Story

Jack Duncan sowed the seeds of a brewer’s dreams in the early ‘90s, long before the craft brewery revolution came to town. His passion for classic brews, which he discovered on the international scene and showcased in his well-stocked fridge, sparked the imagination of homebrew partners Kelly Montgomery and Mark Landers - Jack’s nephew and nephew-in-law. Their homebrew venture grew into an award-winning enterprise, even bringing home the prestigious Best of Show at the Hop Courage Great American Homebrew Contest in 2015 with a nut brown ale that would later inspire Brink’s beloved and GABF ® Gold-Medal-winning Father G’s Bees Honey Brown. After tasting the brews Kelly and Mark crafted, long-time friend Andy McCleese added his business acumen to the equation, and the team was, shall we say, “On the Brink” of greatness. In February of 2017, with a strong network of supportive family and friends, Brink Brewing Co. came to fruition. Over the years, the awards started piling up, including three consecutive GABF ® Gold Medals for Moozie Milk Stout and back-to-back years as the Best Very Small Brewery in the United States.

Brink has been a cornerstone in the redevelopment of the College Hill community, serving as a draw for people near and far and a gathering place for College Hillians. We’ve watched local kids grow up, lost some of our dearest friends, and made more new ones than we can count. College Hill is developing and changing, and Brink is excited to welcome new neighbors, residential and commercial. Along with strengthening the local community, Brink has supported dozens of Greater Cincinnati organizations with our charitable program Brink For A Cause. We love drinking beer for any and every reason, but drinking beer for charity is hard to beat.

Brink is proud to have roots grounded in family and friends. Our entire organization is a staff of just fourteen people from incredibly varied professional backgrounds. No one at Brink wears just one hat, and everyone we employ brings unique insight to our product and environment. Though Uncle Jack is no longer with us, the wisdom he shared (along with all of the beer labels you’ll find in our bathrooms!) will always live on at Brink. Community is of the utmost importance here, and we firmly believe that good beer makes good neighbors.

Homebrew partners Mark & Kelly