Biking on a local trail? Check out the breweries along the way

A cyclist rides alimg the Great Miami Ri er in Hamilton. The Hamilton Community Foundation advocated 25 years ago for the extension of the Great Miami River Trail, led by former board chair Dave Belew. This year, the trail in Hamilton is being renamed to honor his legacy. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

A cyclist rides alimg the Great Miami Ri er in Hamilton. The Hamilton Community Foundation advocated 25 years ago for the extension of the Great Miami River Trail, led by former board chair Dave Belew. This year, the trail in Hamilton is being renamed to honor his legacy. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF
DAYTON EATS
By Alexis Larsen – Contributing Writer
Updated June 27, 2024
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Our region is home to the largest connected paved trail system in the entire country, offering almost seamless connectivity between communities that can be accessed by bike or on foot.

For the people using the more than 340 miles of trails it means a calorie burn and hunger setting in. With more than 40 of our local communities linked up in this network, there’s no shortage of destinations to consider visiting. From Piqua to Lebanon and Miamisburg to Yellow Springs, there is a route to entice and a stop to be made.

This list of local brewery stops organized by Miami Valley Trails (miamivalleytrails.org) speaks to the number of options for those who sweat it out in the fresh air on their way to filling up their body’s fuel tank.

Great Miami River Trail

Municipal Brew Works: 20 High St., Hamilton; 513-642-2424, www.municipal.beer

Regularly features a rotation of food trucks and has a full calendar posted online.

N.E.W. Ales Brewing: 1330 Manchester Ave., Middletown; 513-997-2026, newalesbrewing.com

Grab a wood fired Neapolitan pizza from Steel City Pizza (steelcity.pizza) and get ready for some carb-loading.

Star City Brewing Company: 319 S. 2nd St., Miamisburg; 937-701-STAR, www.starcitybrewing.com

Star City Brewing does not serve food, but you’re welcome to bring in your own or have something delivered from one of the local unique eateries.

Lucky Star Brewery: 219 S. 2nd St., Miamisburg; 937-866-BREW, www.luckystarbrewery.com

Just two-tenths of a mile from the Linden Avenue trail access point, this brew pub features a Mexican food menu and a Cantina atmosphere.

Carillon Brewing Company: 1000 Carillon Blvd., Dayton; 937-910-0722, daytonhistory.org/visit/shop-dine/carillon-brewing-co

This is the nation’s only production brewery in a museum, and the only U.S. brewery replicating the historic brewing process in an1850s-era setting. It has a variety of sandwiches, sharables and different brat options. It is located just two-tenths of a mile off the trail at Carillon Park.

Tanya Brock, Brewmaster, Carillon Brewing Company in1850's era costume during brewery operations. The opening of the $3.5 million Carillon Brewery represents Dayton's strong history of brewing, and is a working brewhouse that produces a variety of ales as well as serving other brands of craft beer. It is the only one of its' kind in the country. A dozen new craft breweries of varying sizes and concepts have opened their doors in the greater Dayton area where none existed just three years ago. JIM WITMER/STAFF

Credit: JIM WITMER

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Credit: JIM WITMER

The Dayton Beer Company: 41 Madison St., Dayton; 937-228-BEER, thedaytonbeerco.com

Food: Smoked nachos, smoked wings, soft tacos, bourbon BBQ sliders and different shareables are all available to order. Located just four tenths of a mile from RiverScape MetroPark on the Great Miami River Trail and Mad River Trail.

Moeller Brew Barn - Dayton: 416 East 1st St., Dayton; 937-371-5498, moellerbrewbarn.com

Located a long fly ball over the right field wall across from Day Air Ball Park, this is a location that has a more expansive menu than most with a large number of sandwiches, appetizers and brick oven pizzas. Happy hour is 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m.-8 p.m. on Sundays featuring $5 pints. They also feature a Sunday brunch.

Wintburger, Moeller Brew Barn

Credit: Contributed

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Credit: Contributed

Little Fish Brewing Company: 116 Webster St., Dayton; 937-949-3055, littlefishbrewing.com

Located next door to the 2nd Street Market in Downtown Dayton, this is a brewery with a menu that is for a connoisseur looking for something different. Chimichurri fries, charcuterie boards, udon noodle stir fry bowl, beet veggie burger, fried green tomato BLT, Falafel plate, pork schnitzel sandwich ... you get the idea. This would be a spot you could get me on a bike for.

