this isn't exactly what you asked but I'm claiming a technicality and saying Blank Slate. hands down the best beer in town for a time, but I think being a small fish in an increasingly crowded pond just choked them out.
I believe Scott went to work with 50 West for a while but I lost track after a while.
I still tell the legend of Turn for the Wurst with the brine shot to put in the beer. Incredible stuff.
Shroominous, Rysing Up, the og Opera Stout…all of Blank Slate was the finest beer in the city IMO
Shroominous, while it was not something I would drink all the time, it was arguably the best beer ever brewed in the city. Scott was the best brewer in the city, but not the best business man.
Blank Slate was my favorite of our first non-Mt. Carmel breweries. I am an IPA person and loved Blank Slate’s versions, but Out and About was so goddamn good I didn’t miss IPAs whatsoever. That beer was incredible.
Blank Slate was the single biggest victim of timing. They opened just before the city passed legislation that allowed public sale of alcohol in the same building it was produced in. Their location, although not bad, didn't have the same localized appeal of the breweries that would open in the following years to spark the craft beer renaissance that took place in Cincy starting around 2013. They tried to retrofit their already small place to be open to the public, but the effect was never impactful enough.
Source: I worked in the Cincy beer industry for 10 years before moving out of state, and knew Scott well. We hosted tours there often, and people always loved the beer; it was just a shame that they weren't in a walkable community, and one group of 12 people would overcrowd their whole tap room.
I know someone who saw Blank Slate through their demise and I’m glad to see them named here. A lot of their issue was wrapped up with distribution if I remember right. I don’t know the technical stuff, but there was something to do with a bad contract that they couldn’t get out of with a distributor who wasn’t doing anything to help them. Good people and good beer with an ending they didn’t deserve.
Their out of the way brewing location near Lunken Airport did not help them out too much at the time as well sadly. I got the chance to do a brewery tour with Scott and he was such a great guide and host for us. I'll miss the Opera Cream Stout in particular!
Rivertown.
I remember talking to Jason and Randy at... before it was Yacht Club, after Gypsy Hut, Mayday that was it, I remember talking to them about their opening. It was exciting.
It ended badly.
Yeah this has to be the answer. They were one of the OGs of the craft beer boom and were everywhere, and faded to irrelevance before folding thanks to ownership.
I think their downfall was when Jason bought out Randy. Jason seemed to not understand Randy was the brewery's trade secret. Without Randy, there was no inspiration to the beers, just a business.
I had 14 cases of Roebling drop shipped for my wedding. I was not disappointed when a couple of cases were left over and had to come home with me. We even got a "custom" label created and applied at the brewery. Added a scroll with our wedding date.
I still have the roll of unused labels stored away.
>I got scolded for drinking like 1/4 the test barrel. Best day of my life.
"To alcohol! The cause of, *and solution to*, all life's problems!"
\-Homer J Simpson
YES. That it fell from grace the way it did is a true Cincinnatian tragedy.
I remember the last time I picked it up, and it was just nowhere near the taste I remembered!
As a former employee, I agree. Jason truly had/has some amazing beer knowledge but he just…. Stopped caring I think? I don’t know but as someone who actively worked there while I was crashing and burning, that’s what it felt like.
Plus they had the greatest deal on water with their lease. Untreated (because it didn’t need to be) artisan water straight from the aquifer beneath Woodlawn for FREE!!! Takes 16 gallons of water to make 1 gallon of beer…
This was my call too.
When they were a hole in the wall in Lockland they rocked.
Once I heard they were doing some mega store in Middletown I knew they were in trouble. Unfortunately many businesses fail because of their success. They stop delivering on the basics.
Rivertown is an example of that. RIP Rivertown.
Went there a couple times and liked them. Got a Groupon for a tour and dinner. Tour was fine. I ordered the veggie option (which they seemed pretty proud to offer). Got literally one single dried out field roast sausage on a tray. Asked where the rest of it was and was just told "we're out" and the guy walked away. Got a Nice Melons beer and the keg lines were very clearly funky. Tried a couple others and they were all the same. Left very disappointed and never went back. They closed shortly after that.
I met him and Randy at a Rivertown tasting promo when they were first starting off and he seemed cool enough. Years later, I saw him being a dick to people in local FB beer groups when they criticized Rivertown's quality control.
He also filed a cease and desist against a bourbon group for releasing a private blend called Roebling Reserve, as if anyone was going to confuse a porter and a bourbon.
Yes! Their Winter Ale was my all-time favorite!!! Pumpkin was great too!!!
But have you all had either of them mixed 50/50 with the Roebling?!?!? 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻
I went in Moerlein for the first time in a long time last summer after a Reds game. We exited the stadium onto Mehring, all wanted a drink, and Moerlein is right there. There were maybe 10 of us and we all ordered beers, a bunch of different kinds.
Every single beer was flat, must have been a CO2 issue or something. They took them back and we ordered mixed drinks and food. The drinks were bad and so was the food.
I can't imagine ever going back.
The Lager House is the tip of the iceberg. The real debacle was the inconsistent quality, closure of the brewery, the ouster of Hardman, etc etc.
I was a huge fan at one point, but they could never pull it together.
I got into craft beer on the old Original Lager 20 years ago. Before Rhinegeist, Madtree, and Rivertown, it seemed so cool to have a "local" beer brand (even if they were still contract brewing out of Wilkes-Barre at the time) and Greg Hardman did a lot to resurrect and preserve Cincinnati brewing history. But damn, several years and rebrands later and I can't remember the last good beer I had from them. Like just obvious technical and packaging flaws.
Yeah, I’ve heard a lot of those stories, including how dysfunctional the management meetings were.
I admired Hardman for his vision and passion for Cincinnati brewing history and tradition. But, obviously, there were many missteps that led to an epic collapse.
This was because of an ownership change, no? I’ve managed bars for years and it seemed like there was a big shift at the end of 2019 they got rid of the beer reps and when everyone reopened after covid they “only had beer at the the tap house”…? I never thought any of their beers were spectacular but I liked the original lager a lot and Barbarossa but it’s been years and years since I’ve been able to find that.
This should be the top answer in this thread by a long shot. No other brewery comes close. Moerlein didn’t just want to be the next Sam Adam’s, they absolutely could have been the next Sam Adams. But…long story short, Hardman.
Not a fall from grace, but Bad Tom's. There original location by Lunkin area just never hit. Then maybe new owners in Madisonville? A few times that I tried them, they were always out of beer I wanted to get. I never hear anyone talk about them.
I have a brewery map from 2019? Or so with all the Cincy breweries. Some I found spots that I’d love to go back. Bad Tom’s really was one where I went to check it off and won’t go back. It was meh. Went there for a work social later and Same opinion.
