“Having a brewery in this community could benefit everyone,” said Foster, who is from Springfield and has lived in Urbana the past 10 years. “It’s a place friends, family anyone could come to. We looked at other breweries and believed it could be a good fit here.”
Credit: Brett Turner
Credit: Brett Turner
Urbana Brewing Co. was the vision of Jason Kile, Jamon Sellman and Neal Pence.
Pence has been into brewing for several years and became a brewmaster a year ago. They looked at a former bank across Monument Square, which wasn’t suitable, and instead opted for the current location.
Being a driving force in the community was what drew Foster to joining and doing the day-to-day operations. He said it’s been a learning process, but he and staff have had good reviews on the beer and food, adding that they try not to take away from other local restaurants flavors or concept.
A feature making Urbana Brewing Co. unique is the tanks and equipment used in brewing are in view of the general seating area. Many breweries have these in back rooms or closed off from the public.
“When folks come here, we show what we do right in front of you. Neal is in here brewing. It gets attention and people can ask him questions,” said Foster.
Foster stresses the brewery is focused on being family-friendly — with several televisions to watch sporting events — and offers a variety of drinks and items. It has a counter-style service in which customers order drinks or food at a counter, eliminating the need for servers.
Handcrafted beers include a UBC Blonde, an easy approachable malt-oriented lager; Park Avenue Pale Ale, named after the nearby Park Avenue in Urbana, cascade hops with a citrus flavor; Centennial IPA, including centennial hops with citrus and floral notes; UBC Wheat, which features a light, clean flavor; Kilted Climber, with the name inspired by the local school team name, Hillclimbers, with flavors of caramel, malty sweetness and a hint of smoke; and Forgotten Oatmeal Stout, with flavors of coffee and chocolate.
Urbana Brewing Co. has taps for up to 12 beers, with more coming later this month. Also on draft are hard seltzers in five flavor varieties. Foster said this is uncommon as most places offer just one option. Plans also call to add ciders and wines to the menu. Some products can be purchased to take home.
Foster said breweries are like a family, not competing but supportive of each other’s success. UBC had helpful advice from other breweries including Mother Stewart’s Brewing Co.
Mike and Missy Esch of Urbana have visited UBC five times already. A late Wednesday afternoon found them enjoying beers and pizza. The couple likes to frequent local establishments and especially like the relaxed, casual atmosphere.
“We were here and there were people playing cards. Not many other places would allow you to stay and do that, they want you in and out to seat more people,” Mike Esch said. “You don’t have to worry about servers. You can come sit and talk and not feel obligated to get up and go, and that’s nice to have.”
The two enjoy frequenting breweries and prior to the pandemic would often visit bigger cities like Columbus and Dayton. With UBC in their hometown, there’s less need to travel.
They brought their grown kids in during the holiday week and have seen people they hadn’t in a while, noticing several generations there. Missy Esch found it interesting her 16-month-old granddaughter was fascinated by watching Pence brewing.
The Eschs also like that UBC is open Sundays, mentioning most everything downtown is closed. Foster also said he was pleased to see a lot of foot traffic into the business on a chilly Sunday afternoon.
Foster is excited for UBC’s future plans. It has space to host a wide range of live music with a sound system available. In warmer months, visitors can enjoy the rooftop loft with its own separate bar and television.
The hope is for UBC to be an essential part of the experiences happening in downtown Urbana for years to come, and Foster credits breweries in helping bring downtowns back to life.
“When people come here, we want them to see the neat local shops. We want to be in on the resurgence happening in Urbana,” he said.
UBC is open 3-10 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays. For more information and updates, go to www.facebook.com/Urbanabrewingco/.
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