Sometime in the fall of 2016, my girlfriend Angie and I decided that we should attempt to visit every brewery in Cincinnati in the winter. After learning that there were over 30 within 35 or so miles of the city, we decided that it may take a little longer to reach our goal of making it to all of them. It has been a fun journey through Cincinnati’s craft beer community, with each brewery offering something different and unique.
13 Below
16 Lots (opened 9/2017 – review coming soon!)
Bardwell (review coming soon!)
Bad Tom Smith
Blank Slate (closed 8/2017)
Braxton
Brink
Cellar Dweller
Darkness
Dogberry
Ei8ht Ball (closed 5/2017)
Fibonacci
Fifty West
FigLeaf
Grainworks
Great Crescent
Hofbrauhaus
Listermann
Madtree
March First
Mash Cult
Moerlein
Municipal
Mt. Carmel
Narrow Path
Nine Giant
Old Firehouse
Paradise
Quarter Barrel (review coming soon!)
Queen City
Rhinegeist
Rock Bottom
Rivertown
Sons of Toil (opened 9/2017 – review coming soon!)
Streetside
Taft’s Ale House
Taft’s Brewing Co. (opened 9/2017)
Tap & Screw
Urban Artifact
West Side
Woodburn
Wooden Cask
13 Below Brewery opened in the Sayler Park neighborhood west of downtown Cincinnati in September 2017, and although it didn’t receive as much fanfare as many other breweries, they are doing a lot of things right. First off, the name refers to the fact that the brewery is located 13 nautical miles “below” downtown Cincinnati just off of Route 50. This is an homage to their location right on the Ohio River using terminology that a riverboat captain would use to describe his position on the river below the city. Co-owner Doug Mckendrick has been homebrewing since the early 2000s, and the quality of his product shows. The brewery opened with a “boatload” of solid beers, definitely approachable with something for just about every style of drinker.
Check out more about 13 Below Brewery here.
Bad Tom Smith
Update: Blank Slate abruptly closed in August 2017, exiting the Cincy craft beer scene. Their influence will live on, however, as the brewery was known for its quality and innovation, and became a great example for other breweries in the area.
Braxton holds down for Northern Kentucky beers in Covington, and it’s pretty safe to say that they’ve stepped their game up in 2017. In January they very nearly broke the Cincinnati internet by announcing a Graeter’s Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip Milk Stout (7%), but the beer fell flat for me and many of my beer-drinking/ice cream loving cohorts. It wasn’t a bad beer; it’s just not something that screams raspberry chocolate ice cream beer to me.
Brink opened up in College Hill in February 2017. Although this brewery didn’t even exist when we started the tour, we decided it was a must-try after they had a Cinderella run to win the Cincinnati Craft Madness tournament over on TourdeCincinnati.com, and then they won a couple of awards at the Denver International Beer Convention. So we ventured to the West Side, and came away pretty impressed. The taproom was very busy on a Friday night, but the staff was still friendly and offered some great suggestions. The taproom itself is pretty sweet. They have reclaimed wood bar, as well as a large “community table” that seats up to 20 people. Their menu board also uses oversized Scrabble pieces.
The beer was very solid as well. Their Moozie Milk Stout (6%) won a Bronze medal in Denver, and this is the one I tried. Fashionably Late (5.1%) is their session IPA that won the Craft Madness, While they were out of this when we visited, I had the Like a Boss IPA (6.5%), and even Angie liked this smooth hoppy beer.
Cellar Dweller is definitely a unique outlier in the landscape of Cincinnati breweries. For starters, it’s a brewery inside of a winery – Valley Vineyards in Morrow – and doesn’t seem to get much publicity at all. Another one of the unique offerings of this brewery is their Weekend Cookouts. For $70 per couple, you can grill your own steak or salmon on their outdoor (or indoor) grills, along with sides and two drinks per person. Angie and I took advantage of this on a cold night in January, and while they were slow, the service was stellar.
Darkness is a really small brewery located in Northern Kentucky just down the street from The Party Source. Their taproom is just as you’d expect: rustic and dark, and a little cold-feeling. They’re definitely a no-frills brewery. One of the things that I found out in talking with one of the owners is that they love to brew lots of different type of beer, and they only make multiple batches of their most popular beers. So they’re basically an experimental home brewer with something new always on tap. They are also a newer brewery, opening in 2016 in a crowded market.
Dogberry is definitely a diamond in the rough. This small “nano” brewery is located in West Chester just outside of the city of Cincinnati. I’m a fan of their style. While they don’t have a bunch of blue chip beers that people are flocking to drink, they make up for that by being an inviting “neighborhood” brewery that employs people who are just craft beer lovers. They also have awesome customer service.
