Brewing with a Purpose: The Local Economic Impact of Birdfish Brewing Company
Established in 2015,Birdfish Brewing Company is a local craft brewery located in Columbiana, Ohio. Our motto is righteous beer for the righteous kind and we strongly believe in staying true to that message. Everything we do is centered around passion for our community.
Being born and raised in the Mahoning Valley, we have seen this area go through many good and bad times. This has truly shaped the way we operate. We want to provide a meaningful impact within our community and be influential in making it a nice place for our friends and families.
We are more than just a brewery. We are a business that collaborates with local entrepreneurs, farmers, restaurants, artists, bands and non-profits. As we work on our own success, we strive to make those around us successful too.
When you come to Birdfish you are not only investing in us, but you are also investing in the Mahoning Valley. When you buy from Birdfish, a significant portion of your money goes back into the local community. Many of our products are sourced and produced within a thirty-mile radius of Columbiana. Highlighted below are a few key partnerships that help make Birdfish a success.
Ingredients: Malted barley is a primary ingredient in the production of craft beer and the source of the sugars (principally maltose) which are fermented into beer. As such an important ingredient, we are proud to source over 80% of our total supply from Yarian Quality Malts (New Waterford). Additionally, hops are an essential ingredient that provide bitterness to counterbalance the sweetness of each brew as well as give each style of beer a unique flavor and aroma. We collaborate on beers and source hops from local hop farms like Barn Talk Hops (Wadsworth), Knucklehead Hop Farm (Leetonia), Heintzelman Hop Farm (Greenford), & Barking Squirrel Hop Farm (Lisbon). We source fruit, herbs, spices, and honey from many local farms in the Mahoning Valley. We use coffee in our beer from local roasters like Branch Street Coffee Roasters (Boardman), Lib’s Market (Salem), Voyager Coffee & Tea (Canfield), & Youngstown Coffee Company (Youngstown). We barrel age beer Ohio bourbon and whiskey barrels from Tom’s Foolery (Burton).
Merchandise: From our shirts to our coasters, nearly all of our merchandise is designed and manufactured in the Mahoning Valley. RAT Creative (Lisbon) provides graphic design and screen printing for apparel, along with other printed material like custom coloring books. Street Steel (Columbiana) manufactures custom metal signs and tap handles. S&T Engraving (Poland) provides the etching for our growlers and tumblers, along with embroidery for apparel. Hex Letterpress (Youngstown) helps design the majority of our can and bottle labels, and specializes in our custom, small-run posters and coasters. Pirate’s Life Pinball (Columbiana) provides pinball and other games at our Down Low facility. Printed glass growlers, pint glasses come from CIRM Custom Decorating (Unity). Ceramic Pint glasses from Margaret Wade (Columbiana). Custom scented candles are from 1820 House Candle Co. (East Palestine) and handmade Birdfish jewelry is produced by RadioHoop (New Springfield).
Fundraisers: We have between twenty-five to thirty charity events per year. Primary events include “Tips for a Cause” and charitable events where Birdfish donates $1.00 per pint to certain causes. In 2019, these events raised more than $16,000 for various non-profit organizations. Also in 2019, Birdfish and Austintown Pediatrics partnered for a “Charity Collaboration Project”. The project will raise $10,000 over three years to assist four charities that support pediatrics.
It is our specialty to create small-batch beers for causes that we care deeply about. Some of our unique beers include Park IPA and Red Flag Penguin Pilsner. For every Park IPA pint poured in-house, Birdfish donates $1.00 to an annual project at Firestone Park in Columbiana. We also brewed the “Red Flag Penguin Pilsner” to support the Penguin Club of Youngstown State University, which resulted in a nearly $500 donation in 2019. Additionally, we have held several fundraisers for the Columbiana Police Department K-9 Unit, which raised over $1,500 to help protect our community.
When you enjoy a beer at Birdfish, you are not just supporting a local brewery. You are supporting other local entrepreneurs, farmers and non-profit organizations that make the Mahoning Valley a great place.
Summary: In summary, we have built our company and our brand through the support of our local community and surrounding communities. The support we receive begins to circulate through our supply chain to further build a strong local economy. The cycle begins as we source our ingredients through a local farmer or our merchandise through a local vendor. As customers patronize our business, we are able to generate revenue that will first result in the collection of sales tax that will ultimately be used to benefit local services such as emergency services, schools, roads, etc. Our employees can earn income that can then be used in surrounding local businesses. Lastly, our vendors can support their families and employees while continuing to retain local dollars in our local economy. Our growth and our ability to source locally is paramount in the support we receive from our community and patrons.
