Your Guide To Drinking Beer In Cincinnati

When I ask Aaron Deininger about the current beer scene in Cincinnati, he gets excited. Why? "For me it's the reemergence of Cincinnati as one of the great brewing cities in the United States, which is how it was thought of before Prohibition," he says. Deininger is the executive director of the Brewery District Community Urban Redevelopment Coalition, a non-profit with a mission to "to celebrate, preserve, and promote the brewing culture, heritage, and economy of the historic Brewery District and Cincinnati region." They have their hands full: there is much to celebrate, preserve, and promote about Cincinnati beer.

The history of Cincinnati brewing begins in the city's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, which was primarily settled by German immigrants in the 19th century. The immigrants carved out their own little piece of Bavaria right in the heart of The Queen City — and they filled it to the brim with beer.

That love of finely-crafted beer never disappeared from the city, though Cincinnati's place as a hub of American beer production was largely stomped out by Prohibition. Still, Deininger says things are looking up. "The beer scene in Cincinnati has evolved tremendously over the past five to ten years, and with seventy-plus breweries in the metropolitan area, there really is something for everyone," he says.

If you like to discover new beers while traveling, a trip to Cincinnati might be in order, but come with a plan. There's much to explore, and there's even more to drink. 

People are drinking less beer. If you're a lapsed lager fan, a visit to Cincinnati could reignite your passion. It's hard to pass up a pint when you're immersed in brewing history.

The best place to learn about Cincinnati's rich, sudsy history is the Christian Moerlein Brewing Complex. Once the largest brewery in the state of Ohio, it now acts as home to multiple beer makers.

"There are several modern breweries who are operating in historic brewing structures, such as Northern Row Brewery & Distillery and the Rhinegeist Brewery," Deininger says. "Both locations were originally part of the Christian Moerlein Brewing Complex." He continues, "There's something really special about having a beer inside a taproom with so much brewing history connected to it."

The taproom at Northern Row Brewery & Distillery alone might be worth a visit to Cincinnati. For both beer aficionados and history buffs alike, the location is hard to beat: it's perched in what was originally the Christian Moerlein Brewing stockyards. "The taproom surrounds you in both brewing history and the history of Cincinnati," Deininger says.

Aaron Deininger has no shortage of favorite places to grab a beer. There are dozens of great options, and he could probably give a compelling reason to visit each one.

"There are so many great places to visit, but I would definitely suggest stopping by Arnold's Bar & Grill on 8th Street in Downtown Cincinnati, he says. "It opened as a tavern in 1861 and has been in operation ever since." He also mentions Rosedale, Japp's, Goodfella's Pizza, Mr. Pitiful's, and MOTR Pub as other Over-the-Rhine bars worth visiting. A personal favorite of Deininger is The Lackman, a true neighborhood bar in an historic building serving a variety of Cincinnati craft beers.

About those craft beers: in Cincinnati, there's not one dominant style or variety of beer, but rather a diverse alcoholic ecosystem. Sure, there are some great, traditional German pilsners like the Woodburn Steinpils and the Christian Moerlein Purity Pils. If you want to get weird, though, Cincy has you covered. When you get tired of the bar scene, try putting together your own beer flight featuring some of Cincinnati's less traditional brews, like the mellow and highly-drinkable Streetside Sad Beep IPA. Alternatively, you can check out the experimental yet weirdly pleasurable Darkness Pineapple Fire, a Kentucky Common spiced up with chipotle chiles.

When asked about the "must try" taprooms in his hometown, Aaron Deininger starts by restating his recommendation to visit the Northern Row Brewery and Distillery. "My go to beer at Northern Row is the Brewer, which is their Marzen," Deininger said, before adding, "but on a hot day, it's hard to beat their Kolsch, called the Barrister."

Deininger also throws his weight behind the Sam Adams Cincinnati Taproom, which brews and offers Cincinnati exclusive beers on-site. It also happens to be located next to the historic Findlay Market, where merchants peddle all manner of wares, including meat, fish, and produce, year-round.

Another exciting taproom to visit is Highgrain Brewing, but you'll have to leave the city proper to find it. Located in the suburb of Silverton, you won't get the history you'll find downtown, but you will get some delicious food and beer combinations. Highgrain's Mexican Lager comes highly recommended, and it pairs beautifully with its Shredded Chicken Nachos.

A visit to the Little Miami Brewing Company — named for the Miami River that it sits astride — makes for a perfect day trip when you feel like leaving the hustle and bustle of the city behind but still want something good to drink.

