USA, OH: The Brew Kettle’s second location in Hudson already operational

The Brew Kettle has opened its new location in Hudson, the Akron Beacon Journal reported on October 24.

“It’s a great community,” Brew Kettle Vice President Mark Bivenour said. “The community is very accepting of craft beer and there are some other good neighbors that are craft beer centric. It just made sense to go there.”

The new site, located on Atterbury Boulevard, will be more restaurant than brewery, although The Brew Kettle has applied for a state brewing permit for the location. Head brewer Jack Kephart said there will be limited brewing done there.

The Strongsville-based Brew Kettle is known for its award-winning White Rajah IPA, along with producing special beers in collaboration with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Cedar Point. It picked up some nice national publicity in 2015 when White Rajah was named the top IPA out of 116 in a blind taste test by Paste Magazine.

The Hudson site may not be the last Brew Kettle to open. The company is continuing to talk about possible locations elsewhere in the state, Bivenour said. The brewery also operates a separate production brewery in Strongsville.

The Brew Kettle announced major plans for a new production brewery and restaurant in Strongsville near its current site a few years ago. That project has been simmering.

“We are real close to movement,” Bivenour said. “We need more production space.”

With the Hudson site open, he said, attention will now turn back to the new production brewery.

Speaking of Bivenour, he won’t be with The Brew Kettle much longer. He will soon take over 17th Star Distributing in Columbus.

It’s a return to the distributing side of the industry for him.

Bivenour, who lives in Columbus, joined The Brew Kettle four years ago after 29 years with Columbus Distributing and four years with Hill Distributing.

He said he’s excited to make the transition. And he will remain connected with The Brew Kettle because 17th Star distributes the brewery’s beers. Other 17th Star brands include Cellar Dweller, Goldhorn, Elevator, Maine, Millersburg, Voodoo and Wild Ohio.

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