State Spotlight: Ohio
The Buckeye State’s 200+ years of brewing is equaled by the vibrant life of its fiercely competitive craft beer scene.
The brewing scene has exploded in Ohio over the last decade, growing from a mere 45 breweries in 2011 to a startling 366 breweries today. Only 8 other states in the US contain more, and the resulting diversity and competition mean there’s no end to the beverages you can enjoy in the Heart of It All.
Cincinnati
Cincinnati has a rich culture and history of beer brewing stretching all the way back to 1812. Home of the Cincinnati Reds baseball team and the Bengals football team, there’s no shortage of activities in the city.
Rhinegeist Brewery
Rhinegeist, founded in Cincinnati in 2013 is located in the picturesque Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Their impressive and historical 25,000 square foot brewing facility can be toured four days a week for a mere $10; that even includes a pint of beer. Their recently renovated rooftop bar is a beautiful destination with a great view. They don’t serve any food of their own, but Rhinegeist is located a hop, skip and a jump away from the historic Findlay Market, and they welcome you to bring any food from the many nearby restaurants and food vendors inside to enjoy with Rhinegeist’s own delicious beers, cocktails, ciders and wines.
Check out Rhinegeist
Christian Moerlein Brewing Company
Christian Moerlein is named for its founder, a Bavarian blacksmith, who began brewing beer on the side in his shop just after the American Civil War. The Rhinegeist brewing company’s facility in Cincy is actually based in Christian Moerlein’s old brewery. Though the company had to shut down for Prohibition, it was brought back to life in 1981 with the release of groundbreaking craft beers. Since 2004, it is once again based in Cincinnati, and they have an indisputable authority from their 150+ year legacy of brewing. Enjoy their many different beers, with the new beverages named on the theme of blacksmith tools and techniques like Rivet, Twist, and Groove.
Check out Christian Moerlein
MadTree Brewing Company
At their bar – called Alcove – you’ll find they live up to their MadTree name with a stunning array of plants behind the bar and plant chandeliers. They have a great menu ranging from grilled pork shank to gluten-free and vegan options, cooked with farm-to-table ingredients sourced from local farms. All MadTree beer is brewed in Oakley, Ohio, and they have their greatest presence in Cincinnati, but if you can’t make it to Cincy you can find their beer at a store in Columbus instead.
Check out MadTree Brewing Company
Northwest Ohio
From the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium to time traveling back to 1800 in Sauder Village, there are plenty of great places to make your destination for the day in the Northwest. It is also rich in local breweries and below are a few favorites; it would take too long to list them all!
Maumee Bay Brewing Company
With an iconic all-brick building housing their Toledo craft beer brewery, great food and above all the beers on tap, Maumee Bay Brewing Co. will be a hard place to forget once you’ve been there. This is a brewpub in the truest sense of the word: Maumee Bay Brewing keeps their 465 gallons worth of currently brewing beers and ciders on display, visible from the main pub. It’s also worth noting they have so many menu options it would be hard to try them all, even if their brewpub is your regular place to unwind.
Check out Maumee Bay Brewing Company
Twin Oast Brewing
Based in Port Clinton, Twin Oast Brewing has live music, movie night, cornhole, and tours every Sunday. If you’re hungry but don’t have time to stop in for a drink, you can order some food ahead and pick it up. Twin Oast Brewing has ambitious plans to create totally unique fruit-based sour beers, which is a years-long process. Twin Oast Brewing is extremely popular in the area and their beers are easy to find in the surrounding restaurants and stores.
Check out Twin Oast Brewing
Great Black Swamp Brewing
Great Black Swamp Brewing Company operates out of Toledo. It was started in 2009 by a couple of hobby brewers who wanted more from the local beer in Northwest Ohio, and more people to share the fruits of their craft with. They opened a special tasting room in 2015, so it’s a great place to head to for those serious about their beer.
Check out Great Black Swamp Brewing
Columbus
Columbus is the second largest city in the Midwest after Chicago, and a natural hub of business and culture as the capital of Ohio. With more than 50 different craft breweries in the Columbus area, it’s a great destination to head for if you’re feeling thirsty. If you’d like to develop an appetite first, you could enjoy any number of local state parks like Scioto Park and go hiking, stay in the city and enjoy an art museum, or enjoy the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.
Taft’s Brewing Company
Taft’s Brewing Company is proud to be based in Ohio and has stuck to their roots, opening Taft’s Brewpourium in Columbus, Taft’s Ale House and another Brewpourium in Cincinnati. Their beers have become a local staple, and can also be found in major grocery stores around the area. Taft’s frequent events make it more than just a bar – board game nights, mixology classes, live music, and trivia night are only some of the choices. Their fun events are contrasted by the dedication and seriousness they have for brewing. Taft’s Brewing Company’s top of the line equipment in their 50,0000 square foot facility was imported from Germany to create the best possible beer with the best possible equipment.
Check out Taft’s Brewing Company
Seventh Son Brewing Company
Though they don’t serve food at their bar located in the historic Italian Village, Seventh Son Brewing provides a rotating schedule of food trucks depending on the day of the week. This would be a great location to visit a few days in a row to try pairing their beers and experimenting with entirely different cuisines. If you live locally you can also take advantage of free local delivery and their personalized beer subscription service, and get first access to the beers you want delivered to your doorstep.
Check out Seventh Son Brewing Co.
Wolf’s Ridge Brewing
Wolf’s Ridge Brewing offers beers online, providing shipping or pickup options for their beers on anything from individual 12oz cans to kegs, making it easy to find your favorite before you make the trip to their taproom. You can also find their beers in a whole slew of restaurants and retail stores. These are mostly centered around Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati, but there are others scattered throughout the state so use Wolf’s Ridge Brewing’s handy beer finder to see if any are available near you.
Check out Wolf’s Ridge Brewing
What is your favorite Ohio Brewery? Let us know!
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