Today we’d like to introduce you to Merrell Wood.
Hi Merrell, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Merrell Wood and I’m the Founder and Owner of Cincy by the pint. Not many people know this, and I may lose some followers by admitting this, but I’m a Cincinnati transplant from New York City originally. Aside from a brief stint in Ann Arbor for a few years (now they’ll really hate me), I’ve called Cincinnati home as I’ve lived here for the majority of my life; bouncing around various neighborhoods and suburbs of the Greater Cincinnati area. From Middletown where I grew up and went to high school, to where I currently reside on the West Side of Cincinnati, I’ve lived just about everywhere in-between. I owe my love for our misunderstood city to the fact that I’ve never stopped exploring, asking questions, and getting to know the amazing people that reside here. I almost think most people from Cincinnati have a chip on their shoulder, and that fuels our passion to create and do amazing things. One thing that I couldn’t help to notice almost 10 years ago, was the beginning of our craft beer boom. My day job allows me to work very closely with the restaurant, bar, and brewery industry. So naturally it popped up on my radar pretty quickly. I was fascinated by the explosion of amazing beer that was brewed right in my backyard and I wanted to try it all. Flash forward to 2021, with 70+ breweries in the Greater Cincinnati area alone, many often forget it wasn’t always this way. In a way you can very easily be sucked down a rabbit hole, wanting to learn more and more. I wanted to be a voice to the new generations currently exploring that same experience I had many years ago. That’s where the story of Cincy by the Pint begins.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’ve had very few pitfalls or pushback along the way. To be quite honest, I had no idea what to expect when I went from just another beer informational Instagram account to a full-blown website. Although Cincinnati has never really been recognized as a contender for a national restaurant/nightlife/tourism destination, I always thought it should be. I think anyone who reads the content or talks to me in person immediately recognizes my passion for our city. Because of this, I think the Cincinnati community overall has mostly embraced Cincy by the Pint more and more as we’ve established ourselves as a resource and ally. In any city there will always be a ton of ‘influencers’ and social media hobbyist accounts, Cincinnati was no different when I launched. I put the world influencer in quotes as I hate that word and being called one, I’m just a guy that likes to drink beer and share my thoughts along the way. When I came on the scene there were maybe less than 5 actual dedicated local craft beer websites/resources with up-to-date coverage. The longer I continue to do what I do, the more I understand why so many come and go; it’s impossible to cover it all and it’s a TON of work. It just so happens I’ve always been a workaholic combined with a knack for a unique, sarcastic, and fun spin on typical blog-style articles. I think this is the secret sauce that catapulted both our popularity and brand in less than a year since our iteration. Breweries sometimes are shy to trust a new social presence in the market, but my main philosophy has always been to support and promote Cincinnati’s local breweries and craft destinations. I do this all for free, so I mean there’s not a lot to hate honestly. The outpour of support and the appreciation for not just the cause and website, but the actual community support has been incredible. Cincy by the Pint, along with the diverse community of supporters and breweries themselves, only lift up and support each other to further push our amazing city into the national spotlight. That’s what makes the Queen City special.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’ve always enjoyed creative writing and wanted to pursue a journalism major originally. I guess it didn’t matter in the end right? I kind of ended up doing both in a roundabout way. After high school I decided at the last second to settle for a generic Business Management degree. I’ve always had a knack for creating engaging content which would lead to me eventually falling in love with the marketing aspect of my business major more than anything, ironically. During the blurry COVID-19 lockdown months, I sought out a hobby while also noticing a unique gap in the market. Cincy by the Pint started as and still is, a side project and hobby for myself, my lovely wife Tara, and a small group of craft enthusiast friends. While I’m the owner and lead writer, there are several other various writers for the site that contribute reviews and other content periodically. This sometimes includes other Cincinnati bloggers, influencers, website owners, and a rotating cast of other special guests. Collaborating with others to see Cincinnati through their eyes often gives me a whole new perspective on topics I thought I was an expert on. I strive to be unbiased, sarcastic, silly, but most importantly; always give my real opinions. I never sugarcoat anything and I like to playfully tease and joke with my content. I think that identifies with our fanbase and gives the content a completely different vibe than what many others do. If you go back in time, and you don’t have to go very far, the website looked a lot different- and so did its content. One short year later it’s morphed into something I never would have expected. From being identified in public as the Cincy by the Pint guy to the connections I’ve formed with so many in the community, it’s all so truly humbling and hard to believe. With that said, I honestly owe all my success to my incredible wife in many ways, also in a literal sense. She was the one who originally inspired me to go for it. That inspiration has never stopped, it’s only grown despite how several hours a week has slowly turned into many hours a day. Yet still, she’s my #1 fan. Although I probably have 4 projects going on at any given time, I love doing what I do and I couldn’t ask for a better person by my side. One who deals with more beer than food in our fridge at any given time while dealing with the craziness and long hours better than most could. From podcast appearances, interviews, features, recently signed on to contribute to popular Cincinnati publication, Cincinnati Refined; to now co-hosting an incredible beer festival. It’s insane to look back and reflect on how far sharing my goofy take on the Cincinnati craft community has come. I firmly believe Cincinnati rivals any other cities that are commonly labeled as major craft destinations nationwide, such as Asheville, North Carolina. Our niche eventually became more than just a blog, rather a place to celebrate our rich brewing history as a city, an incredible community of breweries and beer enthusiasts; but ultimately scream from the rooftops that Cincinnati is a prime destination that goes far beyond beer. I enjoy telling the stories of our incredible community and its people to put it quite simply.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
My wife describes me as the most extroverted, introvert. It used to bug me, but I think that’s fair the more I continue to grow and understand myself. I grew up as an only child to extremely successful parents. I always felt that pressure to become something and succeed in all aspects of my life. In school, I accelerated and was an all-star student. This is where I fell in love with creative writing and reading every book I could find. Later in life I began to sense a void that I could only fill with the creative aspect I once embraced. I read as many books as I could find and wrote down the weirdest shit imaginable. If I could have those diaries back or see them once again? Although I’d probably burn them immediately, that was my growing and coming-of-age process that eventually created the person I am today. It fueled my passion and drive to create content that people go out of their way to interact with, while also giving something back to the community that I fell in love with. I wouldn’t change anything about my life journey, nor should anybody, as it molds the person we all are today. Years later after many jobs in the corporate world including running large businesses, I’ve taken bits and pieces of what I’ve learned and applied them to everyday life including Cincy by the Pint.
Contact Info:
- Email: merrell@cincybythepintcom
- Website: www.cincybythepint.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cincybythepint/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CincybythePint
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/cincybythepint