Ei8ht Ball was located inside The Party Source in Bellevue, Kentucky, and it’s pretty safe to say that they had the most robust self-brewed tap list in Cincy. They typically had over 25 of their own brews on tap, as well as a handful of guest taps as well. In fact, they had a total of 42 beers on tap at any one time, which is just crazy for a brewery. They introduced some popular promotions, including Free Bacon Friday and Kill the Keg Sundays, which separate them from the pack.
Fibonacci is in Mt. Healthy, in a former flower shop. The brewery is owned by a couple, and it’s a unique little neighborhood spot, just like many of the smaller breweries in Cincinnati. They seem to have a nice group of regulars and their space is cool with a small patio outside.
They like to focus on non-traditional styles and have a little bit of something for everyone. For example, their most popular beer is Tollhouse (7.9%), a strong roasted coffee stout with a hint of chocolate. The beer we were most excited to try was Mulberry Grove (5.4%), a sour that they brewed for their anniversary in July. They used hops from Urban Artifact, and members of their community harvested the mulberries to use in the beer.
Fifty West is located on the east side of Cincinnati, and they’re unique in that they opened a production facility/taproom across the street from their original taproom last year. The new Fifty West Production Works has much more room, sand volleyball, canoe rental, bike stuff, and a whole bunch of other fun things. One of the interesting things that I learned about Fifty West is that all of their beers are named after something to do with bicycling or transportation in general. Their new taproom feels open and industrial, while the original one is more quaint, darker, and quiet. Both are solid options depending on what you’re looking for.
FigLeaf was another of those pleasant surprises. Located in Middletown, it’s not technically in Cincinnati but still sort of in Cincinnati. If you’re making the trek from Cincy to Dayton and get thirsty, it’s a nice place to stop for a few libations on the way. Their taproom is a very familiar style, with an massive bar and open feeling overlooking some giant brewing equipment. The bartenders are friendly as well.
Located in West Chester, Grainworks definitely has some unique characteristics, such as a nice outdoor patio and plenty of seating inside as well as a decent sized bar. The space itself is about 5,000 square feet in total, and it’s located in an industrial park just off of the highway and in the shadow of the new Liberty Town Center.
One thing that disappointed us extremely was the quality of the beer offered at Grainworks. Put quite simply, it’s just not on par with the other great beer offered in Cincinnati. Angie and I shared a flight of their most popular offerings, and at least two of them were nearly undrinkable. Their popular offerings include Haybale (5.1%) English Bitter and My Blue Heaven (5.1%) Blueberry Fruit Beer.
Check out my full review of Grainworks here.
Great Crescent in Aurora, Indiana feels like you’re stepping back in time, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s a no-frills brewery in a blue collar area, and it’s one of the few that also serves food. In terms of the food, think of comfort food – pulled pork and chicken, burgers, etc. It’s not necessarily bad, but don’t go here expecting a five-star meal. The brewery is also only open on Friday and Saturday night, and they clearly get mostly locals, as we were asked where we were from upon sitting down at the bar.
Let’s be frank: Hofbrauhaus is what it is. They are a good place to go if you’re looking for some German beer, live music, and sauerkraut. The Hofbrauhaus in Newport was the first location outside of Germany, and it makes sense given Cincinnati’s long German heritage.
It’s a good place to go with a group, or as Angie says, “It’s the place where people from Dayton go when they come to visit Cincinnati.” Definitely be sure to try their Dunkel if you go, or just any of their German beers in general. Really, this place was invented to drink beers in giant steins.
Listermann is one of the oldest breweries in Cincinnati, and a real cult favorite for beer drinkers. Honestly, I have yet to taste anything from them that I didn’t like. Their brewery sits on Dana Ave in Norwood near the Xavier campus, and they’ve carved out a nice slice of the Cincy craft beer market.
Madtree is Cincinnati’s second-biggest brewery, and perhaps fastest-growing, as they opened a second $18 million production brewery in February 2017. Madtree will probably always have a special place in my heart, since their Rubus Cacao (7%) raspberry chocolate stout is the first beer that Angie and I bonded over on one of our first dates at The Brass Tap last year. Their new location is huge and loud, and pretty much always busy. It’s a great place to take a group and their massive patio is very dog-friendly.
March First
March First opened up in Sycamore Township in May after pouring its first beer on – of course – March 1st. They bill themselves as “Ohio’s most drinkable craft beer,” which translates to “pretty much the same stuff you can get from Sam Adams.”
Their first beers were a Craft Lager and a Light Lager, and they also opened up with a pale ale and an IPA. They are also doing some ciders as well if that’s your thing. Their stuff is decent for what it is, but it’s pretty obvious that they are planning to scale very fast, with bottles and distribution available almost immediately upon opening. Rather than going for a slow burn and building organically, this is a brewery that’s thinking big. Their brewery is OK, although it’s a little smaller than I would have expected for a group with such big plans. Interested to see what’s in store for these guys in the future.
