Brain Brew Distillery sits on Edwards Road in Newtown, Ohio, about 20 minutes east of downtown Cincinnati. Founded by Mike and Lisa Brain in 2018, this husband-and-wife operation started as a pandemic pivot project when Mike’s background in brewing and Lisa’s business experience collided with a shared fascination for distilling. They converted a former auto repair shop into their 3,000-square-foot production facility, complete with a 500-gallon hybrid pot still they named “Einstein.” The distillery specializes in small-batch bourbon, rye whiskey, and seasonal spirits that reflect their experimental approach to grain-to-glass production.
Mike Brain spent fifteen years as a homebrewer and beer industry consultant before diving into distilling, while Lisa handled the regulatory maze of opening an Ohio distillery. They spent two years navigating state licensing and convincing Newtown officials that a distillery could work in their quiet suburb. The couple sources corn from local farms within 50 miles and ages their whiskey in 15-gallon barrels to speed maturation while maintaining flavor complexity. Their philosophy centers on treating each batch like a brewing experiment, documenting everything and adjusting recipes based on seasonal grain variations.
Visitors enter through a tasting room that still shows traces of the building’s automotive past, with exposed brick walls and industrial lighting. The production area sits behind floor-to-ceiling windows, so you can watch Mike work the still during weekend tours. The space feels more like a working laboratory than a polished tourist destination, which matches their approach to distilling. They’ve built a local following among Cincinnati whiskey enthusiasts who appreciate their willingness to experiment with unusual mash bills and finishing techniques.
