Eventually this blog will be more about farming but it is also about thing I do. I am a big "local" kind of guy even if I don't venture out as much as I should. Today we had a small adventure to Wauseon, Ohio. It is the county seat of my new county, Fulton. I ran out of milk last night and all I could think was how much I want a dairy animal here! After a quick stop at the Post Office for address change packets we went to the Chief grocery for the milk and came out with some cookies too. Now, it is possible for me to live without milk but I read on Facebook about the grand opening of Red Rambler Coffees and North River Brewing Company. Events for the day included bands booked for entertainment as well as demonstrations of coffee bean roasting and beer brewing processes. This is something that looked worth while to check out and the true reason for the trip but figured we may as well get the milk while out. It is on Shoop Avenue next to the Ace Hardware store. One of the most exciting thing to me is that it is two small businesses with a shared space. Another is that it has created more local jobs. From what I gathered, North River has been around for a while but joining up allowed them to expand. There are two main part of the space and both are shared.
I would like to meet the designer.
The espresso/beer bar area is gorgeous. It is in line with many of the modern design trends including usage of reclaimed wood, corrugated galvanized steel panels, Edison bulbs, and nice furniture which fit the theme. The reclaimed wood was a blend of red and white painted along with unfinished pieces. Just inside the door is a cafe area with seating to enjoy your drink. The espresso bar was next and the beer taps beyond. Past the bar was more seating including long rough hewn tables with sturdy steel legs. I was truly impressed with the design and layout except for the lack of a clear space for serving the drinks. They used a small spot next to the espresso machine to pass the drinks over; it works but could be better. They called in friends to help volunteer with the opening; staff and volunteers were welcoming and amiable. I had Morning Jos blend and Jette had an ice mocha latte espresso. We both enjoyed them. Going out to coffee shops is not a thing I am into; I am not a Starbucks person by any means. I enjoy drinking coffee most mornings (it is great to sit on the back porch and sip away, I highly recommend it!!) and like to try new ones. It was too early for me to have a beer and I am not one to try just one beer. The walls that were not covered by chalkboard menus were unadorned gray. I would love to be able to make an adornment for them to hang on the wall. It would also be nice to go at a time when it is not so busy and get more pictures with a better camera.
The back area is two main rooms where all the magic happens. It is basically one big room that has a commercial kitchen walled off where they make the food that is served here. The remaining area is built like a warehouse with racking across the back wall. Half of the shelving holds kegs and beer brewing supplies while the other half is large bags of coffee beans waiting to be roasted. North River brought the bar with them from the old location and now it surrounds the coffee roaster. They mainly use it to fill the smaller bags of fresh roasted whole beans for retail sale. The rest of the room is all the tanks for brewing the beer. They also had a walk in refrigerator that had three beer taps coming out. Later in the afternoon there were bands scheduled to play; the stage was set up in the open area along with some folding banquet tables. It looked like a good place to have a party. I plan on going back and trying some of the beers. Who is with me?!
We brought two bags home! Do they fill growlers to go?
No comments:
Post a Comment