The Beer Issue: 34 Greater Cincinnati Taprooms and Breweries to Grab a Drink

3 Points Urban Brewery 331 E. 13th St., Pendleton Just close enough to lure Over-the-Rhine foot traffic, Pendleton’s 3 Points is an easy and design-forward destination for a casual pint. Predicated on three points — art, experience and beer — and located at the intersection of three points — Reading Road and Liberty and Main streets — Cincinnati artists interested in more exposure should look up this brewery: 3 Points utilizes art produced by locals to promote each beer in their portfolio and also to decorate the taproom. The art builds community and creates an engaging space, which can also be used for co-working during the day (doors open at 9 a.m. Monday-Friday). “We want there to be something for everyone, so that everyone can enjoy Pendleton,” says Aaron Westendorf, the brewery’s marketing manager. “Along with the beer we make, we also proudly serve a full bar offering of wine and cocktails. In early 2019 we will also be opening our fried chicken restaurant, CHX, attached to the brewery, giving people a true all-around experience.” What to try: Origami, a “Post Coast IPA” that unfolds nicely on the palate with original tropical artwork by local printmaker Matthew Dayler, whose work can also be found wrapped around 3 Points’ bar face. Photo: Hailey Bollinger

March First Brewing and Distilling 7885 E Kemper Road, Springdale Named for the first day our home was recognized as a state, March First Brewing opened in 2017 and boasts an impressive variety of drinks made on the premises, including beer, cider, whiskey, schnapps, vodka, rum and hard seltzer. The current taproom is soon to become their event space, while a new 4,000 square-foot taproom is planned for the near future. What to try: Traditional Cider — crisp, semisweet and effervescently juicy. Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Fifty West Brewing Company 7668 Wooster Pike, Columbia Township This brewery has an excellent kitchen to complement their line of beers and makes for a satisfying table experience. If you’d like to stay on your feet while you enjoy a few pints, Fifty West has turned a stretch of Wooster Pike into a veritable outdoor recreation corridor. Across the street from the flagship brewpub sits Fifty West Canoe & Kayak, Fifty West Cycling and Fifty West Production Works (home to six sand volleyball courts). All are geared toward building community through shared experiences, which include drinking craft beer and getting outside: It’s all about an active lifestyle, says brewery co-owner Bobby Slattery. What to try: Doom Pedal, a hazy white ale that’s cheerful and clean drinking. Photo: Scott Dittgen

Christian Moerlein Brewing Co. 1621 Moore St., Cincinnati This 1860s malt house taproom features a selection of brews now synonymous with Cincinnati craft beer and our strong German heritage — Christian Moerlein immigrated to the Queen City from Bavaria and launched his brewery in 1853. (It closed for a while after Prohibition but was resurrected in 1981, and was the first American beer to pass the 16th-century Reinheitsgebot Bavarian Purity Law.) Ask your prostmeister, aka your bartender in the taproom, for a tour of the brewing area while you enjoy something made under their roof and you’ll get a good education on what a successful brewery looks like. This is a big player in Cincinnati’s beer culture, home to the springtime Bockfest beer (and goat) festival and also home to Wienerwurst Mike’s Frankfurtary, which serves up encased meats like brats and metts. What to try: OTR, an American red ale, amber in color and pleasantly hoppy. Photo: Izzy Viox

Darkness Brewing 224 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue What started as homebrewing experimentation between friends led to the opening of Darkness Brewing, so the spirit of adventure is still quite alive in the Bellevue taproom, located just down the street from Party Source. Their specialty is dark beers (you could say they have a heart of darkness). CityBeat’s official recommendation is to become a regular patron of the bar so that, years down the line, you can walk in and say, “Hello Darkness, my old friend.” What to try: Man on the Moo, a milk stout that’s sure to win over drinkers who “don’t like” dark beer. Photo: Hailey Bollinger

