When visiting 101 Bottles, it feels more like 1,000 bottles based on the large collection they carry. 101 Bottles of Beer on the Wall now offers a selection of microbrew beer.

Microbrew, also known as craft beer, is usually prepared in smaller batches with higher quality ingredients and higher alcohol content than average bottled beers. The main difference is in the ingredients, such as hops, barley, sugar and honey.

“Compare it to coffee,” said Craig Contini, general manager of 101 Bottles. “Yeah, you can always drink Folgers, but then there’s Caribou, Starbucks (and) Seattle’s Best. It’s all about quality. You can taste the difference, and it’s worth it.”

The selection of microbrews alone will be quite large, Contini said. There are 24 tap handles that all rotate different selections. The three core brands of microbrews are Great Lakes, Dogfish Head and Stone Brew. They are also getting beer from Denmark and Belgium, he said.

When asked if he expects the microbrews to sell well in a college town Contini replied, “Yes, selling patterns show that many will buy, regardless of age.”

Students are excited about the microbrew addition.

“101 Bottles selling beer from microbreweries makes me feel like I’m home in Columbus,” said Frankie Varian, freshman fashion design major.

Amie Fankhauser, a senior English major, said she prefers the taste of the beer.

“Draft tastes so much better than bottled,” she said. “I’m so glad we now have a wide variety of draft choices.”

Contact Maggie Thurston at [email protected].