A Visit to: Crafted Drafts

5245 N. Hamilton Rd.
Columbus, OH 43230
http://www.crafteddrafts.com/

Looking for a hard-to-find brew? Want to learn more about what kind of beer styles will tickle your fancy? Crafted Drafts bottle shop near Gahanna is the place to frequent. This small store doesn’t carry growlers, but the constantly rotating selection of beers and ciders will leave any alcohol aficionado satisfied. But don’t be overwhelmed by the rows and rows of bottles once you get inside. One of the coolest things about Crafted Drafts is the great organizational system that they have. All of the different beer styles are color-coded by type. This way, once you pinpoint the beer style you’re seeking, just look for the corresponding color swatch on the shelf instead of being forced to read every bottle’s label.

Furthermore, owner Mike Troy is incredibly knowledgeable about the hundreds of beers they carry in the store, and if you are unsure what you’re looking for, he or his staff will guide you down the right path. He produces informational videos as well, which teach you how to to appropriately “age” beer to alter its flavor, or the impact that temperature changes can have on your beer. Thankfully, Crafted Drafts also does a great job of updating their social media, so before you make the drive you know whether or not they have that rare beer you’ve been hunting; they will post when they run out of specialty kinds. They also do Facebook features on what is new in stock at the store.

Another cool thing that they do at Crafted Drafts is host a weekly beer tasting with local and nationwide breweries. On many Friday evenings, for generally around $5, you can taste some new suds and learn about each. Sometimes, the brewers themselves are even on hand to chat! Check out the Crafted Drafts website or the Columbus Culinary Connection event calendar for more info about upcoming tastings.

Crafted Drafts is my favorite bottle shop in Columbus, and if you haven’t checked it out, make the drive to Gahanna and see why for yourself!

Keep Connected,

Caroline