This Saturday, Picktown’s Combustion Brewing will celebrate their Fifth Anniversary with a blow-out gala. But the bigger, unexpected news was their expansion plans into Clintonville.
Over the past few months, Combustion owners Keith and Sarah Jackson have discussed taking their very successful business to the next level. For many craft brewers, that might well mean expanding into the retail space. And while Combustion does have a canning line, they will continue to sell those four-packs onsite, not on grocery shelfs. For the Jackson’s, the choice was to open a second taproom. They love the community spirit that they have found in Pickerington, and because of this, their search for a second space centered around finding something similar in Central Ohio. As fate would have it, another very successful local craft brewing family, the Byrne’s, owners of Lineage Brewing were making a very different decision. After seven years building a well-regarded craft brewery on High Street in Clintonville, Mike and Jess Byrne will be charting a new course in life with a focus on their young family. Certainly, a hard decision, but you have to admire and respect their family-first decision.
When the Jackson’s became aware that the Lineage property was to become available, their decision was made. As former Clintonville residents, Keith and Sarah knew that this was the location, the culture fit, they were seeking. Combustion will take over all the brewing assets as part of the deal and will continue to brew on the 7-bbl system. Expect to find many of the Combustion beers you currently enjoy, plus their PickTown cider, and perhaps a few one-off specialty beers for Clintonville only.
Then there is the Fifth Anniversary party this Saturday. It starts at 11 AM and wraps up at midnight and will feature three live bands, four food trucks, and 30 beers on tap, including some special releases. There will also be special edition anniversary t-shirts printed right before your very eyes between 3 and 5.
Combustion Brewing is located at 80 W. Church St. in Pickerington. The Clintonville spot at 2971 N. High Street is expected to open in June.
