Drink Beer, Stay Here

About an hour and a half southeast of Cleveland --- one route, taking you through a sprawling countryside dotted with well-kempt farmhouses; past rolling hills, verdant pastures, and groves of towering oak --- sits the village of Minerva, Ohio. Constituting no more than two square miles, Minerva is as quaint as can be, and amidst the laid-brick streets, inherent small town charm, and the legend-laced whisperings of once-overturned forts, daunting eighteenth century escapes, and buried French treasure --- at the corner of North Market Street and Lincoln Highway --- sits Sandy Springs Brewing Company. To many an untrained eye, Sandy Springs --- with its picturesque taproom and tank-laden brewhouse now filling the space once occupied by the town's very first gas station --- looks like any other craft brewery. But while it may be one of the nearly three hundred in operation in Ohio, it's one of the few in the nation, and one of the only reported two in the state, that offer on-site, overnight accommodations: a sort of brewery-bed and breakfast hybrid where imbibers and travelers alike are encouraged to not only "drink beer-" but "-STAY here" as well…

For head brewer Andy Conrad and his wife Amanda, the dream of bringing a craft brewery to their hometown of Minerva materialized nearly fifteen hundred miles away, when the two --- having purchased a "junker motor home" post-college and working as traveling physical therapists --- traversed the west. Both home brewers, the two fashioned their mobile practice around breweries that they wished to visit, and --- all the while taking notes and gathering traction --- ultimately returned to Minerva to solidify a business plan of their own.

Together with general contractor and friend Ross Blair, the brewery --- named Sandy Springs after the natural spring that fed into the nineteenth century farmhouse where Andy and Amanda reside --- was constructed, and in November 2017, Sandy Springs opened its doors. No more than six months later, the two circa-1800s buildings adjacent to the brewery became available, and the Conrads --- together with Ross and his wife Renae --- purchased them both. Born of fate and good fortune, the first finished restorative project, dubbed The Brewers Quarters --- a gorgeous, studio-style accommodation complete with bedroom, living area, kitchen and dining area, and custom bathroom --- opened its doors earlier this year.

When asked about the inspiration for The Brewers Quarters, Amanda credits the time --- after having retired their mobile homestead --- spent visiting breweries throughout the mid-Atlantic and north. She highlighted the unique issue of finding lodging near more remote breweries, stating "When we moved home from out West, we would travel to breweries all around us… We always tried to find a place to stay close to the brewery so we did not have to worry about driving… There were very few breweries that had an Airbnb close by… When the two buildings came up for sale adjacent to [our brewery] we knew we had to jump on the opportunity…"

The resulting space --- with its high ceilings, exposed brick throughout, and towering windows overlooking North Market Street --- is a lesson in preservation and elegance. Here, natural light springs from the windows; dancing across the rustic wood surfaces and spilling into every corner, warming them upon contact. A true example of restoration and repurpose, many elements of the new space can be traced to the old: from the custom kitchen cabinets crafted from repurposed ceiling lathe to the varied trim-work and immense, barn-style bathroom doors: both crafted from the space's original nineteenth century ceiling beams. Behind the latter, lies one of the most beautifully-appointed bathrooms one will ever see: counting one custom copper sink --- to the side of which sits a bar of locally-made beer soap --- one handmade copper shower pan, encased in glass, brick, and gleaming ivory tile; and a throng of thoughtfully-positioned cast iron fixtures, two from which downy, brewery logo-emblazoned waffle-knit robes are hung. Atop the comforter-strewn bed, a tray holding take-home favors (koozies, stickers, crowlered water, and stationary) is positioned, and in a nearby corner --- underneath the soft glow of a gallery light --- a framed map of the nation stands; pins dotting the states --- Virginia, Vermont, Georgia --- from which the BQ's guests have traveled.

Two doors down --- from Wednesday through Sunday --- Sandy Springs Brewing Company is filled with life and laughter. Here, the rustic wooden surfaces and repurposed fixtures echo that of the Brewers Quarters. It's an intimate space --- with a bevy of communal tables, pillow-bedecked benches, and attractive window seating overlooking North Market --- and in between swigs of the brewery's handcrafted beer (there are sixteen on tap to choose from, including fan favorite Lost Gold cream ale and Amanda's favorite Goodnight Sweetheart imperial gose) there are stories being told, laughter being had, and memories being made.

For the parched, a selective menu of cocktails, bourbon, cider, and wine is available, and for the hungry: a considerable food menu offering everything from sandwiches, salads, and soups to flatbreads, decadent desserts, and Bavarian pretzels served alongside beer cheese or stadium mustard. On Saturday evenings, live music is provided, and packaged beer-to-go is not only offered but encouraged: for the BQ's guests especially, who receive any Sandy Springs beer of their choice tapped on their in-room Kegerator to enjoy, complimentarily.

All things considered, it comes as no surprise that since its opening in February of this year, The Brewers Quarters at Sandy Springs has been booked via Airbnb almost every week. When confronted with this statistic --- with the fact that so many travelers are choosing the BQ, and choosing their hometown of Minerva --- in which to "drink beer, stay here" --- Conrad is humble. "Our friends are opening up a store under the BQ [this weekend]…" says Amanda, "We are excited to be a part of our community and want to see more local businesses open up downtown…"

And while The BQ remains one of the most popular and sought-after listings in northeast Ohio, don't let that deter you from planning a visit to downtown Minerva in the near future: "[we're] excited to get started on the second quarters The Cellarman..." confides Amanda.

The couple, together with the Blairs, will begin work on the 3-bedroom, 3-bath unit in 2020.

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