Anna Jeffries

Reporter

Homestead Beer Company is celebrating its third anniversary with a party on Jan. 16.

The local brewery has made a special triple IPA for the occasion.

For more information, go to homesteadbeerco.com or 740-358-0360.

HEATH - When they started Homestead Beer Company in 2013, Adam Rhodes and Kevin Atkinson knew they wanted to share their love of craft beer with others.

But they never imagined how large their company would get in just a few years.

As they prepare for the third anniversary of their business, the brewery owners have a lot to celebrate.

More of their beers are being sold in grocery stores, as well as bars and restaurants in Ohio. They've released several new brews, and fans are traveling to their brew pub from across the state.

"The speed and scale of our expansion is really kind of something," Rhodes said. "It helps that the beer is good, but it also helps that the people around here are amazing people."

Homestead will celebrate its third anniversary from noon to 10 p.m. Jan. 16.

Visitors will be able to tour the brewery and watch as Homestead's Snake Oil Super Pale Ale is made. They'll also be able to sample Drie —which is the Belgian word for three — a brand new triple IPA crafted for the occasion.

Special firkins of Homestead's Tenpenny and 3MC beers also will be available for tasting. The Mai Chau food truck will be serving up southeast Asian cuisine for lunch, and the Indonesian food truck Aromaku will be there for dinner.

The party will be a celebration of how far the business has come in three years, Rhodes said.

This summer, they opened a patio and beer garden at their brewery. They also started selling six packs of their Pastime summer ale and Tanennbaum Christmas ale and four packs of their 3MC Double IPA.

Fans can look forward to seeing six packs of their Pioneer Ohio Pilsner in stores soon.

With beers in restaurants, bars and store shelves, Homestead is becoming popular across the state, Atkinson said.

They've seen people visit their brewery from Akron, Canton, Cincinnati, Dayton and Cleveland. Their goal for 2016 is to expand their reach, Rhodes said.

"We want to take the success we've had here in Licking County and Columbus and move it on to other parts of the state," he said.

The craft beer market in Ohio is going strong, and both Rhodes and Atkinson said they are proud Heath is well represented.

"We've tapped into something really special by being out (in Heath) and focusing on what we do out here."

ajeffries@newarkadvocate.com

740-328-8544

Twitter: @amsjeffries

If you go

What: Homestead Beer Co.

When: Noon to 10 p.m. Jan. 16

Where: 811 Irving Wick Drive W, Heath

FYI: Free and open to the public. For more information, go to homesteadbeerco.com or call 740-358-0360.