fingertips. Their menu is a unique collection of memorable appetizers and sandwiches. There should be no problem finding a seat, and an afternoon of good day drinking and plush food. Must Eats are the smoked wings and any of their sandwiches. Enjoy the atmosphere !

Sticky Burger – loaded up by Big Ragu

3) ARCHERS TAVERN IN KETTERING’S ENCLOSED PATIO AREA
2030 E Dorothy Ln, Kettering, OH 45420
The enclosed patio area is a little known spot for seating under a couple of TV’s. There are also televisions in the bar area. The bonus here is a strong beer list and an affordable family friendly menu. Archer’s has spread its wings into Kettering and is a great spot to catch these games. MUST EATS: The Sticky Burger, Margherita Pizza and Wings with Sweet n Sexy Sauce.

4) THE DAYTON BEER COMPANY DOWNTOWN
41 Madison St, Dayton, OH 45402
Belly up to the bar or sit in the bier hall type atmosphere under the TV’s. This should give you a great spot to enjoy the games with the greatest selection of Ohio beers in town. Hungry? Try the Second Street Pizza window inside the establishment. Craft Beer and Pizza Pie with brutal rivalries? You can’t go wrong here !

At the Dayton Beer Company Bar

5) MCGILLICUTTYS on WHIPP RD
1980 E Whipp Rd, Kettering, OH 45440
Grab a “Mega Mug” of your favorite draft beer. This restaurant has some TV;s and even an old school projector screen. The bottom line is you can watch the game and enjoy some great eats. The bar is huge and has lots of domestic, national favorites. The food is some of the most underrated in the area. Must Eats are the breadsticks (they are seriously the Worlds greatest) with garlic butter or nacho cheese dip. Also, the pizza is terrific.

There you have it. 5 spots to hit up the game while you eat, drink and be merry.
Whether your team wins or not, you will have had one heck of a Food Adventure.

Check out our feature articles each and every week here on Dayton Most Metro.

Want more Food Adventures? Join the 7,000 foodies who like us on Facebook by clicking HERE