Downtown brewery serves up local craft sodas

By: Mary Kate Dorr – Asst. A&E Editor

Toxic Brew Co., a pub and brewery located in Dayton’s own Oregon District, is the first to premiere a selection of handmade sodas by the McKibben Brothers Soda Company. The first sodas to be featured include Indians and Cowboys which is made with sarsaparilla root and bilberry, Mammaw Burton with cucumber, lavender and rose and the Hippie Hipster with elderberry, sage and grapefruit.

Although Toxic Brew Co. is the first pub to be featuring their sodas on tap, McKibben Bros. has been an up and coming name in the Dayton area. They are longtime Dayton residents who have featured their sodas at several events throughout the Miami Valley. The events have promoted the several flavors of their sodas and helped expand their name in the Dayton area.

According to local beer aficionado Brian Johnson, Toxic Brew Co. has chosen to feature the sodas for a variety of reasons.

“Many people come in who aren’t drinkers or can’t drink because of gluten, and we want to have something craft to offer them,” Johnson said. “It’s something more than just Coke.”

Toxic Brew Co. decided to become the first to feature McKibben Bros. soda since they’re both locally owned and operated businesses.

“We are extremely locally driven,” Johnson said.  “By keeping the products local, we’re also keeping the money local. It helps everyone,” he said. The brewery sees this as a way to help improve the Dayton community.

Toxic Brew Co. is also hoping to attract more patrons, especially those under 21. Although three sodas debuted recently, there will be a rotating list of sodas featured at the pub.

“We hope that if you come and try a soda and like it, you will be back again to try the other flavors,” Johnson said. This rotation will help bring a wider variety of customers and increase traffic.

A release event was held for the new sodas on Jan. 6. The McKibben brothers attended, as did many people in the Dayton area hoping to try the new sodas on tap. There will be more events taking place at Toxic Brew Co. in the upcoming year, including a new shuffleboard league.

Johnson encourages University of Dayton students, both under and above the drinking age, to come to the Oregon District to enjoy the new featured sodas.

“The Oregon District is a great destination for students and we hope they make it down,” Johnson said.

Toxic Brew Co. is located at 431 E. Fifth St. in Dayton’s historic Oregon District.