The Hamilton Mill adds a microbrewery to its roster

At The Hamilton Mill, "startup culture" is about to take on a whole new meaning. In the coming months, the Hamilton incubator will be welcoming a microbrewery to the old firehouse it calls home.
 
Municipal Brew Works is the brainchild of six businessmen, three of whom hail from the Hamilton area and all of whom bring some sort of microbrewery or business experience to the table. By 2015, the bottom floor of the Mill’s High Street location will house a taproom and boast production of nearly 2,500 barrels of craft beer per year. Not a bad deal for the Mill’s current residents, who are more than encouraged to use the taproom as a workspace.
 
The Mill, which has undergone a rebranding during the past three to four months, describes itself as Southwest Ohio’s green incubator for startups focused on manufacturing. Companies who join the Mill usually remain on board for three to four years, taking full advantage of the Mill’s excellent relationship with the city of Hamilton and its utilities department. As a board member at Cintrifuse, the Mill also offers its companies access to Cintrifuse’s mentor network and venture capitalist connections.
 
Most of the companies who sign on with the Mill are somehow related to green technology, but the arrival of Municipal Brew Works highlights the Mill’s broader focus on craftsmanship and artisan efforts. Just like the other companies at the Mill, the brewery will have access to the business development tools the incubator offers. A presence at the Mill will help the brewery in its growth stage.
 
The Mill’s director, Antony Seppi, is more than excited to bring the brewery on board.
 
"The response we got [from the community] was pretty incredible," Seppi says. "The city has a strong history of both manufacturing and beer creation that dates back to the late 1880s."
 
The even greater news? Bringing in a brewery means that other artisan businesses may look to the Mill as an incubator. The ridiculously convenient access to a frothy pour of craft beer for all Mill residents certainly won't keep people away.