ABOUT

WHO WE ARE

Since we opened our doors in 2012, we’ve been proudly serving fresh, handcrafted beer in our spacious taproom. We are open daily and offer a great place to enjoy good times and great beer in the heart of Wooster. Grab a seat at one of our beer hall style tables, handcrafted in West Salem by the owner’s father, Jerry Fryman. You’ll feel right at home in our friendly and welcoming atmosphere, and maybe leave understanding why we earned the unofficial nickname of “Wooster’s Living Room”.

All beers are brewed on our 7 barrel steam-heated brewhouse, where our two brewers produce roughly 30,000 gallons of excellent beer. Our beers have earned multiple awards in competitions across America, making JAFB a must-visit for both locals and visitors far and wide. We take pride in serving you excellent beer with top notch customer service and hope to see you soon. Cheers!

WOOSTER BORN & BREWED EST. 2011

MEET THE OWNER

Like many college students, Paul Fryman discovered a deep appreciation for beer during his years at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania—but unlike most, he wasn’t content simply enjoying it. After studying abroad in Germany, where brewing is a centuries-old craft, Paul returned inspired and devoted his senior thesis to exploring the impact of microbreweries on the American beer industry. With degree in hand and a clear path ahead, he set out to turn that passion into a profession, gaining experience at Great Divide Brewing in Denver, Great Adirondack Brewing in Lake Placid, and Snake River Brewing in Jackson Hole, while steadily refining his skills and brewing philosophy.

Eventually called back East to serve as head brewer at Great Adirondack, Paul later returned home to Wooster in 2011, where he partnered with his father, Jerry, and brother, Tony, to open JAFB Wooster Brewery in 2012. More than a decade later, JAFB has produced numerous award-winning beers and has become a hometown staple — delivering the kind of thoughtfully crafted brews the people of Wooster deserve.

2024 SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD

Winning the 2024 Small Business of the Year award in the Under 15 Employees category is a tremendous honor and a proud milestone for our team. For owner Paul Fryman, who always knew he wanted to start his own company and build it in Wooster, this recognition makes the journey even more meaningful.

WOOSTER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

WATCH OVERVIEW VIDEO

AWARDS

From state to national competitions, JAFB has consistently outshined the pack, earning gold, silver, and bronze medals across leading beer competitions. Whether it’s our IPAs, wheat beers or business at large, each accolade reflects our passion for craft, quality & service.