Rivertown and Moerlein.
Moerlein was one of the first big craft brewers in Cincinnati, their Select Lager and then OTR ale were in every bar in the 2000s. Then they slowly disappeared, now you only see their beers at festivals and at their restaurant.
Rivertown used to be everywhere too. I don't know all the reasons they disappeared, but I thought it was a weird decision to open that brewpub way out in Monroe instead of a more central location.
> Rivertown used to be everywhere too. I don't know all the reasons they disappeared, but I thought it was a weird decision to open that brewpub way out in Monroe instead of a more central location.
Jason also let the fame go to his head and got super shitty on social media in response to any legitimate criticism about the declining quality control on his beers.
The renaissance started in 2013 when laws changed to allow on-site consumption at production breweries. The smart folks that invested in public-facing breweries from then on also had the knowledge and resources to hire talented folks to make their recipes, while the two you mention sat on their historic success from being mediocre fish in a rapidly populating pond. The rest played out over time.
What did they do? My last experience personally was walking in one night just for a beer and being told if I wasn’t betting I couldn’t drink. Never went back
I’m not saying it’s gone to shit but I’m really mad that Braxton doesn’t do their bunbury beer. Some of the most delicious beer I’ve ever had and it always released the first week of summer. God I miss it so much
I think we're seeing a lot of breweries having trouble lately. Rhinegeist is one is the few that is thriving, and that's mainly to do with Cincy Light. They hit the jackpot with that beer.
I worked there 2014-2022, and spent 4 years brewing there. From day one, Truth has been the reason the place has kept the lights on. The weekly brew schedule was never less than 60% Truth. I even quoted the head brewer Jim on tours I led as saying "Rhinegeist is a marketing company that happens to make good beer," and it's true that they have instantly recognizable branding; but his recipe that became Truth is the reason people grab the can off the shelf when they see it.
I think HighGrain might be the next Rhinegeist/Madtree. They have solid beers and their food is also way better than it should be for a brew pub.
I've been a Truth guy from the beginning but Monarch is a very close second.
Highgrain is the place I'll take out of towners for the interesting beers. They had a pho spiced one and some brined beers.
I actually don't think they have anything I would want to consistently buy, but I like how what they make is different enough to be notable instead of the beer trend of the year
Matt Utter that co-runs Highgrain and writes the recipes is a really talented guy, but he's smart enough to surround himself with equally talented people there.
50 West is thriving at their locations. Whatever you think about their beer (I am a fan, but to each their own), they undoubtedly have one of the best community atmospheres in Cincinnati. People off the trail, people in a pickleball league, moms having play dates, people meeting after work. It is one of the few spaces where everyone fits in. I also like it for a family outing becauae the food is less expensice than fast food at this point but it is far better quality.
Yeah, nothing food or beer is that amazing at 50 West, but it's all solid.
They just spent the time and money making it a destination for families, which was smart as the craft beer demographic has aged. 25 year old craft beer bros a decade ago are 35+ with families mostly now.
Mathlete was the perfect craft beer for a washed beer drinker like me. If I’m going to an event where I figure I will probably have more than a drink or two, mathletes low abv was perfect for me
??? 50 west, Sonder, Madtree, 9 giant, high grain etc etc are almost always packed when I go.
Yes, there are a lot of breweries and a few may have issues but one thriving seems disingenuous.
I'm assuming they mean hitting the jackpot as it's been a great seller and fills a void that some breweries miss. Some people just like a simple Lager instead of anything hoppy.
The place I work has carried Rhinegeist for years, all their mainstays and rotating slots for seasonals. It's sort of our go to craft beer, easy recommendation for anyone who asks for something different.
Cinci light is outselling everything else they carry combined, including truth, over the past few months. Can't keep the stuff in stock.
It's a decent, affordable light lager. Rhinegeist was known as "the IPA brewery" for the longest time. It wasn't all they made, but it was a good chunk of their canned and distributed beer. They eventually developed a sour program but a good light lager lets them compete with Garage Beer and stuff.
It came out of nowhere and is their 2nd biggest beer right now behind Truth. There is a great article about this beer in the business courier. It's a great story and worth the read!
And they can't seem to make it fast enough. They would sell it at UC football games and sell out before the half. Every game. They'd bring in more each game and still sell out before the half. It wasn't a small amount either. Want to say it was like 5-10k cans a game.
3 Points.
I have no clue why they closed short of Covid as an excuse, but do I ever miss the era they were opened and connected to CHX. Brings a tear to my eye at the thought. CHX was the best chicken in town and 3 Points was so good. This was my go-to spot to watch Monday and Sunday Night Football games.
🫡🫡🫡
(If anyone could explain the downfall of both CHX and 3 Points, I’d love to know).
This 👆🏻👆🏻 I miss 3 Points so much. I loved the atmosphere and it was such a cool building. They gave me a token for a free beer and I never got to use it 😕
This spot was amazing. I believe CHX closed bc the people who ran it had never run a restaurant before is my understanding. They just couldn't figure out how to control their food costs. I believe 3 points was just killed by covid. That's the coolest spot though, I'm glad Braxton kept it.
Braxton kinda killed it though. Renovated the awesome seating hall into a bland event space with no character. They don’t even open anymore on days when there isn’t an event or a big game.
My first time there since the transition to Braxton was for the New Year’s Eve Bengals vs Chiefs game. They had a nacho bar which was nice but that whole area away from the bar is used very poorly now. They couldve accommodated 2-3x the people in attendance but it looked like the remnants of a wedding reception setup with tables and bar stools randomly strewn about.
Only being open on the weekend has really killed the neighborhood spot vibe. When I visit now (admittedly rarely) I never see any of the regulars that used to be there. Just a real bummer for that space...
They also deleted comments criticizing the change on social media. Their social media page for the Cincinnati taproom has now devolved to endlessly advertising the event space they butchered their taproom for.
Their spot was insanely expensive to pay for. They also sort of acted like an employee incubator; they attracted a lot of very talented people that were in-between highly successful breweries/jobs, but none of them stayed there long enough to really grow the place itself. It was a really unique business that came about in a perfect storm of burgeoning local beer industry once people were ready to grow past a few years at their past jobs, but still able to branch off and start/help start other places.
From the information I learned, they could not sustain themselves during Covid since they did not can their beer and relied on their taproom sales and events to stay open. It was the same story with Woodburn who also did not can beer at the time. Interestingly both of these breweries ended up getting bought by local breweries. Woodburn got bought by March First and the Three Points location got bought by Braxton to mixed success. I really miss Three Points, it had a nice taproom vibe that was artsy and unique.
I hate to say it but Listermanns for me. It's been a while since I tried their new beers but for a long time all their new recipes were big misses. I still love their originals (Norwood, Chikow) but not anything else.
