Sonder Brewing, Mason, Announces Plans for a New Taproom & Beer Garden Menu for Spring 2024

MASON, OHIO - Sonder Brewing and BrewRiver have had a good run since opening in Mason five years ago, but they will go their separate ways starting in Spring 2024.

BrewRiver at Sonder has served the Mason community its from-scratch New Orleans-inspired gastropub menu from the kitchen inside the Sonder Brewing Taproom and Beer Garden since the location’s opening in October 2018.

But the five-year partnership will soon come to an end.

“With BrewRiver’s lease expiring after the opening of our first kitchen in West Chester, we decided the timing was right for us to bring the Mason kitchen in-house as well.  It’s a great opportunity for us to expand upon and refresh the experience for our customers,” explains Sonder President Justin Neff.

While it’s no secret that many customers still enjoy items from the current menu, frequent Sonder customers who go for the beer and the food will still get their pretzel and burger fix even after BrewRiver leaves.

“The new kitchen will be an extension of Sonder and all that we offer,” according to Neff, “and we are excited about the opportunity to reflect more of the Uniquely Crafted qualities of Sonder in a new way in Mason.” Sonder will still offer a variety of sandwiches, appetizers and kid’s choices, but will now be able to feature seasonal offerings, additional vegan choices and elevated specialty options.

While Brew River still has their Creole Kitchen in Cincinnati and Little Easy A Po’ Boy Shop in the Element Eatery, the last day of operations at Sonder Mason will be Wednesday, March 6.

Sonder Brewing says they will begin the change-over on the kitchen space on March 7, with plans to re-open for operations within a quick time frame. The brewery plans to host food trucks during the transition, and will still be providing a Sonder catering menu for events. Food truck schedules and kitchen grand open details will be announced soon.  

Grand Open for Sonder Taphaus & Kitchen in West Chester

Sonder Brewing will celebrate the grand opening of its Sonder Taphaus and Kitchen in West Chester Twp. this Wednesday, November 29, 2023. 

The grand opening and ribbon cutting with the West Chester-Liberty Chamber Alliance is Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 4:00 pm. After Wednesday, the Taphaus will begin its daily lunch and dinner hours. 

“Sonder Taphaus offers a Uniquely Crafted™ concept that stands out in the local restaurant and brewery scene,” says Haley Shutter, Sonder’s Vice President of Hospitality. ”By focusing on a carefully selected menu with flavors that pair well with You Betcha Hazy IPA and our other house-made beers, we wanted to bring an elevated craft beer experience to West Chester.” The menu features shareables, handhelds, salads, and bowls. Some of the unique items include the Voss Boss Burger, Duck Fat Poutine, Heirloom Tomato Sandwich, Kale BLT salad, and Wisconsin-made cheese curds. The menu was curated by in-house Executive Chef Ian Moxley in cooperation with local consultant Leroy Ansley. 

The Taphaus & Kitchen will feature 14 Sonder craft beers and seltzers on draft as well as a curated selection of bourbons, craft cocktails, and wine. Taproom Director, Tyler Kuntz, states “The tap list will always feature top-selling Sonder beers like Voss Kolsch, You Betcha IPA and Hefeweizen but will have rotating limited-release and seasonal selections.”   

When you visit the Taphaus, expect a clean, modern decor with an elevated but casual feel. The walls feature colorful hand-painted murals to make the space unique to Sonder. While TVs are not the focus of the space, you can view your favorite sporting event from any seat in the space. Food can be ordered from your seat at the bar, or from the walk-up order station. Gift cards, merchandise and to-go package beers are also available.

Sonder President, Justin Neff, adds “We targeted West Chester for a 2nd location because we know we have a loyal Sonder fan base in the area. We’ve heard the excitement when talking with community members, and we’ve seen the excitement online since the announcement of the Taphaus and Kitchen. We’re thrilled to be opening our doors, and can’t wait to be a part of the West Chester community.” 

Sonder Brewing also owns and operates a Mason Taproom & Beer Garden and distributes its draft and package craft beer and seltzer brands throughout Ohio and Northern Kentucky. For more information, visit sonderbrewing.com. 

Sonder Brewing Expanding With a Second Taproom Location in West Chester

Tuesday, January 17, 2023

Mason, Ohio-based Sonder Brewing will soon open a second taproom location off I-75 at Union Center Boulevard. The new craft beer and kitchen destination will be located adjacent to Holtman’s Donuts and across from Topgolf Cincinnati at 9558 Civic Center Boulevard, West Chester, Ohio. 

“We have searched for the right location for about two years,” states Justin Neff, President and CEO, “and we love the space and overall opportunity that this location offers us.” When Sonder was driving home deliveries during the Covid shutdown, they found that residents in the West Chester area were big fans of Sonder beer. Now, these consumers will be able to enjoy a Sonder experience in their backyard. Additionally, The West Chester property can be seen from both north and south bound I-75, which helps reinforce the Sonder brand visibility and awareness as they expand distribution further into Ohio and Kentucky. 

The brewery will be calling their West Chester location Sonder Taphaus and Kitchen, and will offer more of an adult bar and event space than their current Mason Taproom and Beer Garden while still being family-friendly. There will be room for private parties and corporate reservations. The Taphaus will feature Sonder draft options and package-to-go beer plus a well-curated selection of wine, bourbon, and food. 

“Our whole team loves the idea of building a food menu that fits the Uniquely Crafted excellence we boast in our beers,” says Director of Strategic Planning & Partnerships Haley Shutter, then jokes, “Cheese curds? You Betcha!” as a nod to their top selling Hazy IPA and her Wisconsin heritage. The Sonder kitchen at West Chester will have a simple, flavorful menu of shareables and seasonal items along with vegan and gluten free options–and, yes, a kids menu. Patrons will be able to easily order food from the bar or from a walk up counter where they will also pick up their orders.    

Coming soon! Sonder plans to add to their story by opening the Taphaus location some time in 2023. Renovations of the space will commence as soon as permits are approved. The interior will have a similar feel to the current Mason location–comfortable, yet casual and welcoming with excellent Sonder beers and food. 

The Sonder Brewing production facility and Mason Taproom and Beer Garden are located at 8584 Duke Boulevard in Mason, Ohio. The Mason location is just 1 mile off I-71. Sonder offers a portfolio of beers ranging from its top selling You Betcha! Hazy IPA and Voss Kolsch to award-winning seasonals and barrel aged beers. More information can be found at sonderbrewing.com or on social media @sonderbrewing.  

You Betcha! Sonder Brewing Expands Distribution to 50 Counties in Ohio

Monday, April 25, 2022 - Sonder Brewing

Mason, Ohio-based Sonder Brewing recently announced its expansion into an additional 33 counties in Ohio, bringing its uniquely crafted products to an expanded Ohio distribution area. Sonder has been available on draft and in cans and bottles in the Northern Kentucky area for 1 year, the Dayton, Ohio area for about 2 years and the Cincinnati area since 2019.

The chance to expand distribution to include the Dayton, Columbus, and Southeast Ohio areas is an exciting move for the brewery in 2022. Sonder has self-distributed to a small group of craft retailers in the Columbus area for about two years. “We are grateful to those retailers who have been very patient partners,” states Sonder President and Co-founder Justin Neff. “This change will give any interested retailers more consistent access to Sonder draft and package brands.” Through expanded distribution, Sonder will bring an array of products to the market, headlined by its year-round portfolio of beers and hard seltzers and its line of gold series limited specialty beers. Here is some of what will be included:

• Beers: You Betcha! (Hazy IPA), Voss (Kolsch), Blanc (White Ale), Record Hop (Rotating Hops IPA), Oktoberfest (Seasonal), Nocturnal (Dark Lager), Kato (Coffee Blonde), Kenosha Kickers (Seasonal)

• Sequel: Hard Seltzer (Seasonal Flavors)

• Gold Series Limited Seasonals: Including brands like Frosted (Milkshake IPA in seasonal flavors), Carmen’s Carrot Cake (Dessert Ale), Coconut Tears (Brown Ale) and Otto (Tiramisu Stout)   

In addition to self-distributing in 2 counties, Sonder Brewing has partnered with two Ohio distributors of domestic and craft beer, to expand its distribution footprint:

• Ohio Eagle Distributing

• Premium Beverage Supply

Chad Blount, Director of Sales at Sonder, stated “We have watched the excitement for Sonder beers grow beyond the geographic scope of where we were able to deliver with our current team. We are excited to partner with distribution companies that share our same passion for providing the best customer experiences possible.”

Sonder Brewing, opened in 2018, produces uniquely crafted beers and seltzers with an emphasis on high-quality ingredients, consistency, freshness, and creativity. The Sonder Brewing Taproom and Beer Garden is open 7 days a week and is located in Mason, Ohio just north of Downtown Cincinnati, and offers a chill space for pints, flights, and hand-crafted food.

