It’s hard to believe it, but Columbus’ initial wave of new microbreweries are celebrating nearly a decade in business! Over the years, the city’s breweries have grown and changed by leaps and bounds. Seventh Son Brewing in Italian Village, for instance, started out in a former garage in April 2013, and since then has expanded in size and added two sister breweries, Antiques on High and Getaway Brewing. We chatted with Collin Castore, who co-founded the brewery with Jen Burton and Travis Spencer, in anticipation of Seventh Son’s 10-year anniversary on April 20, 2023.

 

Collin Castore, Owner, Seventh Son Brewing

Collin Castore, co-owner of Seventh Son Brewing.

 

How does it feel to have accomplished 10 years in the business?

It has genuinely flown by. It’s crazy to think of where we were 10 years ago and where we are today. It feels very natural, but there were so many parts and pieces that brought us here.

What are you most proud of accomplishing at the brewery?

I'm proud that we have made great beers that have become a part of the fabric of Columbus life, and I'm proud that we created great spaces that our guests, neighbors, and employees have been able to enjoy.

 

Seventh Son Beer

Brewmaster, Colin Vent has been with the Seventh Son family since 2010.

 

And brewmaster Colin Vent has been with you since the beginning?

Yes. We started out in 2010. I was volunteering to bottle at Elevator Brewing, to learn the business, and I met him. We said, “You’re Colin, I’m Collin, I’m with one L, you’re with two Ls, let’s stay in touch.” We later acquired a test system and invited him to brew on it.

And he has a culinary background, right?

That’s what we liked about him. He thinks about the flavors and ideas; he thinks about the whole recipe.

 

Seventh Son Brewing

Beer on tap at Seventh Son's Brewery and Taproom in Italian Village.

 

How many beers did you initially have on tap when you opened?

We opened on April 20, 2013 with four beers: our Seventh Son strong ale, Humulus Nimbus pale ale, Stone Fort brown ale, and Assistant Manager golden ale. Those four recipes remain largely unchanged since the beginning, aside from minor tweaks. What was considered hoppy in 2013 is different than in 2023.

How did the expansion in Italian Village come about?

We had been thinking about Antiques on High as a project, and needed a different or bigger facility to make that happen. We were also hitting capacity at our brewery to keep up with production demands. We had looked on the Franklin County Auditor’s site to see who owned the lot behind us; we found his address and I left a note at his home every couple months, saying, “If you ever want to sell this plot, we’d love to buy it.” One day he reached out and said, “Hey, I got an offer on this. If you can guys match it, it’s yours.” There was a one-month bidding war and we got it. We acquired it in 2015 and opened the expansion on our fifth anniversary.

 

View of benches and bar under window pane ceiling inside Seventh Son Brewing's rooftop patio

The second story expansion of Seventh Son Brewing with retractable roof.

 

What's been the biggest change at the brewery over the last 10 years?

Our two new breweries! Antiques on High (opened in November 2018) and Getaway Brewing Co. (opened in May 2021) have each developed awesome personalities and become a part of a brewery family that we are really proud to have created.

What's coming next for Seventh Son?

We have 10 days of fun planned for our 10-year anniversary on April 20, 2023 including a fun parking lot live music show on the 15th and events scattered around our other breweries and off-site locations through the 23rd. We are also working on a couple of really fun "pop-up" outdoor experiences that will be announced later in the year. And we will keep making great beer.

What makes Columbus a great place to own your business?

The people. There is an openness and a friendliness that makes it a great place to operate. Columbus is also growing by leaps and bounds and it’s great to see new faces coming to our city every day. Columbus is no longer just cool by Ohio standards; we are setting a standard for the rest of the country.

Visit Seventh Son Brewing at 1101 N Fourth Street in Italian Village and check out more Columbus breweries to enjoy next time you're in town.