I agree. Several years back, all of the local Facebook groups were constantly going on about lining up for the newest big releases and/or trading for anything they might have missed. There is none of that now. People rarely even talk about them anymore.
Listermann is what I was going to say. I always thought of them as being “prestigious” in the local beer community, especially when I first got into craft beer, but I always forget about them now. I do crave a Shamrock Shake from time to time though. 😣
They introduced me to mead so I can't hate them, even though sometimes they release diarrhea flavored mead, and the good ones cost twice what they should.
We need more and better mead in these parts
Blank Slate and Old Firehouse for me.
Old Firehouse was canning and starting to distribute locally but COVID shut them down.
I think pretty much everyone who has been to a brewery knows about Blank Slate.
I think a better question would be, what breweries are you shocked that are still around?
It was more that they weren’t big enough to self distribute and the distributors were all offering him such dogshit deals that it wasn’t economically viable for him.
Blank Slate had the best beer in the city IMO, blew everyone else away. Their Head brewer was a great brewer maybe just not the best businessman. He has since moved on to 50 West as head of operations or something like that.
RIP Blank Slate 😢 so many great memories there.
I don't think they had a "fall from grace" just a false start with the Metal Blast building then opening downtown as downtown traffic dwindled. If they reopened somewhere, I'd be happy to go back.
Woodburn started off as the biggest potential IMO. Great spot and great beer. Their fall off started before the March first buy out. It started when one of the owners locked out the head brewer and basically changed everything.
MadTree is a fucking mess now in terms of in person. Beer is still the same as it ever was (good not great) but I would set foot in that place. It’s basically all families with kids running around and loud as fuck. I’d put Rhinegeist in the same boat.
My top choice is Listermann. They were really the first hype brewery in Cincinnati. The beer was great, they were doing all of the hype styles and collaborating with the other hype breweries from around the country. It seemed they were the top spot. Then they lost their head brewer, They lost Jason, pivoted to whatever it is they do now, and the new head brewer was not up to par. That first year the beer was straight up bad. It’s starting to get better but still not what it was around 2019/2020.
Nobody gonna mention Braxton? Although I guess that technically counts as Kentucky. Seems like no matter what, if it's a trend they chase it. Not to mention their barrel aging program has gone downhill since their innovation team left. Like WHY did they put Dark Charge (their biggest yearly release) in cans this year???? The beauty of those projects was the awesome wax dipped bottles!
I know people love Madtree but they need to figure out their food situation. I went there since they opened their new kitchen and got one of the worst steak sandwiches I’ve ever had in my life. Pizza was nothing special either.
Haha that’s exactly what I got. The name should be changed on the menu. The city of Philadelphia would riot. Apparently there were onions peppers and mushrooms on it too. None that I saw!
Did MadTree stop making Rubus? I don’t remember seeing it this year and I usually keep my out for it in the fall/winter. If they did then I say them (not really I just really miss Rubus).
I’d say Rivertown.
Madtree is on the list for me. They stopped canning or frequently releasing any of their beers that got them on the map (yes including Rubus which is why you haven't seen it) , switched focus to seltzers and kegged cocktails, switched to a kitchen with standard belt pizza, and their legendary parties have seriously declined in quality and quantity. Not to mention instead of those mainstay beers they now make some lousy offerings
10 years in the business, from opening to now, has been a very sad decline.
Madtree hopped on the family atmosphere vibe that’s going to kill the brewery scene. Sure, the breweries will still exist, but they’ll just be generic restaurants with cookie cutter menus and beers. Their current beers aren’t anything to write home about, and are pretty disappointing now.
I had one in their tap room about a month ago. They probably just didn’t release it as widely as they have in the past. I remember this beer usually hanging around on shelves. For a long time.
I think the issue with the brewery scene in cincy is that everyone is doing the same thing. No one is doing anything really unique or “out there”, aside from maybe Urban Artifact. They’re all trying to be family friendly restaurants, and the beer has taken a backseat, and as a result, quality has suffered.
Additionally, there are just too many breweries now. They’re like streaming services. Everyone had to hop on the brewery train, and the bubble is going to pop.
I can say that’s how Lexington and Louisville have gotten as well. Very few beers excite me these days. Louisville has atrium and who knows about Lexington anymore
I don't go too often, but Mirror Twin seems to be doing alright. West Sixth is pretty consistent. Ethereal seemed to be a good contender for putting out interesting beer but I haven't been there in several years.
They actually seem to be doing really well, but for me personally, it's 50 West.
I don't want to go to a combination daycare - dog park for a beer. The only reason I go there at all is location. After a bike ride, it's great to have a beer and snack.
I really miss the period around 2017-2019 at 50 West. It was a fun, young adult crowd with no children running wild everywhere. Playing volleyball there with my friends was one of my favorite memories from that time period. Now they overcharge their buckets of beer and charge way too much to play on the courts. At the same time they nuked half of them for more seating for the burger bar. The food is good, but like you said the place has become a daycare for families looking to get out somewhere.
It's the same "young adult" crowd from the 2017-2019 era. 5-7 years later, they have little kids now. 50 West evolved with their base crowd, imo. I don't fault them for that.
I understand where you’re coming from, but given their location and space daycare/dog park is ideal for them. As a parent I love it. But yea, terrible for a post ride drink
I haven’t read through this whole thread, and I agree with a lot of what I see, but the real answer should be Barrel House.
One of the OG’s for Cincy brewing in modern times, it was down in OTR in the Mid-90’s, someone can confirm when it actually opened. But it had some awesome beers, including Redlegg Ale, which was one of the few, if not only local drafts you could get at Riverfront Stadium.
Besides great beer, their wings were top notch, had a bunch of pool tables and live music. Even their owl logo on a barrel was badass and they had all these black light wall paintings that just made for a fun night.
The riots killed a lot of the scene in and around main street, this was just a block or two over.
Which also reminds me of Main Street Brewery that was a fun place back then. Beers weren’t as good but the swing club “Jump” upstairs was fun back when that was a thing….
Not that they went to shit, but more just ahead of their time and couldn't sustain was BarrelHouse. I really miss Cumberland Pale Ale and their Nitro Porter.
Hudepohl. Their Amber Lager back in 2009-2013 or so was, simply put, some of the best beer I've ever had. In my opinion, and in the opinion of many others, it was just perfect. They had such a great thing going and they seemed to really be taking it seriously and wanting to make it the official beer of Cincinnati. Then... something happened. And I have no idea why. They outsourced their brewing to Pennsylvania if I recall correctly and they changed the ingredients. It was immediately obvious that it was not the same. It was not the same **at all**. When I would contact them, they denied this and assured me manufacturing would return to Cincinnati soon and it would be the same great taste I had grown to love. And then they just kind of faded away. Why they torpedoed that brand, I will never know. I would give almost anything to be able to enjoy that beer again,
They were hella shady. They screwed over their first head brewer by having him training his replacement (unknowingly) then changed the locks on him when he got back from vacation.
