If you are what you brew, then refuse to be anything but Moeller. (Yes, I think they need to contact me for permission to use that on a t-shirt.đ)
Maria Stein is a town long known for its corn and quarterbacks, but since 2015, MOELLER BREW BARN has captivated headlines with the epitome of a small-town style turducken– itâs a brewery⌠in a barn⌠in the country– itâs a brewarntry.
I first heard about the Moeller Brew Barn years ago. From rumblings about the breweryâs exceptional craft brews and atmosphere to my inability to enter almost any local store or restaurant without seeing a Moeller Brew Barn beverage as an offering, my curiosity regarding Moeller Brew Barn peaked quite some time ago, and itâs remained peaked. So as I thought about what food blog should lead the Positively Delicious food blog journey into 2021, I knew I wanted to give Moeller Brew Barn that opportunity– and they didnât disappoint.
First Impression
Past a few church steeples and near a number of working farms, a black and white barn like no other graces the landscape. With an outside patio encompassed with perfectly laid stone and illuminated with firepits and a roofline that walks the tightrope between the look of a humble barn and a building that screams âI AM HERE,â itâs easy to imagine wedding receptions and monumental moments happening inside.
My first glimpse of Moeller Brew Barn shot waves of gratefulness through my body. I felt grateful that Nick Moeller saw potential in a brewery in a map-dot town, grateful for people who use their gifts and talents in a way that accents where theyâre from, and grateful for the opportunity to experience a phenomenal representation of my roots.
A Step Inside
The natural light streaming through the barn doors and windows create an atmosphere thatâs open and airy, which isnât expected from eateries known just as much for what they have on tap as whatâs on their menu.
Entering Moeller Brew Barn, I immediately feel at home. The American flag saluted me. The kegs and taprooms greeted me. The knotty pine walls, exposed beams, and rooster-weather vane logo surrounded me. Flat screens and generous seating invited me to take my time.
Thereâs an immediate feeling that not only am I welcome, but my laughter and my conversation and my time are also. Thereâs no rush at Moellers, and during my visit alone, I witnessed a 30th birthday party, a family with a newborn, a group of women on a âladyâs night out,â and couples on intimate dates. Moellers is a âcome as you areâ kind of place. Dressed down or dressed up, come on in and take a seat.
The Menu
When Moeller Brew Barn first opened, food wasnât an option– the focus was entirely on craft beers and cultivating the conversation and the experience that keeps guests coming back for more. But just like Moellerâs eventually opened a second location in Troy, Ohio in 2019 in a former church-turned-brewery, it eventually began to develop a menu that evolved into a collection of one-of-a-kind offerings that are just as worth it to travel for as the brew.
Moellerâs menu includes their noteworthy and mouth-watering PBJ BURGER, BAJA SHRIMP TACOS, TOTCHOS, BRIE POMEGRANATE PROSCIUTTO brick oven pizza, and many other memorable mouthfuls that pair exceptionally well with their ROASTED HAZELNUT and OH HELLES craft beers, among many others.
Moellers is known to offer at least a dozen brews on tap and even brews their own 716 ROUTE BEER for kids of all ages. And if youâre missing those campfire sâmores this winter, travel to Moeller Brew Barn for their exceptional BRICK OVEN SâMORE. I assure you that you wonât be disappointed.
Final Thoughts
âIf you build it, they will comeâ may be a famous line from the 1989 smash hit Field of Dreams, but that phrase is just as applicable to Moeller Brew Barn. The vision for a brewery that embraces craft beer and faces working farms in the middle of farm country U.S.A. isnât a known formula for success. But when a vision accompanies expertise, passion, and proper execution, itâs difficult for it to go wrong, which is why Moeller Brew Barn doesnât merely survive– it thrives.
Like I said at the beginning of this piece, If you are what you brew, then refuse to be anything but Moeller.
The following photos are courtesy of Moeller Brew Barn’s Facebook page:
