Aistear Brewing hosts games, events, brews at their Bowling Green tavern
During the great quest of your life you may journey through a small village known as Bowling Green. If you do, keep your eyes peeled for a strangely shaped triangular tavern, as inside it holds a world of wonder and delicious ales. That building holds Aistear Brewing, BG’s Dungeons and Dragons-themed bar and tabletop gaming center that welcomes any and all adventurers to come have a night of merriment.
Aistear Brewing was opened in 2019 by owner and brewer Chris Thompson. This is Thompson’s first working experience in a bar; he had been an “avid home brewer for years”, making various brews in his basement and garage. Now the tavern is host to various events that will bring in talent and fans from around the area.
Location, Location, Location
The magic of Aistear starts with the building itself, an oddly-triangular building out of place sitting in the parking lot of a strip mall in Bowling Green. It was a journey itself just to find the current location, as Thompson said “originally the thought was to put it in downtown Toledo and be part of the revitalization efforts with other new restaurants and establishments.”
Luckily they found their current location and love it: “I love the design of the building and it helps make the bar have a unique feel,” explained Thompson. “The search was as much about location and demographics as it was about cost and space efficiency…without a doubt, the building solidified BG as the final destination. The uniqueness inside and out made it so easy to visualize exactly what Aistear was supposed to be- a cozy little tavern for adventurers from all around to gather for fun, conversation, and unique craft brews.”
Those unique brews include “fruited beers, braggots (honey-heavy beers), seltzers, all kinds of stuff,” said Thompson, but Aistear is looking into non-alcoholic brews as well: “You don’t have to like or drink beer to have fun at Aistear- we’re about camaraderie and community… I’m toying with the idea of brewing up some non-alcoholic beverage options, too, so stay tuned because that’s something in the works.”
Random Encounters
There’s good drinks and good company, but there’s also great events happening at Aistear. “I’ve always thought Aistear’s atmosphere would lend nicely to things like improv, stand up comedy, or even small theater group performances,” explained Thompson. “We love that stuff, our customers do too, and the intimate nature of the taproom just seems to fit so well!” That has led to the creation of Charisma Check, a new bi-monthly comedy show on Fridays showcasing jesters from around the area.
Other events are in the works, including author signings, Acoustic Sundays music performances, and a yearly event called Aistear Con. “We started Aistear Con as a way to help local artists and creators showcase what they do in a fun way. At the time, Covid was ravaging the convention scene, everything was shut down, and I felt so bad for all those people who had no way to get out to the public and show off their amazing skills and passions.
“So we started Aistear Con and have run 3 successful versions of that now with local, really talented people.” Keep an eye on Aistear Brewing and take a trip to visit one of the best looking taverns in the area. Who knows what fun you might find within?
1037 N. Main St., Bowling Green. 419-819-4704. aistear-brewing.square.site.