DogBerry 9964 Crescent Park Drive, West Chester Founded in 2015 by brewers Tony Meyer and Chris Frede, two science professionals turned stay-at-home dads, DogBerry was built on a search for happiness and a passion for sharing good beer. With fresh ingredients from local and regional producers, DogBerry quickly outgrew their original taproom and had to expand into a larger space — complete with picnic tables, couches and skee-ball. What to try: DogBerry offers several “smoked” beers. Campfire Story is a smoked porter nitro with a mild cherry wood smoke taste on the backend. A little sweet, a little smoky. Photo: Khoi Nguyen

Bircus Brewing Co. 322 Elm St., Ludlow Ludlow, Kentucky’s nonexistent craft beer scene sent in the clowns, leading to the launch of Bircus Brewing Co., a branch of an original concept launched in Ghent, Belgium. Pronounce it like “beer-cuss,” a hybrid of beer and circus, as the brew shares the limelight with carnival performances at the taproom. “The world of the circus it not quite as old as beer, but in a very crowded space, Bircus aims to differentiate with an experience that is unique to our region,” says Paul Miller, “Chief Goof-Officer” of the brewery. Stop by for a real circus experience from exciting regional performers, or book Bircus — and its traveling beer trailer with rooftop performance capabilities — to come to you. Performers can do everything from breath fire to fly on the trapeze. Miller also just purchased a school bus to take patrons around a Northern Kentucky brewery loop so you can drink while they drive. What to try: The Bearded Lady, a bready kölsch with orange whiffs. Handsome and beautiful. Photo: Brittany Thornton

Brink Brewing Co. 5905 Hamilton Ave., College Hill “The ultimate goal of Brink is to share our love of craft beer with the community. It was really important to us to find a location that allowed for us to be an intricate part of the neighborhood fabric and we have exactly that at our home in College Hill,” says co-founder Sarah McGarry. The gathering space is loaded with features encourage interaction, including a 20-seater community able, reclaimed-wood bar and a gigantic scrabble board that’s very popular with patrons after a few pints from the brewery’s wide-reaching tap list. Head to the bathroom to see more than three decades’ worth of collected beer labels from Uncle Jack — it was his fridge, chock full of artisan beers, and his neighborly values that led Brink to open its doors in College Hill in February 2017. Their tap list is always rotating between blondes, porters, IPAs and more, and they’ve won more than 15 national awards for their brews since opening. What to try: Damocles. One of Brink’s focuses for 2019 is to collaborate with other breweries and this milky and flavorful Black IPA was brewed with Bellevue’s Darkness Brewing. Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Wiedemann’s Fine Craft Beers 4811 Vine St., Saint Bernard Cincinnatians who are at least twice the legal drinking age may remember the omnipresence of Wiedemann Bohemian Special Pilsner cans at every family gathering back in the day. Well, “back in the day” is back, so to speak, as Wiedemann has reopened under new owners and a whole new recipe book. Betsy and Jon Newberry are responsible for reviving the brand and have converted a former funeral home into one of Cincinnati’s most charming brewery/taprooms. The full kitchen offers enough to encourage an entire day to be spent sampling their crushable, modernized interpretations of Wiedemann beer brewed since 1870. “We live in a city built on brands,” says Jon, “and we’re honored to be able to revive one of Cincinnati’s most-storied brands and keep it going hopefully for another 150 years.” What to try: A “half & half” of Royal Amber and Blonde Ale, an idea introduced to CityBeat by Betsy. Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Listermann Brewing Company 1621 Dana Ave., Norwood Originally a brewer supply store, this family-owned business recently celebrated its 10th anniversary as a microbrewery. On top of the excellent rotating beer list available in the taproom, Listermann is an invaluable resource to local brewers thanks to the equipment, consulting and encouragement offered by the family. “We brew beers throughout the year with a portion of our proceeds going to various causes,” says marketing rep Kristen Ballinger. “This past year we have worked with the Cincinnati Zoo, King Records, Elementz, Women Helping Women and the Cincinnati Art Museum on beers where we have donated proceeds of our draft and bottle sales.” Listermann is also home to Renegade Grille, a static location of Renegade Street Eats food truck, and has local Skinny Piggy Kombucha on tap. What to try: Nutcase Ale, malty and flavored with peanut butter — bring your own fruit jam to pair. Photo: Megan Waddel