For more information on Sonder Brewing, visit sonderbrewing.com

Sonder Brewing Releases Blue Ice Cream Ale Collaboration with Kings Island

Wednesday, May 12, 2021 - Sonder Brewing

Kings Island Blue Ice Cream Ale, uniquely crafted to parallel the famous in park treat, debuts this weekend. The second collaboration between Kings Island and Sonder Brewing, boasts aromas and flavors of blueberry and vanilla. Blue Ice Cream Ale takes you back to those sunny summer days at Kings Island—like nostalgia in a glass. The first collaboration, Giga Coaster Lager, brewed to celebrate the rollercoaster Orion, was a huge success last summer. Blue Ice Cream Ale was originally slated to be produced in 2020 as well but covid complications pushed it to 2021.

Brewing a beer like this was a welcomed challenge for the Sonder production team. The beer uses the same flavors that are used in the park's famous Blue Ice Cream. Chase Legler, Chief Operations Officer, says, “The color was an exciting challenge as we knew we didn't want to add any artificial ingredients or coloring to achieve a blue hue. We did a lot of research and testing to find a natural product to get the color. Both balancing the ice cream flavor without being overly sweet and achieving the fun blue color were definitely the main challenges.” The use of honey malt helped sweeten up the beer without making it overly sweet. When they drink Blue Ice Cream Ale, we hope consumers will feel nostalgia from their days as a child at Kings Island, and enjoy the refreshing flavors of this summer beer at the same time.

Kings Island has been a fantastic partner since Sonder opened in the Fall of 2018, and this is another chapter in a great partnership. Daniel Schmerr, Chief Sales Officer, says, “From label design, to bench-marking kegs for flavor profiles, to wanting to make this beer special, Kings Island was passionate and accommodating through the whole process. For a project that took nearly a year and a half to complete, we couldn’t be more excited to see Blue Ice Cream Ale come to fruition!” Community is one of five company pillars for Sonder, and this partnership with Kings Island is a good example of collaborating with other members of our amazing local community. 

Storytelling is an important part of the Sonder Brewing brand, and the story and nostalgia of Kings Island Blue Ice Cream runs deep with many Sonder employees. Justin Neff, CEO and President, says, “This project was rewarding and exciting, both from a personal and a business perspective. As a kid, my family vacationed to Kings Island multiple times a year and Blue Ice Cream was always a treat we enjoyed. After more than a year of planning this beer and now seeing and tasting the finished product, the beer truly captures that nostalgia.” Blue Ice Cream has a special place in the memories of many Sonder employees, and those memories fueled the creativity and execution of Kings Island Blue Ice Cream Ale.

Kings Island Blue Ice Cream Ale will be launching for the season on Saturday, May 15 at eight in park locations. The Sonder taproom will have Blue Ice Cream Ale on draft starting Monday, May 17, along with having a limited amount of 4-packs available at $12.99 with a one 4-pack limit per person.

For more information on Kings Island Amusement Park, visit visitkingsisland.com

For more information on Sonder Brewing, visit sonderbrewing.com

Sonder Brewing Expanding Distribution to Northern Kentucky

Sunday, April 25 - Sonder Brewing

Starting in early May, Sonder Brewing will be partnering with Chas Seligman Distributing Co to expand to seventeen Northern Kentucky counties. Consumers will now be able to pick up the Sonder core and seasonal offerings in package at retail stores and on draft at bars and restaurants. Daniel Schmerr, Sonder’s Chief Sales Officer, says, “We’re stoked about expanding into Northern Kentucky. Finding the right partner that values customer service, quality and care of product, and attention to detail was paramount to our decision to partner with Chas Seligman. We’ve had many partners/friends/customers ask ‘Where can I get your beer in Kentucky?’ and we’re finally able to give them an answer!” 

The partnership with Chas Seligman allows Sonder  to service the entire Greater Cincinnati area. Chief Marketing Officer Jen Meissner says, “We are excited to expand Sonder's availability to a new market. Northern Kentucky is an integral part of the Cincinnati area and we know there are craft beer drinkers there who already buy and love the Sonder brands."

Sonder has seen steady growth since opening in the fall of 2018, and Northern Kentucky represents the first official territory expansion beyond the Ohio side of Cincinnati and Dayton. Justin Neff, President, says, “Growing Sonder into Northern Kentucky has been on our minds for a long time. It feels like a natural progression for us, as a company, and a great extension of the Cincinnati market.” This expansion will also be made in alliance to Sonder’s core values of community, responsibility, quality, passion, and consistency. As Sonder expands its distribution areas, all production will continue to take place at the current Mason, Ohio facility. 

Sonder will be available in the following Kentucky counties: Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Carroll, Fleming, Franklin, Gallatin, Grant, Henry, Kenton, Mason, Trimble, Owen, Pendleton, and Shelby.