  • 2026 Ohio Beer Awards

    SILVER (BELGIAN, GERMAN WHEAT & BRETT)
    Hefweizen

  • 2026 Ohio Beer Awards

    BRONZE (AMERICAN IPA)
    JAF IPA

  • 2026 Ohio Beer Awards

    BRONZE (WEST COAST IPA)
    Isolated IPA

  • 2025 Great American Beer Festival

    BRONZE (SOUTH GERMAN STYLE HEFEWEIZEN)
    Hefeweizen

  • 2025 Fatheads Celebration of the Hop IPA Festival

    SILVER (IPA CATEGORY)
    Rain Delay IPA

  • 2025 Fatheads Celebration of the Hop IPA Festival

    BRONZE (IPA CATEGORY)
    Outlaw Cold IPA

  • 2024 Ohio Craft Brewers Cup

    GOLD (AMERICAN IPA)
    JAF IPA

  • 2024 Ohio Craft Brewers Cup

    SILVER (AMERICAN IPA)
    Rain Delay IPA

  • 2024 Ohio Craft Brewers Cup

    BRONZE (IMPERIAL IPA)
    Face Melter DIPA

  • 2024 OHIO CRAFT BREWERS CUP

    SILVER (STOUT)
    Wooster New Stout

  • 2024 OHIO CRAFT BREWERS CUP

    BRONZE (WHEAT BEER)
    Hefeweizen

  • 2024 SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD

    SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
    Under 15 Employees

  • 2021 GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL

    GOLD (GERMAN WHEAT ALE)
    Hefeweizen

  • 2021 GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL

    SILVER (AMERICAN STYLE INDIA PALE ALE)
    JAF IPA

  • 2019 GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL

    BRONZE (AMERICAN STYLE STRONG PALE ALE)
    JAF IPA

  • 2018 ANGELS ON THE AVENUE

    BEST STOP OF THE DECADE

  • 2017 FATHEADS IPA FESTIVAL

    CELEBRATION OF THE HOP GRAND CHAMPION
    Summer Forever IPA

  • 2016 BUTCHER AND THE BREWER

    STOUT IT OUT LOUD BEST IN SHOW
    Wooster New Stout

  • 2016 FATHEADS IPA FESTIVAL

    CELEBRATION OF THE HOP GRAND CHAMPION
    Rain Delay IPA

  • 2015 GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL

    SILVER (INTERNATIONAL STYLE PALE ALE)
    Rain Delay IPA

  • 2015 RUBBER CITY BEER FEST

    PEOPLES CHOICE WINNER

  • 2014 FATHEADS IPA FESTIVAL

    CELEBRATION OF THE HOP GRAND CHAMPION
    New Stunt #6 IPA

  • 2014 Great American Beer Festival

    SILVER (FOREIGN-STYLE STOUT)
    Wooster New Stout

  • 2013 Fatheads IPA Festival

    CELEBRATION OF THE HOP GRAND CHAMPION
    JAF IPA

SHOW OFF YOUR JAFB STYLE

Rep your favorite brewery with merch, available exclusively in the taproom. Choose from a variety of options including t-shirts, hoodies, hats, and more. Stop by and grab your gear — it’s the perfect way to show off your love for JAFB wherever you go.

WHAT’S BREWING ON SOCIAL MEDIA

🥭 SURPRISE CAN RELEASE! 🌴 La Niña is in 4-packs! You've been asking, and we are here to deliver. This mango IPA is a fan favorite, even amongst non-IPA drinkers. Juicy enough to make you feel like you're on a tropical island, but with enou
It's high time we updated you on our beer lineup. What are you ordering next? 🤔
June's food trucks just dropped 🥡 Kick off the Summer will all your favorites; We'll provide the drinks, they'll provide the eats 🍺🌮🍗🥟🌯🍢🦞🍔🥨🥩 Our parking lot is undergoing construction that changes day to day, so the truck parking may var
🚧 Parking Update 🚗 Our Beall Ave parking lot is officially getting repaved! We expect this will take a few weeks & will update you when the lot reopens for parking 👷 Swipe to see a map of all the nearby parking areas & thanks for being pa
Allow us to introduce you to a very special new beer: Captain BoBBer Barleywine 11.8%. This beer was named after someone near and dear to our hearts; We miss you every day Stanley Fryman 💙🥔🖊️🍏🍊🪽 This robust Barleywine has a rich depth from the
Who's thirsty? I know we are 🥵🌞 Good thing the beer is cold and the taps are flowin'! PSA: We are expecting some lot construction that will affect our customer parking in the next few days. There is not an official start date, so please stay tuned
🇺🇸 Memorial Day Weekend is here 🇺🇸 We will be open regular hours Friday-Sunday, and on Monday Kelsey is opening & closing a bit earlier than usual, from 12-8pm. AND Hey Chicky will be here 12-4pm slingin' tendies & sammies, so stop by fo
Raspberry is SO back 🩷 Now on draft & in 4-packs, just in time for the long weekend ahead! Just looking at this pint makes it clear, this batch of Raspberry Really is simply BURSTING with ripe berry flavor. It's tart, sweet & refreshing, an
It's WORLD Beer Day!? Don't tempt us with a good time 🍻 As if we needed another excuse to drink a crispy beer today 🤷‍♂️🍻
Brighten up, the weekend is here! Even if the sun doesn't hang around, that's ok! We have enough Summer Forever in the taproom to warm you right up 🌞
Let's raise a glass to American Craft Beer Week 🍻 Thanks to everyone who signed their John Hancock on our Craft Beer Drinker's Declaration of Independence ✍️ 🇺🇸 We hold these beers to be independent. Brewed free. And shared Freely. We believe th
Our new lightweight zip-up hoodies are perfect for baseball season, so Rep JAFB at your next Guardians' game ⚾️ AND we are running a spring cleaning sale on a ton of merch, so even more reason to stop by, grab a beer & peruse the merch store 🍺🛍