Nine Giant Brewery + Kitchen 6095 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge A brewpub at its finest, right down the street from Queen City Comics and Everybody’s Records. The kitchen challenges nearby Gaslight Cafe for best burger in Pleasant Ridge (but old school locals know better) and the beer, wine and cider selection has something for everyone. Keep an eye out for their new development going in next door — the Fermentorium — where the brewers will experiment with aged brews in barrels sourced from spirit and wine production. What to try: C.R.E.A.M., a dry hopped cream ale that pays homage to the Wu Tang Clan. Photo: Brittany Thornton

Rivertown Brewing Company 6550 Hamilton Lebanon Road, Middletown Step into the Barrel House (aka the taproom) and two of the best things in the world are before you: retro arcade games and fresh, delicious beer. “We really pride ourselves on having a style for all palates. We also do a lot of blending work at the taps — Lemon Bar + Raspberry Flicker is amazing — to ensure each of our guests who are looking for a beer get exactly what they want,” says Lindsey Roeper, CEO of the brewery. This is an essential stopping point for even the most casual beer drinker, because local beer pairs wonderfully with Tetris. What to try: Roebling Nitro Porter; tastes like a vanilla latte with a kick in the right direction. Photo: Paige Deglow

Taft’s Ale House and Brewpourium 1429 Race St., Over-the-Rhine; 4831 Spring Grove Ave., Spring Grove Village Two breweries, same loyalties. Taft’s Brewing Co. renovated a historic church for the Ale House in OTR, which led to an impressive home base for the company; while the Brewpourium in an old streetcar warehouse feels more like a traditional brewpub. The beer in both is excellent, so when deciding which location to visit, ask yourself this: Would you rather have a tri-tip steak or pizza? Go to Taft’s Ale House for the former and the Brewpourium for the latter; the Brewpourium’s New Haven, Connecticut-style apizza is some of the best pizza in the city. New Haven “apizza” is a crispy and coal-fired version of Neapolitan pizza the brewery chose to offer over other styles (e.g. New York, Chicago) because William Howard Taft — former president, Cincinnati native and brewery namesake — went to Yale in New Haven. What to try: Culebra Cut, a brown ale with a toasted coconut finish. Photo: Taft’s Brewpourium // Hailey Bollinger

Fretboard Brewing Company 5800 Creek Raod, Blue Ash Bradley Plank, Jim Klosterman and Joe Sierra, the trio behind Blue Ash-based Fretboard Brewing Company, seek the perfect marriage of their two passions — music and beer — by providing creation spaces for local musicians to rattle off riffs while grabbing brews at the taproom. What could have simply been a traditional German-bier-inspired brewery was electrified into an incredibly active live music venue with a pro grade sound system. Fretboard’s main stage hosts live performances nearly every night, putting an emphasis on the sort of rootsy Blues tunes and Americana that are nearly synonymous with microbrewed beverages. The taproom is situated next to the brewing equipment, all within sight of the performance stage Maybe the consistent barrage of sonic waves positively affects fermentation? For those about to Rock, beer salutes you at Fretboard. What to try: Vlad, a riff on Dracula’s original alias, Vlad the Im-Pilsner. Clean and flavorful with absolutely no blood in the recipe. Photo: Brittany Thornton

Sonder Brewing 8584 Duke Blvd., Mason Sonder Brewing built its brewery and taproom on what was a vacant lot consisting of a 40-foot mound of dirt and a fire hydrant a few miles away from Kings Island. Their grand opening was Oct. 27. This new brewery not only boasts an impressive taproom and brew facility, but the quality of their beer is next-level considering the very young age of the company. “While Sonder does not shy away from producing any style or flavor of beer, like our Mango Milkshake IPA, Belgian Wit and Tiramisu Stout, we have a passion for brewing traditional German styles with 100-percent German ingredients as well, like Zauber, our traditional Zwickelbier Lager,” says Jennifer Meissner, the brewery’s VP. What to try: Send It!, a brut IPA that fans of dry sparkling wine will cozy right up to. Photo: Sean M. Peters