Speaking of a “slow burn,” Mash Cult has been around for about two and a half years, but very few people have ever even heard of them. Similar to Ei8ht Ball at Party Source in Kentucky, Party Town in Florence is the home to this small, nano brewery. In fact, pretty much the only place you can get their beer is at Party Town.
Let me just say that I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of their offerings. We tried all six beers they had on tap, and they ranged from solid to very solid. I was a big fan of the Who Shota Ya? Imperial IPA (9.7%), as well as the Dump ‘Em Out Stout (9.6%). One thing that Angie mentioned is that it would really benefit them to maybe have some seating available to enjoy your beers without having to walk around.
Oh, Moerlein. You will never cease to be mediocre. While just about everything from them has been OK, I’ve never had a beer that truly knocked my socks off from this brewery. They have two locations: the more commercial Lager House at The Banks where you’d probably take your parents if they came in town to visit, and the more quaint Malt House in OTR that is more akin to beer drinking. Moerlein is considered a craft beer pioneer and the name has been around since the mid-1800s, but they just don’t do it for me.
Mt. Carmel is another brewery that has been around Cincinnati for a long time. They are located east of the city and the taproom is an old farmhouse. It’s definitely a unique setup with a small bar at the front and then multiple rooms with tables for sitting in the back. They also have a pretty large patio that seems like it would be perfect in the summer.
Municipal is located in Hamilton, and is located in the former City of Hamilton municipal building (hence the name). Honestly, it’s one of the cooler spaces I’ve seen for a brewery in awhile. They just passed their one year anniversary in June, and it sounds like they plan to start distributing on a larger scale in the near future.
I enjoyed their Free City Ale (6.3%), a red ale that has a nice rich amber color and is easy drinking. I also tried their Anniversary Series #1 (9.5%), an Imperial IPA. It was decent as well. They always have plenty of offerings, and if you’re looking for the place to go on a nice day to sit on a patio, Municipal would be it.
Narrow Path opened in Loveland around Christmas 2016, and they seemed to have settled into their niche as a small brewery located right on the bike path in that suburb. Narrow Path is your “quintessential” brewery, complete with giant Jenga, lots of wooden pallets and decor made from metal. They also have a cool outdoor space with plenty of green area and tables. In short, this is a very solid neighborhood brewery.
Beer-wise, they seem to be pretty well-versed, with their most popular beer being Cherry Tart, a fruit beer, and Farmhouse Blonde. I tried their Cream Ale and it was tasty and easy-drinking, and I’ve heard their IPA is decent as well. If you can find some of that Maple Bacon Porter, let me know.
Nine Giant opened in 2016 and is located in Pleasant Ridge. Let me just preface this by saying that we weren’t fans of the beer or the taproom, specifically the service. We were there shortly after their opening on a Friday night that was steady but not busy. It took quite some time to get our beers despite being in a prime location at the bar. Obviously this is just one experience and the place was new, but still.
Update: We visited Nine Giant for a second time in August 2017. Check out our updated thoughts here, written by Angie.
If you’re up for a drive, Old Firehouse is located about 40 minutes east of the city in the small town of Williamsburg. They’re literally located in an old firehouse (hence the name), which gives them a cool space on warm days with the ability to open the garage doors and visitors can also sit outside on their expansive patio. They got a nice bump when they were featured in the Huffington Post in 2014, and they remain one of the cooler brewery locations in the Queen City.
In keeping with the firehouse theme, they brew beers with names like Code 3 (5.2%) red ale, Chief Vanilla Porter (6.5%), and of course Pin-Up Girl (5%) blonde ale. Their beer is definitely a nice surprise and with little competition out east they should be around for awhile.
As Angie said upon entering Paradise, this place is kind of like going into your grandpa’s basement, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. If you fancy wood paneling, then this is the place for you. Located in Anderson Township, they’re part of the crowded east side brewery scene. Originally (and still) a brewing supplies store, they expanded to offer a taproom a couple of years ago.
The All-American IPA (5.2%) is their most popular offering. It’s fairly light for an IPA and not quite a session, so they have something unique going on there. They’ve also got Flat Tire (not to be confused with Fat Tire) Amber Ale, and a very tasty Area 51 Pale Ale (6.2%).
Don’t get confused – yes, there are a few breweries that go by the name “Queen City,” but there’s only one true Queen City, and it’s Cincinnati. QCB opened in Blue Ash at the very end of 2016, and while there was some initial excitement about the brewery, they kind of quickly got lost in the shuffle. They don’t toot their own horn very much, and I can’t even find an official website or Twitter page for them (they do have a Facebook page though, which I linked above). It’s a pretty laid back space with some cool Ohio-shaped tables, and a small bar with some taps.
