The city of Columbiana has been at the center of a lot of change over the last decade, and at the center of it all were a group of brewers pouring a pint at a time with the community in mind.

"I think it was always an idea from the start, but definitely, we felt the embrace from the start," says Co-Owner Josh Dunn. 

Prior to Birdish Brewing Company opening its initial location on Main Street in Columbiana, Josh, Johnny, Jared, and Greg started where most brewers do, brewing in their garage.

"When I met them, they were nice enough guys, and you get attached to them, and when they said they were going to open up a brewery, that they were going to do it," says longtime friend and Greenford resident Jeff Taylor. 

In 2015, Birdfish Brewing Company opened its doors on Main Street in Columbiana, brewing on a much smaller system than they are today, but brewing beer for everyone to enjoy.

"It's been crazy. We started on a little one-barrel system, and we kind of did things the hard way, just putting whatever we had together," says Co-Owner and Brewer Jared Channell. 

From there, more beer was brewed, and the word spread, inviting anyone to sit down in their tap room, enjoy a cold beer, and maybe some local music too.

"To see what it's grown into here down low is amazing up there. It was really interesting because we knew everybody that was walking in and out, and now we know 10 to 25 percent, that's how much they're following has grown," says longtime friend and North Lima resident Dean Hiner. 

In 2017, Birdfish moved to a larger production facility and tap room just down the street on East Park Avenue. Their beer continued to make an impact in the Valley, and so did they, using their beer to make a difference for organizations like the Joanie Abdu Comprehensive Breast Center, Vail's Voice Foundation, and Firestone Park.

"It started with just one beer, Park, IPA, and a dream of opening up a disc golf course in the park, and from there, several other projects have come up, and we were able to support a dog park and now the playground," says Dunn. 

In the last decade, Birdfish has grown, adding new beers and even non-beer options to its offerings. Their tap room includes a variety of pinball machines, frequent sets from local musicians, and food offerings from a variety of local food trucks. And if the first decade was any indication, the next decade for Birdfish will feature a focus on their craft and supporting the community that helped them get to where they are.

"We want to stay small in a general sense because making small batches of beer makes, in my opinion, better beer, so we don't want to get too big either," says Channell. 

"We are happy where we are. We are happy with the size that we are in the location here in Columbiana, so right now we are trying to support local agriculture by using Yarian Quality Malts and other local hops," adds Dunn.

The brewery is kicking off a weekend celebration starting Thursday, November 20th, with a free screening of the locally filmed documentary Birdfish Brewing: 10 Years on Tap. The documentary was filmed by Tristan Hostetter, a Columbiana-based Journalist and Filmmaker, and showcases "Birdfish’s role in shaping the city’s culture through conversations with patrons, musicians, business owners, and city officials, each reflecting on how the brewery has helped fuel Columbiana’s growth and sense of community."

The free screening is being held at the Columbiana Arts Theater, located at 5 N Main St, with doors opening at 6:30 PM and the screening beginning at 7:30 PM. 

A list of events can be found in the image below, with all the details HERE.