Warped Wing Brewing Company: 26 Wyandot St., Dayton; 937-222-7003, warpedwing.com

Located just half-a-mile from RiverScape MetroPark, this is a spot that likes to infuse its food with that wonderful BBQ smoke. It has a good beer bar menu. Be sure to try the “tater kegs,” featuring six overstuffed tater tots packed with bacon, chives and cheddar cheese served with a homeade ranch dipping sauce. I’m also a fan of the Greek gyro which also comes as a salad and the cowboy chili bowl. They have burgers, flatbreads, wings and nuggets to tempt as well.

The secret is out! Warped Wing Brewing Company hosted their 10th annual Esther's Li'l Secret Launch Party & Reveal at the brewery's downtown Dayton taproom on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. Esther's Li'l Secret is the annual holiday collaboration between Warped Wing and Esther Price Fine Chocolates. This year’s beer is a Coconut Cream Milk Stout which is also available in a barrel aged version. Did we spot you there? TOM GILLIAM/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Credit: Tom Gilliam

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Credit: Tom Gilliam

Toxic Brew Company: 431 E. 5th St., Dayton; 937-985-3618, toxicbrewcompany.com

Located just seven-tenths of a mile from RiverScape MetroPark in Dayton’s very bikeable Oregon District, they may not have good served there, but they are on a street packed with places that can help you find whatever you’re looking for.

Fifth Street Brewpub: 1600 East 5th. St., Dayton; 937-443-0919, fifthstreetbrewpub.com

This member-owned cooperative brewery is open to the public, and features a full menu. Their sash burgers and salmon BLT are long-time favorites of mine. Located just 1.4 miles from RiverScape MetroPark (Great Miami River Trail), or 1.2 miles from the Webster Street access to the Mad River Trail.

Here’s a look at the second annual Ice Breaker Fest at Fifth Street Brewpub, located in Dayton’s St. Anne’s Hill Historic District. The brewpub’s featured beers were their flagship Ice Breaker IPA and its flavor variants – white peach, passion fruit and cranberry. Even though the event was scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 19 through Saturday, Jan. 23, Ice Breaker w/ white peach, the last of the four featured beers available, sold out on Thursday night, Jan. 21. TOM GILLIAM / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Credit: Tom Gilliam

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Credit: Tom Gilliam

Chaffee’s Brewhouse: 15 South 2nd St., Tipp City; 937-668-1406, chaffeesbrewhouse.com

Opened in Fall of 2020 in an historic opera house in downtown Tipp City, 0.2 miles from the Great Miami River Trail. It’s a small spot slinging up beer, wine, cocktails, and mocktails with food just outside the door at various Tipp City eateries.

Moeller Brew Barn: 214 W. Main St., Troy; 937-552-9430, moellerbrewbarn.com/troy

Located just a quarter mile from the downtown side of the Adams Street Bridge in the historic building that formerly housed the First Lutheran Church in Troy, this has plenty of salads, sandwiches and pizzas to keep you satiated.

Crooked Handle Brewery: 123 North Main St., Piqua; 937-615-6076, crookedhandle.com

Located close to the trail beside Lock 9 Park Crooked Handle offers an expansive menu of salads, pizza, sandwiches, wings, burgers and shareables. Highlights include cheese curds, crab cakes, a smoked brisket sandwich, a salmon sandwich and a portobello sandwich for mushroom lovers and vegetarians.

Simon Kenton Trail/Little Miami Scenic Trail

Roundhouse Depot Brewing: 217 W. Chillicothe Ave., Bellefontaine; 540-323-1295, roundhousedepotbrewing.com

Just 0.8 miles from the Simon Kenton Trail’s Bellefontaine trailhead, they don’t have food but they have several spots to grab food including Brewfontaine, Don’s Diner, 600 Downtown, and 2G’s BBQ. On Saturdays they typically have a food truck parked nearby.

Urbana Brewing Co.: 35 Monument Square, Urbana; 937-508-4340, urbanabrewingco.com

Just 0.5 miles from the Simon Kenton Trail and The Depot on Urbana’s town square, this destination offers flatbreads and pizzas as well as wings and a hot turkey bacon sandwich.

Yellow Springs Brewery: 305 North Walnut St., Suite B, Yellow Springs; 937-767-0222, yellowspringsbrewery.com

This brewery is located literally on the Little Miami Scenic Trail; heading north out of Yellow Springs, look to your left; you can’t miss it. They don’t serve food but they do have a schedule of food trucks that appear throughout the week. Check the website and social media to learn more.

