USA, OH: Brighten Brewing officially opens in Copley

Tom Robbins smiled widely as he looked around the new Brighten Brewing, the Akron Beacon Journal reported on June 26.

He and business partner Elliott Pickett have been working for more than a year to open the seven-barrel brewery and tasting room just north of the Copley Circle. The doors officially opened Wednesday, June 23 becoming the community's — and western Summit County's — first craft brewery since the short-lived The Beer Factory.

"We are happy to be in Copley," Robbins said. "Good beer. Good vibes. Hopefully, that's what we put out there."

The 7,200-square-foot facility at 1374 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road — which previously housed a Dollar General store — features a large L-shaped bar, flat-screen televisions, tables, distressed floor and a small outdoor patio with pub-style picnic tables.

"A lot of people try to make a distressed floor look. We didn't have to cut holes in our jeans," Robbins said with a laugh.

Brighten opened with seven beers on tap: a double hazy IPA, Belgian-style wit, hazy pale ale, saison, American light lager, Czech pilsner and dry stout. Robbins plans eventually to offer a dozen on draft, including a hard seltzer with different syrups for flavoring.

Customers can expect an Irish-style red and fruited kettle sour to come next.

Robbins, 35, and Pickett, 36, who both grew up in West Akron, have had some fun with the beer names.

The American light lager is named Ric after Pickett's uncle by the same name who enjoys that style. The dry stout is called Coffee, Not Coffee. But there is no coffee in the beer.

Meanwhile, the Tree Frog hazy pale ale got its name because there were spring peepers inside the building for a bit while it was being renovated, driving Robbins crazy.

"It's our silly sense of humor," he said.

Robbins is an accomplished brewer who has previously worked at Thirsty Dog in Akron, Lager Heads in Medina and Magic City in Akron. He won two medals at the Great American Beer Festival while brewing at Lager Heads for an Oktoberfest and a smoke beer.

Pickett and his family are well-known in the Copley community. The Pickett family owns the nearby Walterville business complex and propane business.

Their goal is to bring some life back to the Copley Circle. The site is ripe for a brewery, given the surrounding residential neighborhoods, proximity to the Montrose shopping area and access to Interstate 77.

So far, the buzz is good.

"It's great. The ambience is fantastic," said customer Michelle Hilliard of Kent, who came on opening night and had the Tree Frog hazy pale ale and Citra Slice double hazy IPA. "The beer so far is great. Very tasty."

Brighten — which is able to can beer to go — doesn't offer food. But Big Star Pizza is next door and menus are available in the brewery.

"I'm super excited," Robbins said. "As long as it felt all this took, it feels like now that we're at this point it's happening super fast. There's no turning back now. The gates are open."

Brighten joins a thriving craft brewing scene in Summit County. The county is home to nearly 20 breweries.

Brighten is open from noon to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 1 to 7 p.m. Sunday. It is closed on Monday and Tuesday.

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