After a successful “sneak peek” during BLINK in October, Cincinnati’s newest brewery is officially opening its doors.
Mellotone Beer Project, located in the former Taft’s Ale House at 1429 Race St., will open to the public Friday starting at 5 p.m. The brewpub will have a scratch kitchen focusing on modern American fare paired with a fresh, uncomplicated beer selection.
Co-owners Dennis Kramer-Wine, the former director of culture and founding director of distribution at Rhinegeist Brewery, and Alexandra Nowell, a career brewer and founding brewmaster at Los Angeles brewery Three Weavers, partnered with Brendan Martin, formerly of Boca Restaurant Group, to create the menu. It features a seasonal rotation of elevated, yet approachable, dishes, and Martin, who will serve as Mellotone’s director of food and hospitality, will prepare items with locally sourced ingredients when possible.
“We want Mellotone to be a place for everyone — where you see things you love on the menu and feel welcome when you walk through the door whether you’re celebrating something or just stopping by to relax and grab a drink,” Nowell said in a press release. “It was amazing to get a preview of that during BLINK and it took the anticipation for our grand opening to a whole new level.”
The restaurant portion of the brewpub will be located on the main floor, and the neighborhood bar portion, Undertone, will be on the lower level and feature a small stage for live music. The top floor of the building has been transformed into an indoor beer garden and is outfitted with greenery, as well as pool tables and darts. Seating in the beer garden is first-come, first-served.
“If BLINK was any indicator of how Mellotone is going to bring this space to life, we have a lot to look forward to,” Lindzie Gunnels, director of commercial leasing with 3CDC, said in the release. “This iconic Race Street location has so much potential, and we believe that Mellotone will act as a catalyst for future growth along this Race Street corridor.”
Mellotone will be open Tuesday through Thursday from 5-11 p.m.; from 5 p.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday and on Sunday from 5-11 p.m. The brewpub is closed on Mondays, and the kitchen closes an hour before the official close each night. Undertone will be open until 1 a.m. for the grand opening.
The main floor will eventually take reservations, but Undertone and the beer garden will be walk-ins only.
Mellotone Beer Project, 1429 Race St., Over-the-Rhine. More info: mellotonebeer.com.
This article appears in Nov 13-26, 2024.