I had their Dark Knight P.A. (6.4%), which wasn’t very hoppy and tasted more like a stout. They also have some other popular beers, including the James Nut Brown (5%), and 7 Hills Highlander Scotch Ale (5%).
Everybody in Cincinnati knows Rhinegeist. Their brewery is located in a 25,000 square foot warehouse that formerly housed Moerlein. They’re known for their Truth (7.2%) American IPA and Cougar (4.8%) Blonde Ale, which are both pretty approachable beers for any craft beer fan.
Rock Bottom is a chain brewery with a location at Fountain Square in Downtown Cincinnati. Their food is made from scratch and most of the beer they serve is actually brewed right here in the Queen City. They usually aren’t the first name that you think of when you think of Cincinnati beer, but they aren’t the last either. It’s another good place to go if you want some decent food to go along with your brew.
Rivertown is another of the breweries that has been around Cincy for a while, and they opened a second location in Monroe a few miles off of 75 in 2017. It’s admittedly quite a trek from the city, but they also have a their original smaller, more intimate location in Lockland for those who don’t want to travel as far. Perhaps their secret weapon is their food – great barbecue and a great location big enough for a dinner gathering.
Update: Rivertown temporarily closed its Lockland location in September 2017, with a goal to renovate the space and create something unique for the neighborhood. They’re hoping to eventually reopen the location as a new taproom experience.
Another new kid on the block, Streetside is located just down from Blank Slate on the east side. They’ve expanded drastically in a short time, already distributing and ramping up production before they even hit six months. Their brewery is open and has a really nice patio, so you should probably try to hit them up on a nice day if you can.
Taft’s Ale House is located in OTR inside of an old church. I immediately became excited about this brewery after moving to Cincinnati, as I was a big fan of The Church Brew Works when I lived in Pittsburgh. Taft’s is one of the few breweries to offer food, and their cafeteria-style dining area takes up what was formerly the section in the church where the pews would be. It can get really loud in that area, but they also have Nellie’s bar on the first floor, which is quieter and often less crowded.
Update: Taft’s opened Taft’s Brewing Co. – also known as the Brewpourium – in September 2017, and Angie and I visited the week after they opened. Check out our thoughts here.
After closing their original location on the west side in early 2017, Tap & Screw opened a new production facility and taproom in Madisonville in June 2017. The location is much bigger and with a warehouse feel, and it should give them plenty of room to grow. It was a bold move to venture from the beer desert on the west side to the very competitive center of the city, and the jury is still out about how people will respond to yet another player in this area.
After trying out a few of their options, Angie and I both settled on the Squinty EyePA (7.8%), a red IPA. They’ve also got some styles that you don’t typically see every day, such as their Blind Curve (6.8%) Scottish Export, and Golden Mallet (9.6%), a Belgian Golden Strong. They even have Former Friar (12.3%), a Barleywine.
Tap & Screw also plans to partner with Brew River Gastropub to open up a brewpub in Oakley sometime in the future.
Urban Artifact is located in Northside, and is exactly what you’d expect from a Northside brewery: they don’t do anything in any normal way. They’re located in the basement of an old church, with the former main floor now a dedicated event space. As you’d expect, the basement is dark and dungy but also a pretty cool location.
West Side opened in summer 2017, giving the beer desert on the west side a second location to go along with Brink in College Hill. This was the very last brewery that we visited, and it was absolutely packed on the Friday night that we were there. There were long lines for the beer, but the bartenders still had great customer service and all had smiles on their faces.
Their top beer is their Stout (5.9%), and they have just about every common style. I had their Pale Ale (5.29%), and it was a very flavorful lower ABV beer. Angie tried their IPA (6.8%), and it was a nice floral citrus beer with a bitter finish. IPAs are so common but they did it right.
Woodburn opened up in East Walnut Hills in August 2016, although they had a handful of soft openings before. This is one of our favorite breweries, not only because it’s in our neighborhood, but also because I can honestly say I haven’t had a beer there yet that I didn’t absolutely love. We are pretty much regulars here, and the place is always packed. They added food from Mazunte, which we haven’t had, but I’m sure it’s great knowing Mazunte’s other offerings.
Wooden Cask is yet another new brewery to the party, located in Newport in Northern Kentucky. They have a solid sized space and it was pretty busy when we were there. It was kind of hard to get a read on the brewery since it was so new when we visited, but they have a good variety of beers to choose from.
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This project isn’t yet completed. There are still plenty of craft breweries popping up all over the place, and we’ll continue to check them out as a way to explore our awesome city in the future. Here’s a pretty good list of planned breweries in Cincinnati if you’re curious.