Yellow Springs Brewery is celebrating its 10th year in business. The business is located at 305 Walnut St. Yellow Springs. MARSHALL GORBY \STAFF

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Trail Town Brewing: 101 Corry St., Yellow Springs; 937-319-0489, trailtownbrewingys.com

Trail Town has four sandwiches, five appetizers and wings for its beers to wash it down.

Devil Wind Brewing: 130 South Detroit St., Xenia; 937-919-6417, devilwindbrewing.com

Just a few pedal strokes (0.3 miles) north of Xenia Station on the Little Miami Scenic Trail, they have a food truck schedule to help keep you in the calories you require.

Cellar Dweller Craft Beers: 2276 East US 22 & 3, Morrow; 513-899-9022, valleyvineyards.com

It offers a host of carb loaded, cheese infused appetizers as well as some sandwiches and pizzas to consider. Located 0.8 miles off the trail inside Valley Vineyards, the best route to take is on Stubbs Mills Road to 22.

Cartridge Brewing: 1411 Grandin Rd., Maineville; 513-697-3434, cartridgebrewing.com

Starters, pizza, burgers, sandwiches are all here waiting right off the trail, just west of the new tunnel under Grandin Road.

Narrow Path Brewing Co.: 106 N. Karl Brown Way, Loveland; 513-291-5503, narrowpathbrewing.com

The J’s Fish Tacos food truck is there this summer from noon- 2 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday for lunch and 4:30-8 p.m. for dinner; on Fridays it’s the same time but dinner ends at 8:30 p.m. Saturdays they serve dinner from Noon-8:30 p.m. and Sundays from noon-6:30 p.m. This establishment could not be closer to the trail in Loveland.

Little Miami Brewing Company: 208 Mill St., Milford; (513) 713-1121, littlemiamibrewing.com

Pizzas, salads, pretzels, chili, and nachos, perfect for pairing with your favorite beer.

50 West Brewing Company: 7668 Wooster Pike, Cincinnati; 513-834-8789, fiftywestbrew.com

Whether by bike or by car, this is a destination worth planning a trip around. Inspired by the great American road trip, this is a spot with a major cool factor and an awesome place to hang out. Burgers, beer, fries, shakes, wings, floats, and so much more. It has volleyball, pickleball and a canoe and kayak livery nearby. This is located near the Little Miami Golf Center, just west of the trail along Wooster Pike.

The 50 West Brewing Company campus in Cincinnati boasts not only a state-of-the-art craft beer production facility with a taproom, but also a bike shop, a canoe and kayak livery, sand volleyball courts, a massive beer garden, a futsal court that converts to pickleball courts and a burger bar steeped in 1950s roadside nostalgia. CONTRIBUTED/ALEXIS LARSEN

Credit: Alexis Larsen

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Credit: Alexis Larsen

Buck Creek Trail/Simon Kenton Trail

Mother Stewart’s Brewing Company: 109 W. North St., Springfield; 937-717-0618

Located in downtown Springfield, about equidistant from the Simon Kenton and the Buck Creek Trails, this brewery ironically honors a leader of the southwest Ohio temperance movement. Mother Stewart’s has a full menu of food trucks and entertainment, so be sure to check it out to see what they are planning before you go.

The fifth annual IndieCraft returned to downtown Springfield on Friday, May 24 and Saturday, May 25, 2024. Saturday night featured BeerFest at Mother Stewart’s Brewing plus performances by Tommy Stinson (former bassist for The Replacements, Guns N’ Roses & Soul Asylum) with his band Cowboys in the Campfire at Mother Stewart’s Brewing, Lydia Loveless at National Road Commons Park and Dayton’s own crabswithoutlegs at the State Theater. TOM GILLIAM / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Credit: Tom Gilliam

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Credit: Tom Gilliam

Creekside Trail

Southern Ohio Brewing: 818 Factory Road., Beavercreek; 937-705-6690, southernohiobrewing.com

Located off the Creekside Trail beside Angel’s Pass Park, this brewery has the food truck World Piece on a long term commitment to serve. They are on-site Wednesdays through Sundays and open 30 minutes after the taproom opens and closes 30 minutes before the taproom closes. Food is prohibited while the food truck or any guest food trucks are operating.

Dayton Eats

Dayton Eats looks at the regional food stories and restaurant news that make mouths water. Share info about your menu updates, special dinners and events, new chefs, interesting new dishes and culinary adventures. Do you know of new exciting format changes, specials, happy hours, restaurant updates or any other tasty news you think is worth a closer look at? E-mail Alexis Larsen at alexis.e.larsen@hotmail.com with the information and we will work to include it in future coverage.

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About the Author

Alexis Larsen