Cincinnati Beer

by Michael D. Morgan

Despite a brewing pedigree richer than that of Milwaukee or St. Louis, Cincinnati's role in American beer history is quite often underappreciated.
Drawing on years of research, Michael D. Morgan, author of the award-winning Over-the-Rhine: When Beer Was King, tackles this subject with a fresh perspective. Complete with new findings, the true story of the city's first brewer comes to light, as do the oft-heralded deeds - and overlooked misdeeds - of the beer barons who built empires their progeny drove to ruins. From the story of the Scottish brewery that made Cincy famous for English ales, through forgotten Prohibition political scandals, to the birth and rise of the modern craft beer movement, Cincinnati Beer explores previously untold stories of our beer-soaked past.

224 pages, Paperback

Published April 8, 2019

Reviews

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-written overview of Cincinnati brewing, and it does a very nice job being educational and entertaining. By looking at the story of a particular industry, we learn some unexpected things about business, marketing, government, history, and culture. We get from Cincinnati’s founding up to the time of the book’s writing in this brisk exploration of beer in Cincinnati.

[Emily Mae Dilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up at the Newport B&N while they were going out of business, and because I am constantly fascinated by the brewery history of Cincinnati. From the very beginning, the author is clearly invested in getting facts right and is well qualified to tell this story. I appreciated his desire to correct misconceptions and rumors, and also to tell a more full picture of the pre-prohibition beer barons than history often remembers. In all, it was a very interesting read and was told in a way that kept the content from feeling stale.

My only gripe with the book is honestly that I just wanted more. I felt there was information that was skimmed over (there are many mentions of how a 2012 Ohio law made taprooms more attainable, but it was never really explained), and breweries I was hoping would be more heavily featured but were only mentioned or skimmed over (Crown, Taft’s, etc.). I also wish there had been a little more framework about the time periods and their impact. At a surface level, some of the German history is there, as is the revival of OTR, but I wanted more about them and about the impact other periods of social unrest might have had on the industry.

But I’m a nut for that stuff! I understand everyone has time and space limitations, and the length of the book as is palatable without being intimidating. It was a great read for anyone that is interested in Cincinnati’s beer history, and I loved reading about the ways Cincy has contributed to growing, changing, and furthering the brewing industry.

[Daniel Delaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who has always been fascinated with the brewing history of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, the author provides an insightful trip through the rise and demise of massive breweries and the Phoenix-like rise of the craft brewers. The author provides great detail about how these breweries came to life and the tumultuous business deals that kept them alive. Each chapter kept me wanted to learn more, and a follow up book with a more in-depth dive would be one that I would pick up in a heartbeat.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great look at the history of brewing in Cincinnati from the city's inception to today. The author is honest about the sometimes unreliable history of brewing and presents all sides.