Location: Cincinnati, Ohio.
Our favorite brews are Cheetah Lager, Dad Holiday Ale, and Calfé.
Breweries that opened in the 2010s have found it very difficult (indeed, nearly impossible) to become regional or even national centers of influence – it used to be much easier. Competitive markets, slowing growth, and the successful promotion of consumer demand for “beer from small local producers” has limited breweries’ ability to grow beyond a certain size – and against that backdrop, Rhinegeist’s relentless growth looks even more impressive.
Here’s a brewery that opened in 2013 and caught the attention of “average” craft beer consumers in the Midwest, and rode that wave to a production volume of more than 100,000 barrels. Essentially Rhinegeist has a lot of upside. They have a stunning brewery in a gorgeous setting in one of Cincinnati’s most popular neighborhoods, with a beautiful rooftop deck.
They have a strong lineup of core brews (their Cheetah lager stopped one step outside the top 10 in our last blind tasting) – less flashy brews, more stable, people-pleasing brews. And they have an almost unprecedented level of local support, similar to what only New Glarus Brewing Co. and few others can boast. And when we do a post like this again in ten years, they could easily be one of the largest craft breweries in the country.
Taproom hours of operation:
- Monday – Thursday: 15:00 – 22:00.
- Friday: 12:00 – 1:00.
- Saturday: 12:00 – 1:00.
- Sunday: 12:00 – 21:00.
Excursions:
Rhinegeist offers tours of their brewery. You can sign up for a tour on-site, on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost of the tour is $10 and includes a pint of beer.
- Wednesday: 6 p.m.
- Thursday: 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.
- Friday: 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.
- Saturday: 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00.
