CINCINNATI – Boston Beer Co. founder Jim Koch will show his hometown some love when he opens his first Samuel Adams taproom in the Queen City to the public on Nov. 15.
Koch also will host a special sneak peek of the Sam Adams taproom for Findlay Market business owners and special guests on Nov. 14, according to a Boston Beer spokesperson.
The taproom will anchor Film Center, a mixed-use development project by Urban Sites located at 1632 Central Parkway in Over-the-Rhine. The Film Center stands at the West Elder Street entrance to Findlay Market and across the parkway from Boston Beer's local production facility.
"I think it's a great draw (the taproom) for Findlay Market with the Film Center being at the entrance," said Danny Lipson, Urban Sites' chief development officer.
Sam Adams announced plans for its new tasting room in April.
“We’ve been dreaming of opening a taproom in the neighborhood since we purchased the brewery 21 years ago, so we could share our beers with local drinkers," Koch said in a news release at the time. "However, our main focus up until now has been to continue to improve and enhance our brewery capabilities. Now, I’m thrilled to see this dream finally become a reality."
Koch grew up in Cincinnati, and his father once worked at the former Hudepohl-Schoenling brewery. He purchased the brewery, located at 1625 Central Parkway, in 1997. The production facility currently employs more than 130 people.
Urban Sites finished its remodeling of the Film Center's more than 40,000-square-foot mixed-use building in April. It purchased the building from the city of Cincinnati on Oct. 31, 2016, according to the Hamilton County Auditor's website.
Once open, Sam Adams' taproom will occupy more than 5,200-square-feet of retail space on the Film Center's first floor. It will also open with a more than 3,600-square-foot outdoor patio.
"The inside space is beautiful," Lipson said.
The taproom will incorporate design elements that reflect Cincinnati's brewing heritage, according to the Boston Beer Co. It also will serve exclusive Samuel Adams beers brewed on site and offer growler and crowler filling services.
Forty-four studio apartments fill the floors of the Film Center above the taproom.
"There are only two apartments available," Lipson said.
Urban Sites continues to look for tenants to lease the more than 5,000-square-feet of retail or office space next to Sam Adams taproom on the Film Center's first floor.
The brewery said more information about the taproom will be made available closer to the opening date.