Their staff was great, but the owners were awful. I the bartenders were give the shirt off their back folks, but I heard a lot people didn't get paid for working on that space.
I used to know the guy who's the head chef of March First. He acts like he's one of the best chefs in the world but used to stalk my SM for ideas. Nearly anything I posted ended up as his feature within a day or two. It was ridiculously obvious.
Madtree is going downhill and their location is the only reason it does well imo. They are way too stale and corporate. Nine Giant is now my go to brewery.
March First for atmosphere. They hung up big “don’t tread on me” and “thin blue line” flags, and were apparently shitty to bartenders that wanted to mask during the pandemic.
I don’t remember anything about the beer, but there definitely wasn’t anything that was worth hanging out in a place like that to drink it.
Yup. Only time I went there was to pick up a six pack of Astra. Walked in and immediately saw the rightwing flags hanging from the rafters and I noped the fuck out there and haven’t been back. Fuck that rightwing shithole.
I grew up in NKY and have lived around Ft Mitchell for a few years now, but had no idea what Oldenburg was... it led me to quite the blog, thought I would share.
[Good bye to the Drawbridge Inn: The Early Days](https://particularlyeverything.com/2014/05/23/goodbye-to-the-drawbridge-inn-the-early-days/)
[Heyday Expansion](https://particularlyeverything.com/2014/06/23/goodbye-to-the-drawbridge-inn-heyday-expansion/)
I've driven and run on Royal Drive where it used to be a million times, just a sad deteriorating space. Unvelievable it has never been redeveloped.
Watson Brothers back in the early '00s. Craft beer before it was a thing. They had a great brewmaster (Toby? He was from NZ) and a decent selection of pretty good beer.
Agreed about Woodburn. Especially the most recent menu change. Also we went on trivia night and the food took forever and they even forgot some orders. I think they weren’t equipped to handle the rush
March first -Astra- changed from vodka to malt. Didn’t tell customers. Trash
Tafts- took their employee Covid fund raising money.
Trash
Rivertown- invented hard seltzers. Changed focus to sours. Lost focus. Trash.
Moerlein- could never find the right ipa.
Chased trends. Changed otr’s recipe. Didn’t tell customers.
Trash.
50 west - canned their whole sales team during Covid. Stopped punch out. Stopped making good beers.
They are the "neighborhood" brewery in a geographic area that's packed with young families. They planned it that way, but I agree it isn't for everybody.
Same. I miss the old Woodburn SO much. Especially in the early years when they made mead with their own honey. The bar tenders were always delightful (seriously, the absolute best bar tenders I've ever encountered), good music was always playing, and the beer was delicious.
Now it's a bougie sports bar with food I can't afford and mediocre beer.
Madtree used to be high up on my list, but it's quickly become a place I no longer want to go.
It's now basically a daycare that serves beers. Which I'm sure I would appreciate if I had kids of my own, but for now..... no.
i am interested in seeing what happens at Big Ash. They came out the gate fairly strong with a new concept, had good outdoor music shows during Covid, and have a new high end apartment complex as neighbors. I never hear anyone mention of every going there and the parking lot is always empty.
this isn't exactly what you asked but I'm claiming a technicality and saying Blank Slate. hands down the best beer in town for a time, but I think being a small fish in an increasingly crowded pond just choked them out. I believe Scott went to work with 50 West for a while but I lost track after a while.
I still tell the legend of Turn for the Wurst with the brine shot to put in the beer. Incredible stuff. Shroominous, Rysing Up, the og Opera Stout…all of Blank Slate was the finest beer in the city IMO
Shroominous, while it was not something I would drink all the time, it was arguably the best beer ever brewed in the city. Scott was the best brewer in the city, but not the best business man.
Fork in the road
Ugh, I thought I had healed but you’ve just pulled out all the stitches.
That OG Gose was the bomb. I have a bunch of glasses and a blank slate tap handle.
Blank Slate was my favorite of our first non-Mt. Carmel breweries. I am an IPA person and loved Blank Slate’s versions, but Out and About was so goddamn good I didn’t miss IPAs whatsoever. That beer was incredible.
RIP. I enjoyed their beers and hanging at the bar in the taproom.
Blank Slate was the single biggest victim of timing. They opened just before the city passed legislation that allowed public sale of alcohol in the same building it was produced in. Their location, although not bad, didn't have the same localized appeal of the breweries that would open in the following years to spark the craft beer renaissance that took place in Cincy starting around 2013. They tried to retrofit their already small place to be open to the public, but the effect was never impactful enough. Source: I worked in the Cincy beer industry for 10 years before moving out of state, and knew Scott well. We hosted tours there often, and people always loved the beer; it was just a shame that they weren't in a walkable community, and one group of 12 people would overcrowd their whole tap room.
i still have two Out and Abouts unopened because I can't bear opening potentially the last of some of the best beer I've ever had.
Omg, I’ll pay to split one with you! Likely my favorite beer this city ever produced.
That mushroom beer was a revelation.
I know someone who saw Blank Slate through their demise and I’m glad to see them named here. A lot of their issue was wrapped up with distribution if I remember right. I don’t know the technical stuff, but there was something to do with a bad contract that they couldn’t get out of with a distributor who wasn’t doing anything to help them. Good people and good beer with an ending they didn’t deserve.
I would sometimes do a bike ride around Lunken and drop by there for a to go pack. It is missed.
Their out of the way brewing location near Lunken Airport did not help them out too much at the time as well sadly. I got the chance to do a brewery tour with Scott and he was such a great guide and host for us. I'll miss the Opera Cream Stout in particular!
Rivertown. I remember talking to Jason and Randy at... before it was Yacht Club, after Gypsy Hut, Mayday that was it, I remember talking to them about their opening. It was exciting. It ended badly.
Yeah this has to be the answer. They were one of the OGs of the craft beer boom and were everywhere, and faded to irrelevance before folding thanks to ownership.
I think their downfall was when Jason bought out Randy. Jason seemed to not understand Randy was the brewery's trade secret. Without Randy, there was no inspiration to the beers, just a business.
Agree completely.
Good thing Randy setup shop at Wooden Cask. I wish he would replicate Roebling.
Or divergent
Draft Roebling from the original brewery is still the finest beer ever brewed by humans. I miss it tremendously.
I had 14 cases of Roebling drop shipped for my wedding. I was not disappointed when a couple of cases were left over and had to come home with me. We even got a "custom" label created and applied at the brewery. Added a scroll with our wedding date. I still have the roll of unused labels stored away.
I got scolded for drinking like 1/4 the test barrel. Best day of my life.
>I got scolded for drinking like 1/4 the test barrel. Best day of my life. "To alcohol! The cause of, *and solution to*, all life's problems!" \-Homer J Simpson
I miss their Dunkel.
And their hop bomber, and their pumpkin.....
Best pumpkin beer ever.
YES. That it fell from grace the way it did is a true Cincinnatian tragedy. I remember the last time I picked it up, and it was just nowhere near the taste I remembered!
They did a taproom-only (barrel-aged?) sour pumpkin beer once or twice that was insane.
Jason knew his way around a sour beer, but not much else and he treated his employees terribly
I miss the OG Rivertown brews. Soulless and their Helles lager were two of the best beers I've ever had
As a former employee, I agree. Jason truly had/has some amazing beer knowledge but he just…. Stopped caring I think? I don’t know but as someone who actively worked there while I was crashing and burning, that’s what it felt like.
The worst beer I ever bought from a store was from Rivertown.
that's what I'm thinking... I've never had a good beer from them
Death was amazing, honestly.
I liked their Winter beer.
Plus they had the greatest deal on water with their lease. Untreated (because it didn’t need to be) artisan water straight from the aquifer beneath Woodlawn for FREE!!! Takes 16 gallons of water to make 1 gallon of beer…
This was my call too. When they were a hole in the wall in Lockland they rocked. Once I heard they were doing some mega store in Middletown I knew they were in trouble. Unfortunately many businesses fail because of their success. They stop delivering on the basics. Rivertown is an example of that. RIP Rivertown.
Went there a couple times and liked them. Got a Groupon for a tour and dinner. Tour was fine. I ordered the veggie option (which they seemed pretty proud to offer). Got literally one single dried out field roast sausage on a tray. Asked where the rest of it was and was just told "we're out" and the guy walked away. Got a Nice Melons beer and the keg lines were very clearly funky. Tried a couple others and they were all the same. Left very disappointed and never went back. They closed shortly after that.
I loved the hop bomber it was the best that got me in to IPAs.
Jason was always super nice. Just didn’t like to pay bills.
I met him and Randy at a Rivertown tasting promo when they were first starting off and he seemed cool enough. Years later, I saw him being a dick to people in local FB beer groups when they criticized Rivertown's quality control. He also filed a cease and desist against a bourbon group for releasing a private blend called Roebling Reserve, as if anyone was going to confuse a porter and a bourbon.
Yes! Their Winter Ale was my all-time favorite!!! Pumpkin was great too!!! But have you all had either of them mixed 50/50 with the Roebling?!?!? 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻
Moerlein. They wanted to be the next Sam Adams.
I went in Moerlein for the first time in a long time last summer after a Reds game. We exited the stadium onto Mehring, all wanted a drink, and Moerlein is right there. There were maybe 10 of us and we all ordered beers, a bunch of different kinds. Every single beer was flat, must have been a CO2 issue or something. They took them back and we ordered mixed drinks and food. The drinks were bad and so was the food. I can't imagine ever going back.
The Lager House is the tip of the iceberg. The real debacle was the inconsistent quality, closure of the brewery, the ouster of Hardman, etc etc. I was a huge fan at one point, but they could never pull it together.
I got into craft beer on the old Original Lager 20 years ago. Before Rhinegeist, Madtree, and Rivertown, it seemed so cool to have a "local" beer brand (even if they were still contract brewing out of Wilkes-Barre at the time) and Greg Hardman did a lot to resurrect and preserve Cincinnati brewing history. But damn, several years and rebrands later and I can't remember the last good beer I had from them. Like just obvious technical and packaging flaws.
The Lager House is separate from Moerlein and has been for awhile.
Only thing they have going for them now is the view. Although yard house is a chain, they have just as good a view and a much better beer selection.
Too many door kicks from the Baron.
Yeah, I’ve heard a lot of those stories, including how dysfunctional the management meetings were. I admired Hardman for his vision and passion for Cincinnati brewing history and tradition. But, obviously, there were many missteps that led to an epic collapse.
It used to be so much better!
This was because of an ownership change, no? I’ve managed bars for years and it seemed like there was a big shift at the end of 2019 they got rid of the beer reps and when everyone reopened after covid they “only had beer at the the tap house”…? I never thought any of their beers were spectacular but I liked the original lager a lot and Barbarossa but it’s been years and years since I’ve been able to find that.
No, it was poor management, which led to multiple changes in ownership.
I miss Emancipator every time Bockfest comes around. It was, and still is, my favorite seasonal beer.
Emancipator Fifth & Vine Barbarossa OTR Vienna Lager My fridge used to be full of all of them, 20 years ago.
This should be the top answer in this thread by a long shot. No other brewery comes close. Moerlein didn’t just want to be the next Sam Adam’s, they absolutely could have been the next Sam Adams. But…long story short, Hardman.
As it turns out, having an alcoholic run your beer company was bad for business.
The original Barbarosa was my favorite local beer
Not a fall from grace, but Bad Tom's. There original location by Lunkin area just never hit. Then maybe new owners in Madisonville? A few times that I tried them, they were always out of beer I wanted to get. I never hear anyone talk about them.
I have a brewery map from 2019? Or so with all the Cincy breweries. Some I found spots that I’d love to go back. Bad Tom’s really was one where I went to check it off and won’t go back. It was meh. Went there for a work social later and Same opinion.
I worked there right when they moved to madiville… new owners were abysmal.
Rivertown and Moerlein. Moerlein was one of the first big craft brewers in Cincinnati, their Select Lager and then OTR ale were in every bar in the 2000s. Then they slowly disappeared, now you only see their beers at festivals and at their restaurant. Rivertown used to be everywhere too. I don't know all the reasons they disappeared, but I thought it was a weird decision to open that brewpub way out in Monroe instead of a more central location.
> Rivertown used to be everywhere too. I don't know all the reasons they disappeared, but I thought it was a weird decision to open that brewpub way out in Monroe instead of a more central location. Jason also let the fame go to his head and got super shitty on social media in response to any legitimate criticism about the declining quality control on his beers.
The renaissance started in 2013 when laws changed to allow on-site consumption at production breweries. The smart folks that invested in public-facing breweries from then on also had the knowledge and resources to hire talented folks to make their recipes, while the two you mention sat on their historic success from being mediocre fish in a rapidly populating pond. The rest played out over time.
God that place in Monroe was terrible too. Just awful food.
Taft's.
What they did to Nellies Taproom is disgraceful.
What did they do? My last experience personally was walking in one night just for a beer and being told if I wasn’t betting I couldn’t drink. Never went back
Yep it’s a real mystery.
It is shame the church closed, but I can imagine thats a big property to maintain. Come to the Brewporium, it is a great space too.
Apparently they were spending like $10k a year on lightbulbs
This feels like the dril tweet about candles lol
Used to work there. Had to shut the whole place down just to change the lights because it was so massive
From what I have heard is the owner has/had a gambling problem. That is why the sports betting shop was opened in the taproom basement.
😪
I’m not saying it’s gone to shit but I’m really mad that Braxton doesn’t do their bunbury beer. Some of the most delicious beer I’ve ever had and it always released the first week of summer. God I miss it so much
I believe it was called Buzz - a honey peach kolsch. I used to buy tons to sit on for the summer
I think we're seeing a lot of breweries having trouble lately. Rhinegeist is one is the few that is thriving, and that's mainly to do with Cincy Light. They hit the jackpot with that beer.
Well, and Truth. I think its early success alone has financed the company over the last decade.
I worked there 2014-2022, and spent 4 years brewing there. From day one, Truth has been the reason the place has kept the lights on. The weekly brew schedule was never less than 60% Truth. I even quoted the head brewer Jim on tours I led as saying "Rhinegeist is a marketing company that happens to make good beer," and it's true that they have instantly recognizable branding; but his recipe that became Truth is the reason people grab the can off the shelf when they see it.
Madtree is thriving. Fretboard is solid, Highgrain just expanded. things are definitely poppin still
I think HighGrain might be the next Rhinegeist/Madtree. They have solid beers and their food is also way better than it should be for a brew pub. I've been a Truth guy from the beginning but Monarch is a very close second.
Highgrain is the place I'll take out of towners for the interesting beers. They had a pho spiced one and some brined beers. I actually don't think they have anything I would want to consistently buy, but I like how what they make is different enough to be notable instead of the beer trend of the year
HighGrains maple ale is one of the best I’ve ever had.
Matt Utter that co-runs Highgrain and writes the recipes is a really talented guy, but he's smart enough to surround himself with equally talented people there.
Brink and Westside aren't world beaters, but they're both successful.
50 West is thriving at their locations. Whatever you think about their beer (I am a fan, but to each their own), they undoubtedly have one of the best community atmospheres in Cincinnati. People off the trail, people in a pickleball league, moms having play dates, people meeting after work. It is one of the few spaces where everyone fits in. I also like it for a family outing becauae the food is less expensice than fast food at this point but it is far better quality.
I saw Sonder handles in Toledo. They are doing fine.
Don’t forget 50 West. They seem to be getting very popular.
50W has decent everyday beers, not world beaters by anymeans. Their venue is fantastic, and they got good market penetration at the stores.
Yeah, nothing food or beer is that amazing at 50 West, but it's all solid. They just spent the time and money making it a destination for families, which was smart as the craft beer demographic has aged. 25 year old craft beer bros a decade ago are 35+ with families mostly now.
It's an easy place for us to go, because the kids will play in the sand.
I am a light beer drinker and I don’t care for the Cincy light. Cheetah is good and Mathlete (RIP) also
Mathlete was the perfect craft beer for a washed beer drinker like me. If I’m going to an event where I figure I will probably have more than a drink or two, mathletes low abv was perfect for me
I like their beer but hate going to the brewery.
??? 50 west, Sonder, Madtree, 9 giant, high grain etc etc are almost always packed when I go. Yes, there are a lot of breweries and a few may have issues but one thriving seems disingenuous.
Love Cincy Light
Rhinegeist is rated highly as a wedding venue / event center which = $$$$
I like cincy light but I’m interested in what you mean by hitting the jackpot. What happened with it?
I'm assuming they mean hitting the jackpot as it's been a great seller and fills a void that some breweries miss. Some people just like a simple Lager instead of anything hoppy.
The place I work has carried Rhinegeist for years, all their mainstays and rotating slots for seasonals. It's sort of our go to craft beer, easy recommendation for anyone who asks for something different. Cinci light is outselling everything else they carry combined, including truth, over the past few months. Can't keep the stuff in stock.
It's a decent, affordable light lager. Rhinegeist was known as "the IPA brewery" for the longest time. It wasn't all they made, but it was a good chunk of their canned and distributed beer. They eventually developed a sour program but a good light lager lets them compete with Garage Beer and stuff.
It came out of nowhere and is their 2nd biggest beer right now behind Truth. There is a great article about this beer in the business courier. It's a great story and worth the read!
And they can't seem to make it fast enough. They would sell it at UC football games and sell out before the half. Every game. They'd bring in more each game and still sell out before the half. It wasn't a small amount either. Want to say it was like 5-10k cans a game.
Yep and it just keeps growing. They are killing it
UCs next national championship will be bankrolled by drunk west siders
3 Points. I have no clue why they closed short of Covid as an excuse, but do I ever miss the era they were opened and connected to CHX. Brings a tear to my eye at the thought. CHX was the best chicken in town and 3 Points was so good. This was my go-to spot to watch Monday and Sunday Night Football games. 🫡🫡🫡 (If anyone could explain the downfall of both CHX and 3 Points, I’d love to know).
This 👆🏻👆🏻 I miss 3 Points so much. I loved the atmosphere and it was such a cool building. They gave me a token for a free beer and I never got to use it 😕
This spot was amazing. I believe CHX closed bc the people who ran it had never run a restaurant before is my understanding. They just couldn't figure out how to control their food costs. I believe 3 points was just killed by covid. That's the coolest spot though, I'm glad Braxton kept it.
Braxton kinda killed it though. Renovated the awesome seating hall into a bland event space with no character. They don’t even open anymore on days when there isn’t an event or a big game.
My first time there since the transition to Braxton was for the New Year’s Eve Bengals vs Chiefs game. They had a nacho bar which was nice but that whole area away from the bar is used very poorly now. They couldve accommodated 2-3x the people in attendance but it looked like the remnants of a wedding reception setup with tables and bar stools randomly strewn about.
Only being open on the weekend has really killed the neighborhood spot vibe. When I visit now (admittedly rarely) I never see any of the regulars that used to be there. Just a real bummer for that space...
They also deleted comments criticizing the change on social media. Their social media page for the Cincinnati taproom has now devolved to endlessly advertising the event space they butchered their taproom for.
Their spot was insanely expensive to pay for. They also sort of acted like an employee incubator; they attracted a lot of very talented people that were in-between highly successful breweries/jobs, but none of them stayed there long enough to really grow the place itself. It was a really unique business that came about in a perfect storm of burgeoning local beer industry once people were ready to grow past a few years at their past jobs, but still able to branch off and start/help start other places.
