Lancaster has a new brewery with the recent opening of Double Edge Brewing Co.

As is often the case, Double Edge’s co-founder and head brewer Zac Williams got his start homebrewing about a decade ago.

“My a-ha moment with beer was in Lincoln, Nebraska,” said Williams. “Someone gave me a quad and until then I had just had the typical experience of beer in college with Natty Light and Coors Light. It really blew the doors off of what I thought beer was and what it could be. I went on a fact-finding mission after that, reading and listening and drinking everything I could about beer.”

Williams and business partner Mark Jinkens, both software engineers by trade, began planning a brewery in 2015. Williams attended the American Brewers Guild school in Vermont to formalize his beer education, and the pair found a building in the historic district of downtown Lancaster on which they started construction in 2016.

“At that time Lancaster did not have a brewery within the city — we have Rockmill, but they are really closer to Lithopolis — and I really wanted something that was downtown, a place that we could build for the community,” said Williams

The brewery features a 10-barrel brewhouse with six fermenters, and the taproom, which celebrated its grand opening on March 24, seats about 75. Behind the bar are 12 taps dedicated to house brews, with two American IPAs, a pale ale, a golden ale, a porter and an Irish stout currently pouring. Williams says a cherry wood smoked amber, double IPA, and golden ale infused with cacoa nibs are in the works.

“We just got our infusion kegs this week so I really want to start playing with infusions,” said Williams. “We have an awesome little health food store just down the street and I got to play around with some of their some Tanzanian coffee beans that we’re excited to infuse next.”

Double Edge Brewing is located at 158 West Chestnut Street in Lancaster, Ohio. The taproom is open Wednesday-Thursday from 4-10pm; Friday from 3-11pm; Saturday from 12-11pm; and Sunday from 12-6pm.

photos courtesy Double Edge Brewing