USA, OH: Magic City Brewing Co. opens its doors in Barberton

Magic City Brewing Co. — the Barberton nanobrewery with a heavy metal bunny with piercing purple eyes as its logo — quietly opened last weekend, the Akron Beacon Journal reported on July 3.

“Putting money in the bank compared to spending it is excellent,” founder and brewer Jay Graham said.

Graham and his wife, Erica, who both grew up in Barberton, launched the brewery in a small storefront at 161 Second St.

They debuted with five solid beers that have received positive reviews so far: Dilligaf IPA, 2nd Street Pale Ale, Mark It Zero American wheat, Dark Empress Imperial Chocolate Stout, and Hive Devil, a saison made with buckwheat honey and black pepper.

Graham, a big tattooed guy who enjoys heavy metal music, hopes to build up the portfolio to eight beers — with several rotating brews.

Magic City employs a one-barrel brewing system.

“This is just the starting point,” Graham said.

Magic City, which carries the tagline “Join us further down the rabbit hole,” already has plans for a second brewery in the neighborhood dedicated strictly to producing sour beers. Graham also wants to upgrade to a three-barrel system and create an outdoor patio in the adjacent alley.

As for the building itself, the brewery entrance features recessed windows with display areas on both sides of the front door. Right now, those areas are empty but Graham is deciding how to fill the space.

Inside, Magic City features an L-shaped bar with lime-green chairs, plenty of wooden picnic tables and a tin ceiling. The small brewing system is in the back and out of sight from customers.

It’s the 12th brewery to open in Summit County, with many more in the planning stages. It’s also the first in Barberton, with a second one, Ignite Brewing Co., set to open nearby on West Tuscarawas Avenue.

Magic City will be open from 4 to 11 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday. It also will be open on Sundays at some point.

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