Breweries seek to offer good food, good beer, good vibes to Butler County
This article is one in a series of articles about what life looks like in Butler County ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026. Stories in this series aim to showcase what it’s like to live, work, play and serve in Butler County during this moment in history.
As Butler County continues to grow, local breweries are growing alongside it. Established businesses such as Union Brothers Brewing and new businesses like Hop Car Brewing say good beer, good food, and great service are what turn an average local brewery into a community hot spot.
Located in Harmony, Union Brothers has been operating for the last six years. However, the story of the business starts three years earlier. Zach and Leah Waltz, owners of Union Brothers, started brewing their own beer as a hobby.
“So, we were just doing it as a hobby at the house in our garage,” Zach Waltz said during a recent interview.
What started as a hobby in their garage soon caught the attention of the rest of the community. The couple went on to participate in home-brew festivals, which inspired them to start a business.
“We did some home-brew fests and won a bunch of awards,” Waltz said. “And then I guess decided to open a brewery.”
As new developments and homes continue to expand the area, Waltz believes the demand for local breweries
“It’s a desirable area. They’re building a ton of new developments and homes and driving people into the area, so I guess there is still a need for them,” Waltz said.
Waltz said the 270 Mercer St. location is a great place for a brewery because it’s right off the highway and offers 2 acres of land for their beer garden.
Businesses like Hop Car Brewing are excited to fulfill the need for breweries and revitalize the area. The business took the place of the former Butler Brew Works, located at 101 S. Main St. in Butler.
Though many breweries are coming to the area, what makes them unique is the quality and service they provide.
Waltz said, Union Brothers strives for three things: good food, good beer, and good vibes. These three pillars are evident in the evolution of the business from a brewery to a family restaurant.
“At first we were really brewery-focused with our own food, and now I’d say we’re more of a full family restaurant with our own beer,” said Waltz.
Waltz attributes a lot of the success and uniqueness to the atmosphere.
“We have an arcade, a dining room, a private event room, and an outdoor beer garden,” said Waltz.
Waltz said the brewery also has an outdoor stage with live music four days a week, bringing people outside for fresh air and good vibes.
“A lot of people come here to hang out, listen to live music, and reconnect with people,” said Waltz.
Similarly, Hop Car Brewing believes its business will be successful if it can achieve quality food and beer.
“Basically, it takes talent to make a good tasting beer, and I feel like people respect that and that's really what we're hoping to provide, a really good quality beer with some great food,” Reed said.
Additionally, community involvement is included in Hop Car’s plan to contribute to the Butler County atmosphere.
“We feel that community involvement is super important to us,” said Reed. “We want to be able to give back, help, host things down here, and just make a great atmosphere for people to come and enjoy the city of Butler.”
Even with regular bars and restaurants still in the area, community support for breweries continues to grow. Reed believes that breweries offer a sense of community and uniqueness that keeps people coming back.
“I feel like people enjoy the different flavors that a small microbrewery can make because we're not making super large batches. So, every batch is unique,” said Reed.
Waltz adds that the people continue to support local breweries because they’ve taken the place of dive bars and pubs.
“We see a lot less dive bars and now a lot of breweries have started to fill the gap,” said Waltz.
Aside from brewing beer, local breweries serve as a community hub for people to listen to live music, have a meal, and connect with friends and family. As Butler County continues to grow, owners like Waltz and Reed believe those community connections will keep people coming back.