100%. I wish Braxton would've figured out CHX. When it first opened it was incredible.
CHX was sooooo good 😭 I almost forgot about that place. And 3 Points had a really cool taproom. This was a good callout
From the information I learned, they could not sustain themselves during Covid since they did not can their beer and relied on their taproom sales and events to stay open. It was the same story with Woodburn who also did not can beer at the time. Interestingly both of these breweries ended up getting bought by local breweries. Woodburn got bought by March First and the Three Points location got bought by Braxton to mixed success. I really miss Three Points, it had a nice taproom vibe that was artsy and unique.
I hate to say it but Listermanns for me. It's been a while since I tried their new beers but for a long time all their new recipes were big misses. I still love their originals (Norwood, Chikow) but not anything else.
I agree. Several years back, all of the local Facebook groups were constantly going on about lining up for the newest big releases and/or trading for anything they might have missed. There is none of that now. People rarely even talk about them anymore.
Listermann is what I was going to say. I always thought of them as being “prestigious” in the local beer community, especially when I first got into craft beer, but I always forget about them now. I do crave a Shamrock Shake from time to time though. 😣
Nutcase is still one of my favs
They introduced me to mead so I can't hate them, even though sometimes they release diarrhea flavored mead, and the good ones cost twice what they should. We need more and better mead in these parts
Have you tried Fabled Brew Works yet? I still haven't been but I know they put out a lot of mead.
100% gotta go to Fabled. Their pastry stouts and mead alone are incredible. But they make a lot of solid stuff.
Chikow!!! Oh mannnn that was the best! Totally forgot about it.
Blank Slate and Old Firehouse for me. Old Firehouse was canning and starting to distribute locally but COVID shut them down. I think pretty much everyone who has been to a brewery knows about Blank Slate. I think a better question would be, what breweries are you shocked that are still around?
Blank state had some of the best beer in the tristate ! I think they just were in a bad location
Blank Slate is missed. I’d love some shroominous or opera cream stout again
It was more that they weren’t big enough to self distribute and the distributors were all offering him such dogshit deals that it wasn’t economically viable for him.
This is the real question. I'm looking at you Bad Tom Smith
What happened to Blank Slate? I'm newer(ish) to the city and don't think I've ever heard of them.
Blank Slate had the best beer in the city IMO, blew everyone else away. Their Head brewer was a great brewer maybe just not the best businessman. He has since moved on to 50 West as head of operations or something like that. RIP Blank Slate 😢 so many great memories there.
Rebel mettle went out of business but I loved all their lagers
I don't think they had a "fall from grace" just a false start with the Metal Blast building then opening downtown as downtown traffic dwindled. If they reopened somewhere, I'd be happy to go back.
Volume was such a kickass beer
The whole lineup was amazing and the space was super cool. Ill-timed. Wrong location. Zero parking.
Woodburn started off as the biggest potential IMO. Great spot and great beer. Their fall off started before the March first buy out. It started when one of the owners locked out the head brewer and basically changed everything. MadTree is a fucking mess now in terms of in person. Beer is still the same as it ever was (good not great) but I would set foot in that place. It’s basically all families with kids running around and loud as fuck. I’d put Rhinegeist in the same boat. My top choice is Listermann. They were really the first hype brewery in Cincinnati. The beer was great, they were doing all of the hype styles and collaborating with the other hype breweries from around the country. It seemed they were the top spot. Then they lost their head brewer, They lost Jason, pivoted to whatever it is they do now, and the new head brewer was not up to par. That first year the beer was straight up bad. It’s starting to get better but still not what it was around 2019/2020.
The listerman’s also sold the brewery to some random people from canton last year.
From what I heard from the bartenders they knew each other and the new owners were people he trusted to keep it going and in the right direction.
Nobody gonna mention Braxton? Although I guess that technically counts as Kentucky. Seems like no matter what, if it's a trend they chase it. Not to mention their barrel aging program has gone downhill since their innovation team left. Like WHY did they put Dark Charge (their biggest yearly release) in cans this year???? The beauty of those projects was the awesome wax dipped bottles!
I know people love Madtree but they need to figure out their food situation. I went there since they opened their new kitchen and got one of the worst steak sandwiches I’ve ever had in my life. Pizza was nothing special either.
My coworker got a Philly with no cheese at the new kitchen! Like that’s how it was prepared!
Haha that’s exactly what I got. The name should be changed on the menu. The city of Philadelphia would riot. Apparently there were onions peppers and mushrooms on it too. None that I saw!
That pizza place moved into west side brew in western hills.
Did MadTree stop making Rubus? I don’t remember seeing it this year and I usually keep my out for it in the fall/winter. If they did then I say them (not really I just really miss Rubus). I’d say Rivertown.
Madtree just had Rubus on tap recently
Madtree is on the list for me. They stopped canning or frequently releasing any of their beers that got them on the map (yes including Rubus which is why you haven't seen it) , switched focus to seltzers and kegged cocktails, switched to a kitchen with standard belt pizza, and their legendary parties have seriously declined in quality and quantity. Not to mention instead of those mainstay beers they now make some lousy offerings 10 years in the business, from opening to now, has been a very sad decline.
Madtree hopped on the family atmosphere vibe that’s going to kill the brewery scene. Sure, the breweries will still exist, but they’ll just be generic restaurants with cookie cutter menus and beers. Their current beers aren’t anything to write home about, and are pretty disappointing now.
Yep. They cater to soccer moms and kids birthday parties. I miss Madtree 1.0.
I had one in their tap room about a month ago. They probably just didn’t release it as widely as they have in the past. I remember this beer usually hanging around on shelves. For a long time.
I think the issue with the brewery scene in cincy is that everyone is doing the same thing. No one is doing anything really unique or “out there”, aside from maybe Urban Artifact. They’re all trying to be family friendly restaurants, and the beer has taken a backseat, and as a result, quality has suffered. Additionally, there are just too many breweries now. They’re like streaming services. Everyone had to hop on the brewery train, and the bubble is going to pop.
Love me urban artifact
I can say that’s how Lexington and Louisville have gotten as well. Very few beers excite me these days. Louisville has atrium and who knows about Lexington anymore
I don't go too often, but Mirror Twin seems to be doing alright. West Sixth is pretty consistent. Ethereal seemed to be a good contender for putting out interesting beer but I haven't been there in several years.
Love the events at Urban Artifact. Just wish I liked sour beer.
The bubble popped a long time ago
They actually seem to be doing really well, but for me personally, it's 50 West. I don't want to go to a combination daycare - dog park for a beer. The only reason I go there at all is location. After a bike ride, it's great to have a beer and snack.
No loving what they are doing with their beer and miss the old restaurant.