Wooden Cask Brewing Company 629 York St., Newport This taproom’s proximity to Newport on the Levee makes it an ideal destination for shoppers who’d like to have a pit-stop pint. Traditional English, Irish and Scottish beers are the house specialty, though the draft list is no stranger to IPAs, wheats and blonde ales. “We don’t rely on trends or gimmick to influence the beers we do. Every beer we do is a good drinkable beer,” says Karen Schiltz, who owns Wooden Cask with her husband Randy. And it’s true, too. There are no illusions about what you’ll get when you order a beer, as the drink’s essential essence is reached with each draft on tap. What to try: Yorkshire English Pub Ale Nitro — it’ll quell your inner soccer hooligan. Photo: Paige Deglow

Streetside Brewery 4003 Eastern Ave., Columbia Tusculum Serving up an eclectic blend of craft beer mainstays and funkier experiments, this brewery taproom is large, open and modern, making it a great gathering place for the community. The folks in Columbia Tusculum convene at Streetside Brewery not only for the myriad events scheduled throughout the week, but, of course, for the beers. “Our brewery philosophy is to continually offer new and exciting varieties,” says managing brewer and owner Garrett Hickey. “While we’re known for a handful of staples and customer favorites, we always strive to bring something new to the table.” People really gravitate toward their weirder brews like Cereal Milk, a milkshake blonde with blueberry and strawberry, and Robe, a red velvet donut stout collaboration with Holtman’s Donuts. What to try: Goseface Killah, a Wu-Tang Clan-inspired plum gose that ain’t nothin’ ta fuck wit’. Photo: Scott Dittgen

Swine City Brewing 4614 Industry Drive, Fairfield Swine City is Fairfield’s first and only brewery — so far. Helmed by owners Dan and Debby Ebben, both native Fairfielders, the 5,000-square-foot open layout and acre-and-a-half of land are a family-friendly community space. ”They have two children of their own and know how hard it is to find a place to bring the kids and hang out after a long day at work,” says taproom manager Christopher Schulz. The brewery frequently plays with sippable styles, so taproom selections vary from IPAs and stouts to sours and cream ales. What to try: Good Enough for Me Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Amber. Schulz says the brew, fermented over golden raisins, is a fan favorite. Photo: Provided

West Side Brewing 3044 Harrison Ave., Westwood When you walk into this large taproom, you’ll know exactly what you’re getting when you order a beer off the tap list. “We don’t give any of our beers a name,” says head brewer Colin Foy. “Our German-style Hefeweizen is simply called ‘Hefeweizen;’ our Session IPA is simply ‘Session IPA.’ With one glance, a customer can know exactly what will be inside that can or keg. We’re hoping to be known as a brewery that dependably brews exceptional, classic styles, as well as the occasional release of something extra-special.” What to try: Double IPA — it’s so bitter it’ll make your eyes water. That’s a good thing to some folks. Photo: Megan Waddel

Little Miami Brewing Company 208 Mill St, Milford Founded by brothers-in-law Dan Lynch and Joe Brenner, Milford’s Little Miami Brewing Company sits on the banks of its namesake river, pouring 11 beers alongside a selection of brick-oven pizzas. The small-batch brewery offers 16 different brews on tap, from classics to experimentals and seasonals made with real fruit, like their Juicy Fruit IPA made with passion fruit. What to try: Pterodactyl is worth a sip based on its name alone. It’s a classic Bavarian wheat beer infused with hints of banana and clove. Photo: Megan Waddel

16 Lots Brewing Company 753 Reading Road, Mason Visit the brewery during wintertime and upon entering it feels like you’ve found refuge from a storm. “Our taproom was designed to be warm and inviting — a place you want to stay for a while,” says co-owner Mike Burton. Their beers are inspired by traditional German styles and brewmaster Jeff Cosgrove fastidiously adheres to the methods and recipes that made Old World lagers and pilsners so especially crushable and delicious. The brewery’s name is taken from a historic land purchase by Revolutionary War officer Major William Mason, who bought the 16 lots of land that later developed into modern day Mason. Just as their beer is steeped in historic tradition, their name also pays homage to the history of the city where they brew. The taproom also houses Mad Monks Pizza Co., operated by the owner of Habanero in Clifton. What to try: The Major, a pilsner for the ages. “If you don’t like that, you don’t like beer,” Cosgrove says. What to try: The Major, a pilsner for the ages. “If you don’t like that, you don’t like beer,” Cosgrove says. Photo: Sean M. Peters