Aaron Deininger calls Little Miami, located about 15 minutes east of downtown Cincinnati in Milford, "a place that I think strikes a really nice balance between creating fantastic, traditional brews and also trying new things." He continues, "They have a great Bohemian Pilsner and a terrific Brown Ale, but they also have a Roasted Jalapeno Chili Beer called Pinata and a Blueberry Sour called River Dog."

Another reason to make the trip: you don't even need a car. "Their brewery is located right along the Little Miami River," Deininger says, "so if you want you could kayak to it, plus their food is really on point."

Deininger also sings the praises of the team at Little Miami, saying that its brewing team, led by Brewmaster Jim Strelau, knowledgeable and willing to educate others. I think this mindset is something you will also find with many others in the Cincinnati brewing community, and that is part of the reason why things have flourished so successfully in such a short amount of time."

The Cincinnati streetcar, also known as "The Connector," is a fun, hassle-free way to both see the city. You can also hit up the numerous bars, pubs, and breweries along its route. Best of all, riding won't cost you a penny.

Aaron Deininger explains, "It's free, runs seven days a week, and can take you from the Ohio riverfront up, where the Moerlein Lager House brewpub is located, to the Brewery District in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, where the Rhinegeist and Northern Row Breweries are located."

The Connector operates along a 3.6-mile loop, taking riders from the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood to The Banks entertainment district and back again multiple times each day. The streetcars are all-electric, and they run from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on weekdays. The service hours are slightly reduced on weekends, but there's still plenty of time to take yourself on an epic pub crawl.

When the beer is this good and the tradition is this deep, you know that Cincinnatians have to celebrate. As it turns out, they pull out all the stops multiple times per year.

If you're visiting in the fall, plan your trip around Oktoberfest. Aaron Deininger explains, "Outside of Munich, Germany, Cincinnati hosts the largest Oktoberfest celebration in the world every September, so if you like German beer, music, food, and other cultural activities, that is something not to be missed." Before you go, do your homework and read up on Oktoberfest Beer and the varieties you can expect to find at the celebration.

If you're looking for something a little weirder, come to Cincinnati in the Spring when Deininger and his crew at the Brewery District CURC puts on Bockfest, as they've done for the past three decades. Deininger calls the festival, "Cincinnati's annual celebration of Spring, the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood's brewing heritage, and Bock Beer. It features goats, monks, goat-monks, a Sausage Queen, dozens of locally produced bock beers, lots of great events throughout the weekend, and it kicks off with a parade, led by a giant Trojan goat." Bockfest typically springs to life in early March. "What more could you want at the end of a long winter?" Deininger asks.

The Brewing Heritage Trail, operated in conjunction with the Brewery District CURC, operates eight distinct tours throughout the year. All of the tours, including seasonal ones like the Halloween-time Darkside of Brewing Tour and special interest ones like the Built on Beer Tour that focuses on brewery architecture, function as immersive introductions to Cincinnati's brewing history. Combined, the tours serve more than four-thousand guests every year.

Other tours include The Cellars and Saloons Brunch Tour, perfect for both day drinkers and omelet connoisseurs, and The Brewers and Barons Trail tour, which highlights the signage and art of the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood.

Perhaps the best tour for first-time visitors or Cincinnati beer novices to take is the Over and Under the Rhine Tour. Part walking tour, part streetcar ride, this two-hour jaunt takes visitors to "topside" brewing landmarks before delving underground to the historic Gerke Brewery site. This is where some of the original Cincinnati brews were fermented and cold-stored back in the 1850s. It's a crash course on the history and flavor that makes Cincinnati beer great.

The food and beverage staff at most stadiums tend to focus their energy on conjuring up unique treats and snacks, leaving the beer vendors to peddle the same old swill. At Cincinnati's Great American Ballpark, however, the suds are the main off-field attraction.

The home of the Cincinnati Reds, Great American Ballpark has embraced Cincy's brewing history by going beyond simply featuring a small sampling of local beers. "Prior to the 2015 All-Star Game at GABP," Aaron Deininger explains, "a new craft beer area was added along the first base section of seating, known as Bootleggers. It features 40 to 50 different craft beers and is designed to be an homage to Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood's historic saloons, most notably, Wielert's Beer Garden."

When it opened in 1873, Wielert's Cafe and Pavilion advertised itself as "A Strictly First-Class Family Resort." Soon, however, the pavilion the size of a city block became famous for its raucous concerts, authentic German food, and especially its beer.

No recreation, no matter how faithful, will be able to adequately express or explain that short time in history when Cincinnati was the unofficial, yet undisputed, Beer Capitol of America. The beer garden at Great American Ballpark, however, makes a valiant attempt to capture the breadth, history, and originality of Cincinnati brewing. Plus, you might catch a foul ball.