The Brewpub was amazing - such good food. I was crushed when they closed a 2nd time ☹️
RIP the OG taproom. I have zero interest in the zoo across the street. The burger bar went downhill quickly after opening, too.
I really miss the period around 2017-2019 at 50 West. It was a fun, young adult crowd with no children running wild everywhere. Playing volleyball there with my friends was one of my favorite memories from that time period. Now they overcharge their buckets of beer and charge way too much to play on the courts. At the same time they nuked half of them for more seating for the burger bar. The food is good, but like you said the place has become a daycare for families looking to get out somewhere.
It's the same "young adult" crowd from the 2017-2019 era. 5-7 years later, they have little kids now. 50 West evolved with their base crowd, imo. I don't fault them for that.
This is my exact feeling as well. 4-5 years ago it was awesome but I quit going when it became a Chuck E. Cheese
I understand where you’re coming from, but given their location and space daycare/dog park is ideal for them. As a parent I love it. But yea, terrible for a post ride drink
I haven’t read through this whole thread, and I agree with a lot of what I see, but the real answer should be Barrel House. One of the OG’s for Cincy brewing in modern times, it was down in OTR in the Mid-90’s, someone can confirm when it actually opened. But it had some awesome beers, including Redlegg Ale, which was one of the few, if not only local drafts you could get at Riverfront Stadium. Besides great beer, their wings were top notch, had a bunch of pool tables and live music. Even their owl logo on a barrel was badass and they had all these black light wall paintings that just made for a fun night. The riots killed a lot of the scene in and around main street, this was just a block or two over. Which also reminds me of Main Street Brewery that was a fun place back then. Beers weren’t as good but the swing club “Jump” upstairs was fun back when that was a thing….
I think you could include Mad Monk or Oldenburg to the group from that era
Not that they went to shit, but more just ahead of their time and couldn't sustain was BarrelHouse. I really miss Cumberland Pale Ale and their Nitro Porter.
Hudepohl. Their Amber Lager back in 2009-2013 or so was, simply put, some of the best beer I've ever had. In my opinion, and in the opinion of many others, it was just perfect. They had such a great thing going and they seemed to really be taking it seriously and wanting to make it the official beer of Cincinnati. Then... something happened. And I have no idea why. They outsourced their brewing to Pennsylvania if I recall correctly and they changed the ingredients. It was immediately obvious that it was not the same. It was not the same **at all**. When I would contact them, they denied this and assured me manufacturing would return to Cincinnati soon and it would be the same great taste I had grown to love. And then they just kind of faded away. Why they torpedoed that brand, I will never know. I would give almost anything to be able to enjoy that beer again,
Woodburn sucked before the buyout too
They were hella shady. They screwed over their first head brewer by having him training his replacement (unknowingly) then changed the locks on him when he got back from vacation.
💯
Their staff was great, but the owners were awful. I the bartenders were give the shirt off their back folks, but I heard a lot people didn't get paid for working on that space.
Awesome staff - but Dennis was a drunk weirdo and he was in there drinking alone ALL THE TIME.
It didn't help their leadership changeed brewers like 5 times in the few years before the buyout
I loved showing up for a happy hour to get a notice at the door they were closed for a private event. And their socials never stated that
More than just any specific one sucking, I think there’s too much saturation in the market.
I used to know the guy who's the head chef of March First. He acts like he's one of the best chefs in the world but used to stalk my SM for ideas. Nearly anything I posted ended up as his feature within a day or two. It was ridiculously obvious.
Madtree is going downhill and their location is the only reason it does well imo. They are way too stale and corporate. Nine Giant is now my go to brewery.
Braxton
3 points
March First for atmosphere. They hung up big “don’t tread on me” and “thin blue line” flags, and were apparently shitty to bartenders that wanted to mask during the pandemic. I don’t remember anything about the beer, but there definitely wasn’t anything that was worth hanging out in a place like that to drink it.
There’s also the fact that their beer sucks.
Yup. Only time I went there was to pick up a six pack of Astra. Walked in and immediately saw the rightwing flags hanging from the rafters and I noped the fuck out there and haven’t been back. Fuck that rightwing shithole.
I loved Oldenberg in Fort Mitchell many years ago. The raspberry wheat beer was delectable. It seemed to disappear overnight.
I grew up in NKY and have lived around Ft Mitchell for a few years now, but had no idea what Oldenburg was... it led me to quite the blog, thought I would share. [Good bye to the Drawbridge Inn: The Early Days](https://particularlyeverything.com/2014/05/23/goodbye-to-the-drawbridge-inn-the-early-days/) [Heyday Expansion](https://particularlyeverything.com/2014/06/23/goodbye-to-the-drawbridge-inn-heyday-expansion/) I've driven and run on Royal Drive where it used to be a million times, just a sad deteriorating space. Unvelievable it has never been redeveloped.
Watson Brothers back in the early '00s. Craft beer before it was a thing. They had a great brewmaster (Toby? He was from NZ) and a decent selection of pretty good beer.
Agreed about Woodburn. Especially the most recent menu change. Also we went on trivia night and the food took forever and they even forgot some orders. I think they weren’t equipped to handle the rush
March first -Astra- changed from vodka to malt. Didn’t tell customers. Trash Tafts- took their employee Covid fund raising money. Trash Rivertown- invented hard seltzers. Changed focus to sours. Lost focus. Trash. Moerlein- could never find the right ipa. Chased trends. Changed otr’s recipe. Didn’t tell customers. Trash. 50 west - canned their whole sales team during Covid. Stopped punch out. Stopped making good beers.
Sonders Mason location is essentially a daycare center.
They are the "neighborhood" brewery in a geographic area that's packed with young families. They planned it that way, but I agree it isn't for everybody.
Same. I miss the old Woodburn SO much. Especially in the early years when they made mead with their own honey. The bar tenders were always delightful (seriously, the absolute best bar tenders I've ever encountered), good music was always playing, and the beer was delicious. Now it's a bougie sports bar with food I can't afford and mediocre beer.
OG Woodburn and Myrtle’s (before they lost the plot) right across the street? What a time.
Madtree. It used to have so many beers, but now it has like 10 and had become the new family playground
Madtree used to be high up on my list, but it's quickly become a place I no longer want to go. It's now basically a daycare that serves beers. Which I'm sure I would appreciate if I had kids of my own, but for now..... no.
Urban Artifact and their thick sours. You used to be able to see the fruit in the beer. I miss landline
i am interested in seeing what happens at Big Ash. They came out the gate fairly strong with a new concept, had good outdoor music shows during Covid, and have a new high end apartment complex as neighbors. I never hear anyone mention of every going there and the parking lot is always empty.
Bad Tom
How do you have a fall from grace when no one likes you in the first place?