A bit of Bavaria in Central Ohio

When brewmaster Kevin Ely first visited the historic Ohio farm that would become the Wooly Pig Farm Brewery, he knew he’d found the perfect site for a brewery that would combine old-world traditions with an innovative vision. The farm’s patchwork of pastures, woodlands, and tilled fields transported him to the hills of Northern Bavaria, where he’d honed his taste in classic German beers and expertise in cutting-edge brewing techniques.

Then...

The 90-acre Wooly Pig farm is located in east central Ohio overlooking the Tuscarawas River, a tributary to the Muskingum River. For over 150 years it belonged to the Norman family who first herded sheep, then ran a dairy, and later, raised crops. The old farmhouse and several slate-roofed outbuildings still stand on the property, and its red barn sits atop a stone foundation inscribed with the date 1899.     

When the farm became available for purchase in 2014, Kevin Ely and his wife Jael Malenke, who grew up on a homestead less than a mile away, had been dreaming of opening a craft brewery which honored the German tradition of teaming beer with land and family and community. They were able to purchase the farm with Jael’s brother, Aaron Malenke (“the farmer”), and his wife, Lauren Malenke (a veterinarian).

Now...           

The Wooly Pig Farm Brewery now occupies a converted barn that once housed a tractor and plow. Rustic planks and hand-hewn beams salvaged from a collapsed outbuilding integrate the tasting room to the farm’s longer history. Its beers are sourced from a farm well developed by the Norman families for their animals and crops. Between the brewery and the old farmhouse a row of Saaz hops climb 20-foot-tall trellises. (These fresh hops are added in the lagering process to one of our beers each fall.) 

And the curly-haired mangalitsa pigs that Kevin admired while traveling from brewhouse to brewhouse in Bavaria? They love foraging for hickory nuts on the farm’s hillsides and contribute to the brewery by consuming the spent grain. Mangalitsas are a Hungarian heritage pig breed developed in the mid-19th c. Their meat is prized for its marbled fat and rich taste, a perfect pork for curing and charcuterie. They grow thick curly hair causing visitors in winter months to mistake them for sheep.The farm is also home to sheep—all tended by Aaron and Lauren, who built their off-the-grid house near the northern edge of the property. The whole family is committed to sustainable farming practices, preserving the farm’s natural resources, and minimizing the brewery’s footprint.

The Wooly Pig Farm Brewery is unique in central Ohio, but it carries on a long legacy of hard work, connection with the land, and commitment to community. Join us for a beer, and make our story part of yours.

4-legged Farm Folk

doggos

We have 2 farm dogs: Auggie, the friendly golden mutt and Ushi, our little pointy little princess. They greet visitors, show them the ropes and collect the snack tax.

Wooly Cat

Hard though it is to believe, Wooly Cat was abandoned at the farm. Now, he bosses the dogs, shuts down the sparrows and warms a barstool with the best of them.

Wooly Pigs

The number of Wooly Pigs varies at the farm, but their job remains the same: consume spent grain, convert it to pork chops and smile for the photos. Named after hop varieties, the tallest pig on the farm is our boar, Ivanhoe. His sows are Saphir and Galena.