DEFIANCE — Ozzy Finnegan looks — and sounds — like he should spend his days cruising down a mountainside on his snowboard.
He has long hair, a laid-back persona, and adventurous spirit.
Not surprisingly, the Paulding native spent six years in Colorado, working in bars and “becoming a professional beer drinker” while hanging out at the Great Divide Brewery.
He loves his beer. He just never planned on brewing it.
But life sometimes has different plans for you, and Finnegan can now be found brewing at the 4KD Crick Brewery in Defiance.
“If I’d known I was going to be doing this, I would have spent a lot more time paying attention at Great Divide,” Finnegan says, chuckling.
Family brought him back to northwest Ohio, and he landed as the bar manager at the Sweetwater Chophouse restaurant on the property of the Eagle Rock Golf Club in Defiance. One day, head chef Aaron Weible asked him if he’d ever thought about brewing for a living — or would at least be willing to give it a try.
So, even though he had never even home brewed, he, of course, said yes.
“I just started reading books and talking to my buddies out in Colorado,” Finnegan says.
The pro shop on the grounds was turned into a 3.5-barrel system brew house and taproom, and Finnegan, who has always had a scientific-oriented mind, began experimenting immediately with recipes he would find online. Relying on what he liked in a beer, he eventually developed a full roster of his own recipes.
In September, the brew pub opened, and it has been packed on most weekends since. The beers are clear, fresh, and flavorful. Two of the most popular are the Turkey Crick Blonde Ale and the Preston Island Pale Ale. The Green Mountain Haze IPA is aromatic and bursting with hoppy flavor.
Over the bar hangs a large collection of locally made beer mugs. For $75, you can join the “Up the Crick without My Mug Club.” The mugs hold four to five ounces more than a pint, but you will only be charged for the price of a pint. An electronic board flashes the current beers on tap and displays current social media posts about the bar. There will be six main taps, with two seasonals throughout the year.
Relying on his bar management background, Finnegan has also been brain-storming about entertainment ideas. On the weekends, the tap room has acoustic music, with the artist setting up on a platform right next to a brewing tank. There are plans for corn hole and a basketball court once the weather warms, and outdoor seating around a fire pit.
As solid as the recipes are already, it’s hard to believe that Finnegan has only been brewing for a matter of months. But, he’s got the bug now, and he constantly has new ideas racing through his mind.
“It’s only going to get better from here on out,” he says.
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Don’t forget the third annual Winter Brewfest takes place at Toledo’s Fifth Third Field on Jan. 14, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
There will be 250 craft brews available, and tasting stations will be located on the field.
Tickets are $35 in advance and $45 on the day of the event. They include 15 taste tickets and a souvenir cup. A VIP ticket is $55 and includes 20 taste tickets, an all-you-can-eat buffet, live music, and the souvenir cup.
Tickets can be purchased by calling 419-725-4367 or online at mudhens.com.
Contact Brian Dugger at: bdugger@theblade.com or on Twitter @DuggerCountry.
First Published December 15, 2016, 5:00 a.m.
