Why Beer Lovers Flock to Hoof Hearted Brewing in the Tiny Town of Marengo

The beginnings of Hoof Hearted Brewing started well over a decade ago with a trip to Colorado. Trevor Williams and his friends, Jarrod and Ryan Bichon, were inspired to bring their take on a hoppy brew to central Ohio’s beer scene, leading to Hoof Hearted Brewing’s first creation: a citrusy IPA called Musk of the Minotaur. 

“We kind of set ourselves apart early on,” Williams says. “Just kind of messing around in that genre of beer that was, at the time, not a category around here.” 

The trio opened their brewery in Marengo, a rural village about 40 miles from downtown Columbus, in 2011. Beer lovers make the trip to sample from the brewery’s catalog of 70 uniquely named beers. Twelve kinds are available on tap at any given time. The IPA varieties include the Did We Just Become Best Fwendz?, Roller Blabe and Discount Nachos, while lower-ABV lagers are available for those craving something  lighter.

“Anytime [there is] a new, cool ingredient, it’s a fun opportunity to do a new beer,” Williams says. “And it’s always fun to come up with some ridiculous new labels.”

Though fans can find Hoof Hearted beers at select independent bars and bottle shops throughout Ohio, the place they are guaranteed to find it is from the source in Marengo or at Hoof Hearted Brewing’s smaller brewpub location in downtown Columbus.

The Marengo taproom is as attention-grabbing as the beer, greeting visitors with yellow walls covered in movie posters and skateboard decks that honor WWE wrestlers.  Pinball machines and board games add to the fun, as does an outdoor space with heated booths. Visitors can pair their beer with a bite from A Taste of Colorado, a food truck that partners with the brewery to serve tacos, burritos, quesadillas and
nacho fries.

What keeps guests coming through the door four days a week is the care that goes into the brewery’s unique selection of beers.  

“Regular IPAs and the double and triple IPAs are kind of what we’re known for, and we go to pretty great lengths to make sure we are sourcing the best stuff,” Williams says. “We’re always on the hunt for the best quality and new variety.”

300 County Rd. 26, Marengo 43334, 567/233-3115, hoofheartedbrewing.com