COLUMBUS, Ohio — A new video series highlighting Ohio’s growing craft spirits industry is now underway through a collaboration with OHLQ. The series, titled “From Bottle to Bar,” explores the people, distilleries, and local businesses shaping the state’s craft liquor culture.
The project was created by Central Ohio filmmaker and media personality Dino Tripodis, who developed the concept as a way to tell the stories behind Ohio’s distilleries and the establishments that serve their products.
Tripodis, who recently completed the feature film Down to the Felt and hosts the long-running podcast Whiskey Business, pitched the idea to OHLQ as a show inspired by the style of food and travel host Guy Fieri — but focused on local distilleries and the restaurants, bars, and taverns that highlight Ohio-made spirits.
The production team for the project includes Playset, with Meagan Eggert serving as producer, Andy Eggert as director of photography and editor, and Jason Hambach and Jon Coy as camera operators. Sawyer Sakon worked as assistant editor, while Eric Vucelich handled audio engineering and Jay Alton managed post audio engineering. Between State contributed to the project’s animation and design, with Sam Devine on animation, Sarah Solomond and Isabel Nixon on design, and Miguel Acero handling both design and animation. Creative direction and design were provided by Todd Wendorff and Eric Ross.
According to Tripodis, the goal was never to create a traditional commercial for the industry.
“I wanted to tell the story of the distillery and the people behind it, not just the drink, how they got there what they were doing before,” Tripodis said. “Then we wanted to find the unique mom-and-pop spaces serving those spirits and tell their stories too — why they do what they do and why they choose to keep their spirits local. When they watch From Bottle to Bar, they say I want to check out the bar in Nelsonville, or that place in Columbus, and try that drink or that special food.”
The series is produced with the help of two Columbus-based creative groups: Playset and Between States. Both companies specialize in documentary-style storytelling and brand-focused films that highlight the people behind local businesses.
“Without Playset and Between States From Bottle to the Bar wouldn’t be a success. I want to make sure I highlight their abilities to help tell the stories from behind the camera. We take hours of film and then crunch it down to a 12-13 minute episode. We are working on releasing some outtakes and extras from each episode as we release more stories, so watch for them becuase we have some great stuff that needs to be seen also,” said Dino.
Tripodis said the team wanted the project to feel more like a cinematic documentary than a promotional piece, calling the series a “love letter” to Ohio’s distillers, entrepreneurs, and makers.
“There’s so much behind the brand: people, passion, drive, and determination. These ideas and ingenuity from Ohioans need to be showcased, and that’s what I’ve set out to do.”
The filmmakers hope to eventually visit many of the state’s craft distilleries — more than 60 across Ohio — along with the bars and restaurants that showcase locally produced spirits.
The premiere episode takes viewers inside Echo Spirits Distilling Co., where Tripodis tours the distillery and samples rum straight from the barrel. The episode then follows the bottle to Market Bar, where bartenders craft a rum Old Fashioned paired with fresh oysters.
Future episodes are expected to travel across the state, including stops at Black Diamond Distillery in Nelsonville were Dino found a dessert that he must have again.
Tripodis, who has spent more than two decades in radio, along with a career in comedy and media production, said storytelling has always been at the center of his work.
“What ties all of my creative endeavors together is connecting with the humanity of people,” he said.
Episodes of “Bottle to Bar” are now available on YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn, with new installments scheduled to release approximately every 10 days, alternating between Tuesdays and Thursdays.
