North High Brewing

I've been back to North High Brewing 4 or 5 times since my original review (when NHB was still known as Bru). For sure, these guys have earned an extra star-- It's a place I know I will return to again and again. It follows the craft beer/DIY/repurposed decor movement but it feels current, not overplayed. Every time I come in, there's something new added to the already 5-star experience.

Two of my past visits involved brewing my own beer. A group of four of us (two couples) spent a little over 3 hours making our own suds. This is a heck of a deal-- I wasn't footing the bill, but we ended up with several cases of 22 ounce beers. We did the math on each bottle and while the final number escapes me, I don't think it was more than a few bucks per bottle. It's the perfect activity if you've got friends visiting from out of town, or want to spend some quality time with adult family members.

You get to pick your recipe from a menu, and the guys will offer you a taste if it's available, but the descriptions of each beer seem pretty thorough in describing its character. Then, you get your own personal brewing assistant to guide you through the process to ensure a successful product. There's periods of waiting around, so there's plenty of time to drink beer.

We were one of the earlier groups, so the process may have changed a little bit since then. One thing I could see being further developed is the education aspect of the brewing process. I might have appreciated some labeled stations, more literature on the steps and ingredients... something like that. I felt a little too reliant on my brewing assistant to know what was next. Still, I learned a lot!

After the initial visit, two of us returned to bottle (and consume) our creation. The bottling area is a study in efficient systems. There's a great method to sanitizing your bottles and filling them. Any bottling that wasn't successful for whatever reason was consumed on the spot, so obviously this was a fun exercise. NHB will provide labels for you, too. We were planning on designing our own but never got around to it-- but I think there's something with liquor laws requring the customer to label with NHB-provided labels. It's also my understanding that the DIY experience now comes with some basic label design/input on your initial visit, which is cool.

Okay. Brewing experience aside, NHB continues to offer great service, amazing beer with staggering variety (not just with the in-house brews, but also other craft brews. Rockmill on DRAFT!?), and a fantastically unique neighborhood feel. Now there's eats (by the delicious Commonwealth) and a mug club (which I don't really know enough about to comment on), so you can hang here for hours, easily. I've also heard a rumor about a patio coming soon. See? NHB is constantly adding to the experience.

Columbus is lucky to have these visionary owners as part of our local economy and commerce, and I feel great about supporting them.

My fiancé and I were on the way to the liquor store, when we spotted North High Brewery right next door. Am I embarrassed to say we pre-gamed at North High Brewery in preparation for the said liquor store? Not even a little.
Gavin was behind the bar, an owner of the  beer flowing gem. He was so welcoming and friendly, we felt so comfortable! He told us all about the place and answered a bunch of our questions. He let us know you can brew your own beer here with your friends...and with that being said NHB officially stole my heart.
We tried several home brews and all were delightful! Keep your eyes open for their brews popping up all over town, including The Crest!
Check this place out, it's top notch!!

I'm surprised there's a place like this in the Short North. It's so accessible! Came here on a Friday night with 2 friends to brew our own keg of Chocolate Milk Stout (yum!). You can do this with up to 6 of your pals for $170-$220 including tax, which doesn't include bottles, labels, and caps. But not a bad deal considering the 3 hours of brewing entertainment and about 80 bottles of beer you get from it.

I was impressed by the cleanliness and organization of the facility. They did a nice job decorating the brewing room with the hanging lightbulbs! While you brew, you can sip on their unique collection of beer and feast on a variety of pub foods (e.g. sausages and artisan bread)

Our brewing guide was an amicable, knowledgeable chap who kept us on track with the step-by-step process. It was a lot like baking desserts in the sense that the measurements and timing are very precise....so i'd advise you not to get toooo drunkies during the brewing bc you have to remain attentive!

This is a fantastic way to learn how to better appreciate beer - i finally get what "hoppy" means! Productive, fun drunkenness?? How often does that happen??

You don't have to come here just to brew - they have a regular bar area that seems to get quite busy on a friday evening. The vibe felt sorta like Bodega's understated cousin.