Dayton Barrel Works celebrates first anniversary with special spirits this weekend

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

It’s been one year of Dayton Barrel Works’ award-winning spirits being poured in downtown Dayton.

Dayton Barrel Works opened last October at 318 E. Second St. alongside its sister craft brewery, Dayton Beer Company. The artisan distillery was founded by Peter Hilgeman, owner of Dayton Beer Company.

“Our first year has gone great despite opening during the height of the pandemic,” Hilgeman said. “We’re very happy with the quality of our spirits and having won numerous awards in our first year has been fantastic.”

To celebrate the milestone, Dayton Barrel Works has anniversary festivities planned at the same time as Dayton Beer Company’s annual Oktoberfest. Festivities will be held Saturday, Oct. 9 at Dayton Beer Company from noon to midnight and Dayton Barrel Works from 3 p.m. to midnight.

Credit: Tom Gilliam

Credit: Tom Gilliam

The band No Refunds is set to play in the Dayton Beer Company beer garden from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by Todd the Fox from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. There’s no cover charge.

Two special releases will also take place during the anniversary event — a 120 proof Gypsy Queen Absinthe Blanche ($42.99 retail price) and a 100 proof Altschuls Corn Whiskey ($24.99 retail price).

“Gypsy Queen Absinthe is such a unique and interesting spirit that we were wanting to showcase something a little different for our anniversary,” Hilgeman said. “Its an ode to another amazing story of Dayton’s past that we thought would be a perfect pair with this historically mystical spirit.”

Altschuls Corn Whiskey, the second offering in Dayton Barrel Works’ Legacy Series, is a continuation of the distillery honoring brands from Dayton’s past in order to restore their stories.

“It’s a fantastic corn whiskey that is delightfully smooth with a touch of that corn sweetness and we wanted to do something a little different from a traditional bourbon or rye whiskey offering,” Hilgeman said.

In addition, throughout Saturday’s Oktoberfest, there will be tons of German beer on-tap all day.

“We are still getting people to know who we are, what we do, and that we have an amazing space to showcase our spirits and others at our cocktail bar,” Hilgeman said. “But the first year has been exciting and we are really looking forward to growing our spirit lineup and brands to a wider audience.”

About the Author