7 Best Places to Drink Beer in Cincinnati

Tour checking out Jackson Brewery

Cincinnati was partly built on beer. In the early 19th century, German immigrants brought their homeland's brewing tradition to Cincinnati, turning the city into a brewing empire. Along with establishing the city’s Over-The-Rhine district, these settlers created an underground network of cellars and tunnels for beer storage and refrigeration. Some still remain and can be seen on guided tours.

Prohibition ceased many Cincy brewing operations but the late 20th century would see their revival. Today, Cincinnati’s brewing scene reflects both its past and present with many places to order a local beer from.

Samuel Adams Cincinnati Taproom

1727 Logan Street

Samuel Adams taproom

Jim Koch, the founder of the Boston Beer Company and creator of Samuel Adams beer, is a Cincy native.

In the eighties, Koch applied his great-great-grandfather’s beer recipe toward brewing what’s now Samuel Adams Boston Lager.

In 1997, Koch purchased a facility once used by Cincinnati’s Hudepohl-Schoenling Brewing Company, for producing beer locally.

One of three Samuel Adams taprooms is in Cincinnati and tours are available for booking. The Cincy taproom rotates experimental and limited beers, including Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Bock, and offers Sam Adam regular varieties. Their food menu sources from Findlay Market.

Rhinegeist Brewery

1910 Elm Street

Rhinegeist on a busy Saturday

Housed in the original bottling plant for Christian Moerlein bottling plant, this brewery opened in 2013. With its name meaning “ghost or spirit of the Rhine,” co-founders Bob Bonder and Bryant Gouldin made their dream of building this Cincy brewery happen.

Rhinegeist Brewery continues to extend its portfolio with the “Truth Family,” a line of different strengths and flavors of IPAs accompanying their flagship, Truth IPA. The brewery has even ventured into ciders with Cidergeist and non-alcoholic offerings with IPA Ghost Haze and Ghost Pils.

Along with their cathedral-like ceiling taproom, a seasonal rooftop patio offers great city views.

Urban Artifact

1660 Blue Rock Street

Popple Tonic in Urban Artifact

Based at the St. Patrick’s church campus on Cincinnati’s Northside, Urban Artifact makes its beers with real fruit, processing over one million pounds annually.

Urban Artifact was founded in 2015 by Scott Hand (who runs brand and design), Bret Kollmann Baker (brewing operations), and Scotty Hunter (sales and marketing). The trio wanted to drink fruit beer that actually tasted like fruit.

Urban Artifact offers more than 30 different fruit beers across the year, plus small-batch and one-off releases that never make it to distribution. “Fresh Fruit Tart Wednesdays” showcases experimental creations designed by their brewing team that week.

MadTree Brewing

Two Cincinnati locations: Oakley Taproom, 3301 Madison Road; Alcove Kitchen + Bar, 1410 Vine Street

MadTree bartender filling a beer

Started in 2013, by friends drinking beer together in a garage, MadTree Brewing’s name refers to both them being like mad scientists and how trees symbolize growth. Year-round offerings include their Cincitucky lager, the official beer of the Cincitucky Trails, and Skygazer, a citrus wheat ale.  

As a B Corp Certified business, their Let’s Grow Local initiative gives back through environmental efforts and volunteer hours given company-wide.

Their zero waste Oakley Taproom operates over 30 taps while their Alcove venue has an outdoor patio. Another Ohio location is at Summit Park in Blue Ash.

Northern Row Brewery & Distillery

111 W McMicken Avenue

Northern Row's patio

Near Findley Market, this brewery is based within a circa 1895 stock house that was built originally as part of the Christian Moerlein Brewing Co.

Northern Row is also a stop on American Legacy Tours’ “Hidden Caverns Tour.” While heavily emphasizing lagers, the brewery also experiments with ales and produces everything from crisp golden pilsners such as “Butcher” to smooth amber marzens.

Their onsite distillery produces a full line of craft spirits, including whiskey, gin, brandy, rum, and vodka. In their taproom, sample them through orders like 1895 Old Fashioned, featuring Northern Liberties Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon.

Ghost Baby

1314 Republic Street

Ghost Baby speakeasy.

This speakeasy lounge is situated within tunnels formerly used by a Cincinnati brewing company, four stories under the city’s Vine Street.

The name derives from personal accounts of hearing a baby whimper or other strange noises in this tunnel area.

This low-lit hot nightspot is graced with a half-domed clubroom with a velvet curtain stage and audience tables. Consider ordering a beer or a libation from the inventive cocktail menu while hearing live music. Reservations are a must.

Cincinnati Beer Festivals

Wooden goat at the Bockfest Parade

Cincinnati has year-round beer festivals, including Cincy Winter Beerfest and the springtime Bockfest.

Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is the largest Oktoberfest outside of Munich held every September. In June, Urban Artifact puts on the Missing Linck Festival, which utilizes yeast discovered in the old Linck Brewing Tunnels underneath Findlay Market.

Honorable Mentions

Originally the Moerlein Lager House, the renamed Cincinnati Lager House is a brewery, beer garden and restaurant on The Banks between the Reds and Bengals stadium and with a great view of the Ohio River. Or experience the river while enjoying a beer onboard a BB Riverboats cruise.

Arnold's Bar & Grill is Cincinnati’s oldest bar, while The Comet and MOTR Pub offer live music. Northside Yacht Club has a good draft list and a menu featuring vegan items.

Follow along the self-guided Brewing Heritage Trail or take a brewery history tour.

It’s also easy to head to Kentucky from Cincinnati and to noted spots.

Larry's in Covington is a popular dive bar while Braxton Brewing Co. includes multiple Kentucky locations, with Braxton Covington as the flagship.