TIFFIN, Ohio — Seneca County is celebrating its growing brewery industry.
And starting next month, if you visit all three current breweries, you can get an award.
What began as a bus ride brewery tour promotion last year has grown into a new Brew Tour in Seneca County.
Sponsored by Destination Seneca County, the new Seneca County Brew Tour has partnered with all three Seneca County breweries -- The Laird Arcade Brewery, The Tiffin Brewery, and The UrbanWoody Brewery in Fostoria, and a fourth brewery is expected to open in Tiffin soon.
Participants can download a tour passport, and after logging their activity from all three breweries, along with patronizing a neighboring local business will receive a free custom made 1-liter beer howler.
"It makes tourism and travel easy. So with the passport, they can just jump online, SenecaCountyBrewTour.com, open the passport, and then really go from their to complete the trail," said Bryce Riggs, executive director of Destination Seneca County.
And all tjree breweries were all in right away with the concept.
Rob Weaver, head brewer at Tiffin's Laird Arcade Brewery says the friendship and collaboration with the other local breweries is what makes this growing industry so strong.
And he hopes this promotion can not only drum up some new patrons, but a new appreciation for the region for those participating in the tour as well.
"Most of our beers are named for local events, local things, local landmarks, that's very important to us," Weaver said. "And where we source our grain and our hops is also very local now. So, being part of the community and participating in it and supporting other members of the community is very important to us."
"Anything we can do to promote them and allow folks to come in our community or even folks within our community to understand what we have here is extremely important," Riggs said. "So, something that's a part of the initiative is I think folks don't know that we have three breweries here in Seneca County, and a fourth on its way, and also all of the small shops that we have as well."
The Seneca County Brew Tour kicks off Saturday, April 2, and is expected to run through the remainder of the year.
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