Sonder Brewing Changes Blanc White Ale Recipe and Rolls Out Rebranded Packaging

Tuesday, March 30 - Sonder Brewing

Mason, Ohio - Sonder Brewing has changed the recipe of core beer Blanc White Ale. Blanc was the first beer to ever be packaged at Sonder, and a year round draft and package offering for the brewery. The major change to the beer is that it's more drinkable and sessionable. The phenolics and fruity esters have changed to be more palatable, and different spices highlight more of a citrus characteristic and tone down the spice profile. Chief Operations Officer Chase Legler says, “We decided to change Blanc to a more traditional Belgian-style white ale. Step mashing was performed with the use of oats, malted wheat and even raw wheat yielding a creamy head and pillowy mouthfeel. Using a classic belgian yeast provides phenolic fruity esters that plays well with our proprietary blend of spices.” The name Blanc comes from the French word for white -- a beautiful name for a beautiful beer.

To celebrate the new Blanc recipe, visit the Sonder taproom on April 2-3 and purchase the limited release flute glass with a pour of Blanc White Ale (while supplies last). The latest episode of Sonder Stories, a podcast highlighting the stories behind the beer and people at Sonder, will have Justin Neff, Jen Meissner, Chase Legler, and Danny Herold on to talk in depth about the new recipe and rebranded packaging. The podcast will be released on Wednesday March 31st.

Rolling out the new Blanc recipe was also the perfect time to reveal the new package rebrand. Chief Marketing Officer Jen Meissner says, “We’re excited to roll out our refreshed packaging with the new Blanc recipe. The label now features not only our brewery name but emphasizes the Record Hop part of our logo which was not previously on our cans. The revised label layout aligns the brewery name, beer brand, and definition of Sonder on the can facing.” You will see the new labels rolling into the market over the next few months.

Being a two and a half year old brewery and working through a full year of a pandemic has given Sonder the ability to learn, grow, and improve throughout the life span of being open. President Justin Neff says, “This refresh is a perfect representation of what our company embodies.  It's an enhancement of how we launched our packaged products a little over 2 years ago. It's clean and sleek, but tells each beer's story perfectly. Launching this refreshed packaging with Blanc could not be more perfect, as this beer is the first beer we ever packaged in a can, and equally a representation of our balance of offerings. Coming from a consumer packaged goods background, I have been a part of many package changes and I am really excited that we were able to capture who we are as a company and still adapt our brand to where the industry is headed.” Every person and beer has a story, and this is another chapter in the Sonder and Blanc stories.

Sonder Brewing Releases Kings Island Collaboration Giga Coaster Lager

Sonder Brewing Releases Kings Island Collaboration Giga Coaster Lager

Friday July 31, 2020 - Sonder Brewing

Mason, Ohio - To celebrate Kings Island’s newest roller coaster, Sonder Brewing has crafted a Kings Island Orion®-inspired Giga Coaster Lager. Orion®, which debuted in July, is one of only seven giga coasters in the world, a type of roller coaster with a height or drop of 300 to 399 feet. “Riders on Orion® plummet down an exhilarating 300-foot first drop, sending them on a high-speed journey over seven more hills and 5,321 feet of track at speeds up to 91 mph. Orion® is Kings Island’s tallest, fastest and longest steel roller coaster”, says Kings Island.

Sonder’s Giga Coaster Lager is an approachable lager brewed to be enjoyed by craft beer fans, light lager drinkers, and everyone in between. It’s lightly hoppy, very crisp, and has a very clean finish. It’s a great beer for a hot day at the amusement park during lunch or dinner, in between rides, or while you’re waiting for the kids to ride their favorite attraction. “We’re proud to collaborate with Sonder Brewing, a local brewery deeply rooted in both our community and our business,” says Kings Island’s Executive Chef James Major. “Together, we’ve crafted a truly one-of-a-kind craft beer that’s both light and refreshing – it’s going to send your taste buds for a ride.” The initial release of this beer will be in cans and draft at Kings Island, and in the Sonder Brewing taproom, located at 8584 Duke Boulevard in Mason beginning Friday July 31st.

A key theme for Sonder is being involved in their community. A collaboration between Sonder Brewing and Kings Island, located only three miles away, was a great opportunity for both to support local businesses. “Kings Island is a great partner for us and has always supported us really well, so we’re excited to enhance the Orion® experience for park visitors,” states Jen Meissner, Sonder Brewing Chief Marketing Officer. 

Both Sonder Brewing and Kings Island are located in Warren County, Ohio’s Largest Playground.

For more information on Sonder Brewing, visit Sonderbrewing.com

For more information on Orion®, visit visitkingsisland.com