Moerlein Lager House

When Shannon Went: October 17, 2020

Where: 115 Joe Nuxhall Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202

The biggest name in Cincinnati’s brewing history was Christian Moerlein, a Bavarian immigrant who built one of the largest breweries in the United States. Moerlein opened his brewery in 1853 and after a few years, his business was producing nearly 500,000 barrels of beer a year. When prohibition laws were initiated, the brewing facility became unprofitable and closed down in 1919. In 2004, a Cincinnati native bought the rights to Christian Moerlein and quickly began producing the same historic great tasting beer from back in the day. Today, the Moerlein Lager House is a three story building featuring a green roof, balconies and terraces with views of the Central Riverfront Park, Ohio River, Roebling Suspension Bridge and Great American Ball Park.

Shannon: I have a soft spot for breweries with deep historical roots. The Moerlein Lager House does a phenomenal job of honoring the original Christian Moerlein Brewing Company by displaying historic sketches and ads of the former brewing giant on their walls. A bigger honor reflecting their history is found in the beer! With nearly 100 beers on tap, some brewed in-house, others on guest tap or canned, Moerlein Lager House knows what they’re doing, especially with a traditional German lager. Overwhelmed by the options, the best way to tackle the tap list was with a flight. I enjoyed all four beers and if I wasn’t so full from my incredibly delicious fish sandwich, I probably would have ordered another pint. I have no doubt that I’ll never run out of options!

Other Cool Things:

  • Christian Moerlein, the founder, was a Bavarian immigrant and blacksmith
  • The Christian Moerlein Brewing Company was born in 1853 but closed after prohibition laws shut them down
  • Brewing the same quality and historic beers from the 1850s!
  • Over 100 beers available!
  • Open 7 days a week
  • Merch store for your Moerlein needs
  • Located right next to the Great American Ball Park where the Cincinnati Reds play
  • Full service kitchen serving up appetizes, main dishes, and desert – menu changes seasonally!
  • There is a dedication marker on the floor of the lobby for Pete Rose commemorating his record-breaking 4,192nd hit in 1985. 

What Shannon Drank: Flight Edition!

Orange Daydream (Cream Ale) 5.5% ABV – 4.5 out of 5

Baltic Porter (Porter) 6% ABV – 4 out of 5

Passionfruit Helles (Lager – Helles) 5.3% ABV – 4 out of 5

Third Wave (IPA) 6.2% ABV – 4 out of 5

Brewing Persuasion: 5 out of 5

Feeling persuaded yet?

Front Porch Brewing Company

Front Porch Brewing - CT Beer

When Chris Went: November 29th, 2020

Where: 226 North Plains Industrial Road #4, Wallingford, CT 06492

Cute doggo

Wallingford has a pretty robust brewing scene with three breweries (Center Street, Cliffside, and Front Porch) and a cidery (New England Cidery). There are only a few places in Connecticut that you can go to one town and visit four places for craft beer or cider. Front Porch opened their taproom in late 2017 and are a true microbrewery. The taproom is very small with only 5 or 6 tables inside during normal times, although when we went in November it was still warm enough to use their outdoor seating. Like many microbreweries it is in an industrial park and the taproom is not much more than a bar inside a garage with a few tables. Most likely you will drive right passed the brewery without even realizing it.

Nice cans
Pretty tipsy

Chris: We decided to hit up Center Street, New England cidery, and Front Porch all in one day due to how close they all were. I had been to Front Porch before, but most of my friends had only had their beer from stores. The taproom is not much to look at and did not have a huge selection of beer, but they did try to get a least one beer per popular type. They had a few IPAs, a stout, and a sour. Obviously I decided to go for the stout, their Pistachio Puff Pastry. It was a white stout which was brewed with pistachios, lactose, vanilla beans, cacao nibs and marshmallow and was created in collaboration with Abomination Brewing Company in North Haven. All of my friends absolutely loved the beer, but I personally was not a fan of the stout. I thought it was way too sweet despite being an imperial at 10.1%. Overall, I would say that I have not been a fan of Front Porch Brewing’s beers. I have never given one of their beers above a 3.25 on Untapped. With that said, I know a lot of people, including friends who went with me in November, love their beer. They are closed for the winter season until April 1st, but maybe when they reopen, I will give them another shot.

Other Cool Things:

  • Dog friendly
  • Cool glasses (see image)
  • Cans to-go
  • Outdoor seating

What Chris Drank:

Chris: Killer Limes From Outer Space (Sour) 6% – 3 out of 5

Chris: Pistachio Puff Pastry (Stout) 10.1 % 3 out of 5

Brewing Persuasion: 2.5 out of 5

Feeling persuaded yet?

Northern Row Brewery and Distillery

When: September 26, 2020

Where: 111 W McMicken Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45202

At home in Cincinnati’s historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, Northern Row Brewery and Distillery is settled in a pre-prohibition building originally constructed in 1895 as the icehouse and storage space for the historic Christian Moerlein Brewery. Northern Row is Cincinnati’s first brewery & distillery combo. They pride themselves on crafting traditional beers under the Northern Row name and spirits with a modern twist under the Five Stories brand. This multifaceted business has gone to extensive efforts to preserve the original parts of the building and repurpose other parts of Cincinnati’s heritage that may have otherwise been left behind or forgotten. That’s what drives their slogan, “all outcasts welcome!”

Shannon: Northern Row is easily one of my top 5 favorite brewery’s in Cincinnati. I stumbled across this place by accident one day when I couldn’t find immediate parking outside Rhinegeist Brewery. I decided to go over a street and see if their was any parking there and low and behold, I found a brewery instead! I bailed on my original plan and immediately gave all my attention to this new find and I’m so glad I did. The brewery aesthetic, food, and beer are all incredible in their own right. They have tons of options for food, hard alcohol, and beer. One of the best beers I’ve had from Northern Row is their variation of Black is Beautiful. Their contribution of the Black is Beautiful initiative is a dark chocolate and roasted coffee beer with a rich malt finish. I truly love so many of their other beers though too!

Other Cool Things:

  • Initiate Project Sanitizer! Northern Row is producing alcohol base hand sanitizer available to the Cincy community!
  • Full food, beer, cocktail, wine, and spirits menu!
  • Northern Row is their brewery name and Five Stories is their spirits brand
  • Offering curb side pick up for growlers, food, and hand sanitizer
  • Cool merch available
  • Kid friendly taproom
  • Pets welcome in the outdoor courtyard area!
  • Free wifi – love to see it
  • Cincinnati’s modern day streetcar rides directly past the brewery & distillery

What Shannon Drank:

Shannon: Miller (Rosemary American Rye Ale) – 4 out of 5

Shannon: Black is Beautiful (Stout) 6.5% ABV – 4 out of 5

Brewing Persuasion: 5 out of 5

Feeling persuaded yet?