Spring has arrived, which means lighter beers, the return of outdoor festivals, the Kentucky Derby, May the Fourth (…be with you) and the long-awaited launch of the Brewing Heritage Trail, which preserves and celebrates Cincinnati’s vast brewery history.
After years in the making, the first phase of Over-the-Rhine’s Brewing Heritage Trail will open this weekend with a series of events. The two-mile walking trail aims to bring the city’s brewing history to life via signage, public art, installations and an app that provides stories, photos and augmented reality experiences.
On April 25, the Woodward Theater hosts a Toast to the Trail gala dinner with food, drinks, a silent auction and a program featuring speakers discussing how and why the nonprofit Brewery District Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation built the trail. Tickets are $100.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the trail takes place on April 26 at Grant Park (73 E. McMicken Ave.), followed by a reception in the next door Christian Moerlein Malt House Taproom. And on April 27, a free immersive tour brings the trail to life with costumed reenactors and beer brewing demonstrations. A $25 VIP ticket gets you additional access to a historic saloon, the Hudepohl brewery and a bar in the old subterranean Schmidt Brothers/Crown Brewery cellars. For more info, visit brewingheritagetrail.org.
May 4 is not only May the Fourth Be With You Day (go to Swine City Brewing in Fairfield for a Star Wars-themed party; cosplay encouraged) but it’s also the Kentucky Derby. Starting at noon, Braxton will throw its annual Derby party. They’ll have their mint julep-style beer on tap and prizes will be awarded to dapper dressers for Best Hat, Best Tie and Best Couple. Get a program stamped at three of five participating Covington bars — the Hannaford, Braxton, Hotel Covington, Sapphire Room and Rich’s Proper Food and Drink — and be entered to win some cool prizes.
Expansion news: Taft’s Brewing Co. will expand into Columbus, its first venture outside of Cincy. In the fall, they plan to open a brewery and pizzeria inside a new Franklinton development. And Fifty West will expand to Chillicothe, which is also located on Route 50. It will be their first taproom outside of Cincinnati.
New Beers
• A couple of weeks ago, Rhinegeist released their first canned nitro beer, Cobbstopper, a peach cobbler ale. All you have to do is shake it up and pour it vertically into a glass. Purchase cans and try it on draft at the taproom.
• At the beginning of April, MadTree released Brunch So Hard in cans and draft. It’s a fruity and floral brut rosé IPA.
• Fifty West released Highway Americano in cans and on draft. The helles lager is brewed with coffee from Deeper Roots.
• Urban Artifact and Moerlein have both released pineapple upside down cake beers. On April 19, Moerlein released a Pineapple Upside Down Gose in cans and on draft with flavors of pineapple and cherry. As part of its Epicurean series, Urban Artifact released a Pineapple Upside Down Cake sour beer with notes of maraschino cherries, pineapple, cinnamon and vanilla. They also released Kaleidoscope Midwest Fruit Tart with pineapple, orange and guava, on draft and in cans.
• A couple of weeks ago, Taft’s released Fresh Buds Red IPA, which is a dark ruby shade and hoppy and malty in flavor. It’s available on tap at both the Ale House and Brewpourium locations.
Events
• On April 26, head to Crossroads Church in Mason for Brews in the Burbs, a festival that includes more than 30 regional breweries. For $30 (or a $10 designated driver ticket), you get 10 samples of five-ounce pours and a souvenir mug. Proceeds benefit Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Camp NJoyItAll, a fun camp designed for kids with cancer.
• On April 27, March First will host Ciderpalooza. More than a dozen breweries and cideries will offer eight-ounce and 10-ounce pours for $5 each. Besides ciders from March First, other producers include Michigan’s B. Nektar Meadery and Starcut Ciders, MadTree, Portland’s Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider and Swine City.
• On April 27, help 3 Points Urban Brewery, ArtWorks, Spring In Our Steps and Keep Cincinnati Beautiful maintain Bolivar Alley in Pendleton during Alley Jam. All you have to do is bring gloves and work for an hour (10 a.m.-11 a.m.) in the alley, which features multiple ArtWorks murals, then you’ll receive a free beer from the brewery.
• On April 28, Rhinegeist will host a five-course Beer Feast dinner at the taproom with Sartre OTR. Dishes include cucumber-melon gazpacho paired with Kalmer, a lemon and cucumber kölsch; snap pea salad paired with Hugh, a hefeweizen; and roast pork loin paired with Slow Jam IPA. Tickets cost $60.
• April 30 marks the 15th anniversary of Mean Girls, so at 7:30 p.m. Taft’s Brewpourium will be screening the fetch film for free and offering popcorn and $1 off pints.
• On May 1, Streetside hosts a cupcake and beer pairing night. 3 Sweet Girls Cakery provides the mini cupcakes. Tickets are $15.
• On May 11, relive prom at Fretboard’s Pretty In Pink-inspired dance. From 7 p.m.-midnight, dance to ’80s music provided by the Whammies (they better play “If You Leave”). The theme is “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” and promgoers are encouraged to wear a black and pink dress code.
• May 18 is the day before the Game of Thrones series finale, so Pleasant Ridge businesses are throwing A Crawl of Ice and Fire starting at 3 p.m. Take a photo with a replica of the Iron Throne and get drink and food discounts at businesses like Casa Figueroa, Nine Giant and Share: Cheesebar. Participate in the seven kingdoms scavenger hunt. Ticket proceeds benefit the Pleasant Ridge Business Association, so drink up. Revolution Rotisserie will offer a $5 Red Wedding Punch and Overlook Lodge will have a Red Wedding-themed bar. Nine Giant will provide four beers named after Game of Thrones kingdoms and $1 off drafts. Tickets cost $10-$20.
• May 18 is Chickow! Day at Listermann. They’ll celebrate Triple Digit’s famous double brown ale that over the years has been barrel-aged and brewed with different flavors. They will have variations TBD on draft and bottles for sale.
• On May 19, Taft’s Ale House will team up with The Bagelry for a beer flight and bagel pairing. For $15, you get a flight of five beers paired with quarter-sized bagels.
This article appears in Apr 17-24, 2019.