Over-the-Rhine’s Wodka Bar was the only one of the two dozenish bars across the country praised by Esquire in their most recent “Best Bars in America” list to be located in Cincinnati. Food & Drinks editor Jeff Gordinier wrote of the cocktail lounge, “The very existence of a bar devoted to vodka feels like a rebuke to all the bartenders who’ve scoffed at the spirit. But this spot takes the defiance a step further, offering shots of vodka infused with (among other things) mangoes and peanut brittle.” And, of course, plenty of pierogi and other Eastern European eats. wodkabarotr.com.

Best Bar Making Its Own Amaro: Longfellow

This winter, Longfellow crafted and bottled their own amaro, a popular herbal digestif, for purchase and in special themed snack packs. They also began making their own line of cocktail bitters, infused with chamomile and coriander, which fans can get to-go. longfellowbar.com.

Best Bar/Club (Burbs): Village Tavern

1. Village Tavern

2. The Monkey Bar & Grille

3. March First Brewing

Best Bar/Club (Central): Northside Yacht Club

1. Northside Yacht Club

2. Tillie’s Lounge

3. The Comet

Best Bar/Club (Downtown/OTR): Below Zero Lounge

1. Below Zero Lounge

2. Arnold’s Bar and Grill

3. 16-Bit Bar+Arcade

Best Bar/Club (East Side): Streetside Brewery

1. Streetside Brewery

2. Latitude’s Bar & Bistro

3. Mount Lookout Tavern

Best Bar/Club (Northern Kentucky): Crazy Fox Saloon

1. Crazy Fox Saloon

2. Southgate House Revival

3. Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar

Best Bar/Club (West Side): Knotty Pine Rock Club & Tiki Bar

1. Knotty Pine Rock Club & Tiki Bar

2. The Crow’s Nest

3. Blue Note Harrison

Best Bar/Club for Live Music (Local Bands): MOTR Pub

1. MOTR Pub

2. Arnold’s Bar and Grill

3. Southgate House Revival

Best Bar/Club for Live Music (National Acts): Bogart’s

1. Bogart’s

2. Southgate House Revival

3. Madison Theater

Best Bar/Club Staff: Below Zero Lounge

1. Below Zero Lounge

2. Northside Yacht Club

3. Longfellow

Best Bartender (Female): Molly Wellmann (Japp’s)

1. Molly Wellmann (Japp’s)

2. Valerie Diehl (Northside Yacht Club; Lost & Found)

3. Ceris Christopher (The Belle & The Bear)

Best Bartender (Male): Patrick Carnes (Tillie’s Lounge)

1. Patrick Carnes (Tillie’s Lounge)

2. Alex Meece (Mellow Mushroom)

3. Zeque Walker (Northside Yacht Club)

Best Basic Pumpkin Spice in a Can: VIVE Pumpkin Spice Hard Seltzer

Braxton Brewing Co. took the PSL trend a step further this fall by introducing VIVE Pumpkin Spice Hard Seltzer. The bubbly beverage contains only 100 calories and 2 grams of carbs, but packs plenty of cinnamon and spice into its slim-can design. viveseltzer.com.

Best Beer Collaboration to Foster Inclusion in the Industry and Raise Awareness of Social and Racial Injustice: Black is Beautiful

This summer, Weathered Souls Brewing Co., a Black-owned brewery based out of San Antonio, Texas, invited brewers nationwide to participate in its Black is Beautiful campaign to foster inclusion and raise awareness of social and racial injustice. They shared their base imperial stout recipe with craft brewers across the country and encouraged them to give it their own unique spin. (They also provided free Black is Beautiful label artwork.) Weathered Souls got a response from more than 900 breweries across the country, including Rhinegeist Brewery, Listermann Brewing Company, Samuel Adams Cincinnati, Northern Row Brewery & Distillery and Streetside Brewery. But the campaign was more than just a way to sell beer. Weathered Souls asked participating breweries to donate 100% of the beer’s proceeds to local foundations that support police reform and legal defense for victims of police brutality or organizations that support equality and inclusion. blackisbeautiful.beer.

Best Beer Collaboration to Use Turkish Coffee: Ghost Dreams

Cincinnati’s beloved Turkish coffee pop-up Rüya teamed up with Over-the-Rhine brewery Rhinegeist on a limited-edition brew, just in time for Halloween. Ghost Dreams, a stout made with Rüya coffee and cardamom, brought together the two cultures — “geist” means “ghost” in German and “ruya” means “dreams” in Turkish. Described as “Dark as Hell, Strong as Death, Sweet as Love,” the beer was available on tap. rhinegeist.com; ruyacoffee.com.