Samuel Adams Cincinnati Taproom 1727 Logan St., Over-the-Rhine There’s no need to truck over to Boston for fresh Sam Adams. This taproom — across from the Samuel Adams Cincinnati Brewery — features indoor and outdoor space, spans nearly 9,000 square feet and offers an array of unique beers brewed both onsite and across the street. These include fan favorites like the Cincy-inspired 513, Boston Lager and Summer Ale. “We’ve been dreaming of opening a taproom in the neighborhood since we purchased the brewery 21 years ago, so we could share our beers with local drinkers,” says Samuel Adams founder Jim Koch. “Cincinnati is my hometown with such a rich brewing history and I’ve seen our city blossom as a craft beer mecca that is home to some of the finest breweries and taprooms in the country.” What to try: Coffee Pale Ale, a taproom exclusive that’ll perk you right up. Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Braxton Brewing Company 27 W. Seventh St., Covington Arguably one of the best reasons for Cincinnati beer drinkers to cross the Roebling Bridge into Covington, Braxton has made quite an impression on the local brewing scene. Currently undergoing a $5 million expansion, which includes the construction of a rooftop patio, the taproom and brewery serves more than beer and spirits: it’s also a cultural landmark thanks to its widespread success. Rooted in the ethos and innovation forged in a Midwestern garage — founder Evan Rouse started homebrewing when he was just 16, before he could even taste his creations — Braxton’s constant evolution has yielded a Braxton Labs location in the Party Source, for super experimental brews; distribution in Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee; and a forthcoming Braxton-made Vive hard seltzer. What to try: Storm, a golden cream ale available all year round, could easily become the default six-pack you bring to parties. Photo: Lindsay McCarty

Urban Artifact 1660 Blue Rock St., Northside Ironically, there’s not much Irish-inspired beer being brewed by Urban Artifact in the lower level of St. Patrick’s church and, if there was any green beer, it’d only be the result of a particular fruit variety. “Our team is dedicated to balanced flavor combinations, focused on highlighting the amazing qualities and blends of different fruit and food flavors in beer,” says Scott Hand, Urban Artifact’s chief of organization. Best known for their blend of sours and ales, the brewers at Urban Artifact have a large variety of different beers for you to sample. Their live music program is excellent, hosting solid local and touring acts, and check out radioartifact.com for their very own radio programming. What to try: Sliderule, a chocolate raspberry gose that’s a great starting point for someone new to sours. Photo: Brittany Thornton

MadTree Brewing Company 3301 Madison Road, Oakley If you were to look past the wide availability of their beers around the city, and only base your opinion on the taproom experience, MadTree would still rank high. “With 32 taps in the taproom, we are constantly brewing new beers with different flavor profiles as we continue to explore beer — and non-beer — flavors,” says Mike Stuart, who runs the brewery’s human resources and social media. “And it’s not just the brewers that are leading this charge: employees from all over the brewery have opportunities to create and brew their own recipes.” The gigantic Oakley taproom features a 10,000-square-foot beer garden and more than enough space to accommodate all the beer-drinking, cornhole-playing, dog-loving humans who want to visit. Reserve a tour of the brewery in advance ($6) and you’ll get a look at MadTree’s production and packaging as well as a token for the drink of your choice. What to try: Happy Amber, good body and a sweet finish. Photo: CityBeat Archive

Woodburn Brewery 2800 Woodburn Ave., East Walnut Hills Lauded for their high-quality beer and close ties with the community, Woodburn seems to be in the midst of a transition that has drawn some criticism and grist for the rumor mill, with original head brewer and former co-owner Chris Mitchell no longer with the company. Regardless, the brewery is keeping on keeping on: they announced a biergarten expansion in November; are maintaining regular taproom hours and creative craft beer lineup; and have partnered again with Krohn Conservatory for a new collaborative beer — a Blood Orange Cream Ale — using Krohn-grown produce. What to try: The 9.3 percent ABV chocolate cherry or chocolate mint imperial stout. Photo: Brittany Thornton

