CBF Archives

I picked this week’s News & Brews beer expecting it to be bad. So how did Rhinesgeist Kalmer — a cucumber-lemon Kolsch — fare with the Columbus Business First panel? Tune in to find out, but stay around for so much more including creepy dolls and beer news concerning an upcoming brewery taproom, a new Grandview bar and the ongoing evolution of BrewDog USA. Beer tourism is discussed as is whether o...

Business First held a roundtable on the progress of Ohio's medical marijuana market on March 14 at Sparkspace in the Arena District. The panelists included: Andy Joseph, CEO, Apeks Supercritical/Ohio Grown Therapies; Justin Hunt, executive vice president, Grow Ohio Pharmaceuticals; Sandy Lynskey, attorney, Mac Murray & Shuster; Mark Hamlin, senior policy adviser, Ohio Department of Commerce; Dougl...

This week in the Columbus Business First News & Brews fridge is something new from the oldest local brewery. Bottles of Columbus Brewing Co.’s Skateland were opened. Was the blonde pale ale enjoyed? What surprising entree is recommended as a nice food pairing? That’s why you listen! Meanwhile, honky-tonks of dubious ownership are discussed as is Ohio State University legend Eddie George. Or is he...

Personal boundaries are tested in this episode of News & Brews as the French language is mangled and reluctant panelists are forced to try sour beers. A pair of Jackie O’s creations — Les Deux Silos and the cherry-centric Gingham — were on the table for this round. How did the style skeptics feel by the time the bottles were empty? Listen in to find out.

Our latest News & Brews podcast tackles an age-old beer question: porters vs. stouts? Which is which & which is your preference? On one side is the North High Filthy McNasty Russian Imperial Stout, and on the other is Land-Grant Brewing Co.’s Deep Search Baltic Porter. Does the conversation wander away from that topic at some point? You bet! (Mis)adventures in brewing you own beer at North High ar...

Our latest News & Brews podcast backs the Columbus Blue Jackets with some beer, while belatedly toasting a new start for the Columbus Crew. A team of six crack Columbus Business First imbibers sat down with a six-pack of North High Brewing’s Stick Amber Ale, a hockey theme beer released this winter to support Movember, which raises awareness for men’s health issues. But that’s not all! Convers...

Check out the latest edition of our News & Brews beer podcast, in which we discuss The Brew Kettle's White Rajah IPA and much, much more!

Check out the latest edition of our News & Brews beer podcast, in which we discuss Market Garden Brewery's Frosty Lime Wit with Tangerine and much, much more!

Check out the latest edition of our regular News & Brews beer podcast, in which we discuss Homestead Beer Co.'s Ulysses.

In the latest installment of our beer-focused podcast series, we discuss a golden ale from North High Brewing that commemorates the 100th anniversary of Ohio Farm Bureau. plus what's going on in the industry and more.

The options for beer drinkers have never been better as the booming craft brewing scene in Ohio and nationwide has store shelves stocked with interesting offerings. In our podcast, we gather to test some beers and talk about the industry.

Columbus is in the national spotlight after winning the federal government's Smart City Challenge, bringing millions into the region to spur innovation in transportation and mobility. Mayor Andrew Ginther has said he wants private investment to boost the amount put into the effort to more than $1 billion. He has high hopes the overall Smart Columbus initiative can not only transform how residents...

Data center operators in Central Ohio can be excused for having their heads in the clouds these days. Cloud storage is front and center in their discussions with companies looking for the best solution to keep and protect the data that’s essential to the success of their enterprises. Cloud storage can be part of that along with colocation of servers, network management and disaster-recovery plans....

Special advertising feature to Columbus Business First No longer exclusive of each other, Ohio’s career centers and traditional high schools are working together to prepare students for the next step along the educational pathway. That may be training for a career in a skilled trade or technology field, earning an industry credential or pursuing a degree at a community college or university, said...

Columbus Business First talks to Ohio State University President Michael Drake about the city's Smart City Challenge win, redevelopment around campus and sustainability.

Rep. Pat Tiberi is joining with several colleagues on the bipartisan Investing in Opportunity Act, which aims to boost investment in struggling neighborhoods by providing tax advantages to those who put money into them, and by making it easier to pool money into investment funds targeting those areas.

This week's podcast looks at Ohio's community colleges and what the institutions can do to help solve the state's work force challenges. We discuss with Ohio Association of Community Colleges CEO Jack Hershey some initiatives the state's two-year schools are undertaking in cooperation with the business community that's desperately seeking qualified workers. We talked about why traditional notions...

For this week's podcast, we sat down with Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown to get the Democrat's thoughts on a range of issues facing the state and a divide Congress in Washington, D.C. The discussion included proposals to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, whether JPMorgan Chase & Co. and other mega banks were too big to fail, whether for-profit colleges should face tighter regulation, efforts...

With Hillary Clinton close to wrapping up the Democratic nomination for president, speculation is turning to potential running mates. One name on her short list is said to be Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, both because of his progressive leanings and the help he'd bring in the ultimate swing state. Hear what Brown had to say about that in this podcast short.

Business growth, expansion and development is in full swing in Central Ohio. And making sure their cash flow adequately keeps pace with their needs is a daily concern for many commercial and industrial companies. Seeing an opportunity to add to their growing commercial real estate business in Central Ohio, First Commonwealth Bank recently expanded its presence here, acquiring First Community Bank...

For this week's podcast, we sat down with Alex Fischer, president and CEO of the Columbus Partnership, the influential organization representing leaders of the region's largest companies. The discussion included the Partnership's long-range goals for the Columbus region, its members' "curiosity tours" across the U.S. to study other cities' best practices, why we all need to stop saying "Ohio" when...

To bridge this gap in our workforce, numerous local, regional and state organizations are innovating solutions to provide Ohio workers with the job skills needed to find work in a constantly changing market, and to ensure both new and established companies have access to a strong pool of talent. Columbus Business First’s Table of Experts roundtable series recently brought together leaders of some...

In the latest edition of The Kicker, we discussed funding in the state capital bill for COSI's dinosaur exhibit and a park next to COSI that's seen as a catalyst for development in Franklinton. We also talked about the rapid growth of pet supply chain PetPeople and why that's leading the chain to look for a new headquarters in Central Ohio, homing in on Dublin. Other topics included a pair of meat...

In the latest edition of The Kicker, we discuss nascent plans to redevelop the UDF site in the Short North as well as White Castle's headquarters site west of downtown near Grandview Yard. We also covered why L Brands is cutting 200 jobs at Victoria's Secret despite turning a $1.25 billion profit last year, and why venture capital firms in Columbus and Silicon Valley were willing to give $15 milli...

Columbus Business First talks with Columbus' mayor about his neighborhood improvement initiative, the city's interest in the federal government's Smart City Challenge, regional cooperation for economic development in Central Ohio and more.