Buckeye BrewCraft is the latest homebrew supply store to open in central Ohio, located in downtown Westerville. The shop sports an Ohio State theme and though it looks a bit sparse now, has ample room for growth.

Inside you’ll find a variety of homebrew shop staples: beer kits and spices from Brewer’s Best, grain and extract from Briess, brewing chemicals, wine kits, and so on. They offer yeast from White Labs and Hop Union hops. For the all-grain brewer, Buckeye BrewCraft has a very good selection of specialty grains as well as a grain mill they’ll adjust to your preference. And though their specialty grains come in one pound bags, they’ll sell you any amount you want on pro-rated basis and even… get this… heat-seal your crushed grains to keep them fresh. In the past, I’ve only been able to find this service online. Similarly, if you want 50 pounds of grain, they’ll cut you a break and give you a bulk price. You can special order anything you can’t find in store.

Owner Jim Downing is also trying to branch out, with a line of SodaStream products and fresh pressed cider. The unfiltered, organic cider will be available August 26th in sealed 5 gallon buckets. Additionally, he will offer a class on cider making before the juice is delivered. Introductory homebrew classes will be offered free on August 15th, 20th, and 29th at 7:15 PM (after the shop closes at 7).

In visiting the store, it’s obvious that it’s quite new and perhaps unpolished, but they have most everything the average homebrewer needs. I personally could have done without the odd Christian literature displayed on the counter, but this store is obviously the product of one man’s personality. This is also a benefit, as Downing plans to differentiate himself with excellent customer service and his enthusiasm is evident. He lets customers in after closing time so long as he’s around, and he’s even gone so far as to give out his own cell phone number to a customer in case he had any trouble with his first batch of beer. Between Jim’s passion for helping brewers and the free classes offered, I would recommend this store to any new brewer looking to get a helping hand.

Buckeye BrewCraft is located at 33 N. State St. in Westerville. Buckeye BrewCraft is open Monday-Saturday 10am-7pm and Sunday 12pm-5pm. You can find Buckeye BrewCraft on Facebook for more information on classes and new products.