Grainworks Brewing Company 7790 Service Center Drive, Suite B, West Chester This straightforward taproom sits you right next to the production facility so you can ponder exactly how many pints are in one of those gigantic tanks as you sip an undetermined fraction of its total volume. What to try: Black & Blue, a blueberry oatmeal stout — we all know the best part about oatmeal is that it keeps you regular, so it’s a good thing this beer blend is available year-round. Photo:

Fibonacci Brewing Company 1445 Compton Road, Mount Healthy Named by co-founders Bob and Betty Bollas for the Fibonacci Sequence — a concept found in math, nature, classical architecture and even the hop plant itself — the nanobrewery has a lot of exciting developments set for spring of this year. “Before Fibonacci opened, it was my vision to operate an urban farm alongside the brewery,” Betty says. “A little less than four years later, this vision will become a reality through Fibonacci. We hope that the Mount Healthy community — and the Cincinnati community as a whole — will join us in celebrating the expansion which will allow us to have a separate private event space, Airbnb rooms, a beer garden and our urban farm with chickens and goats.” What to try: Horapha, a saison farmhouse ale made with locally sourced Thai basil, honey and lemon. Photo: CityBeat Archive

The Common Beer Company 126 E. Main St., Mason Beer is a common ground between many different kinds of people, so this brewery’s name is not a reflection of the beer’s quality but instead serves to encourage the idea that the taproom be treated like a common area, where anyone is welcome. That’s essentially the reason Mark and Amy Lortz opened their taproom and brewery in downtown Mason, to both nurture the community and thrive off its resources. “We rely heavily on local ingredients and inspiration, including coffee locally roasted, honey locally sourced and hops that are produced mostly in the state of Ohio,” Mark says. “We strive to continue to find more and more ingredients that can be provided to us from regional sources.” The nano-brewery’s beer is only available in the taproom at present, which means you’ll get to enjoy the family’s hospitality if you want to sample their fresh drinks. What to try: Maggs 59, a honey ale named for their daughter and her lacrosse jersey number. It has a 3.1 percent ABV, which makes it easy to throw several back. Photo: Sean M. Peters

13 Below Brewery 7391 Forbes Road, Sayler Park Fans of Old World-style beers will feel right at home in this taproom, which specializes in European ale and lager recipes. “All who enter experience personal service, fun activities like trivia and music, food trucks and, most of all, a place to relax and enjoy friends and family,” says co-founder Doug Menkedick. Named for its location 13 miles “below” Cincinnati, the space is right on the Ohio River and boasts 13 taps behind a 20-seater bar. With a corner pub-vibe, their small-batch beers can be enjoyed with friends, family and dogs — or in the beer garden when the weather warms. What to try: Lock & Dam #37, a Scotch ale that’s malty, deep in color and well balanced. Photo: 13 Below Brewery Facebook

Northern Row 111 W McMicken Ave., Over-the-Rhine Their taps show an appreciation for craft beer staples with subtle nuances that don’t distract from the original intentions of a traditional glass of beer but indulge the many flavor extrapolations one can gather from a simple pint. Distillation is an upcoming addition to Northern Row’s repertoire, so cocktails are waiting for those who don’t want a good beer. The taproom will open soon, but for now their beers can be found in bars and restaurants all over town. What to try: Barleywine; a challenging drink to make well, but not hard to enjoy. Photo: Northern Row Facebook

Queen City Brewery of Cincinnati 11253 Williamson Road, Blue Ash The taproom is minimalistic. There are places to sit — including wooden pallet couches — therefore, there are places to drink. While some distractions like board games and giant Jenga are around, the main draw is designed to be the drinks on tap. “We focus on beer first,” says brewer Jason Surniak. “We are not about glitz, glam or gimmicks or giant shiny tanks staring you in the face. We are a small-batch craft brewery that is focused on serving high-quality beer that is true to style, where every beer is the experience…the way it should be.” What to try: James Nut Brown, a slightly bitter brown ale with no shortage of soul. Photo: Paige Deglow