13 Below Brewery opened in the Sayler Park neighborhood west of downtown Cincinnati in September 2017, and although it didn’t receive as much fanfare as many other breweries, they are doing a lot of things right.

First off, the name refers to the fact that the brewery is located 13 nautical miles “below” downtown Cincinnati just off of Route 50. This is an homage to their location right on the Ohio River using terminology that a riverboat captain would use to describe his position on the river below the city.

Co-owner Doug Mckendrick has been homebrewing since the early 2000s, and the quality of his product shows. The brewery opened with a “boatload” of solid beers, definitely approachable with something for just about every style of drinker.

The brewery also has a very decided family feel, and that was clearly done on purpose. Angie and I visited a week after the grand opening on a Friday night, and the place was packed. There was a big party going on, as well as lots of families and everyone enjoying the beer. There’s a large bar with 8 taps, plenty of table seating, and an outdoor patio as well.

With eight beers on tap, we were able to try everything offered with just two flights. Some beers that stood out were their Fall Ale, a Marzen style harvest ale that is a solid offering, Confused 13, a brown ale with a subtle sweetness and a nice dark color, and Lock & Dam 37, a Scotch ale that is nice and malty and a little sweet.

In all, 13 Below is a great addition to the Cincinnati craft beer scene and I’m excited to see their growth over the next few years.

Check out the full Cincinnati Brewery Guide with reviews of every brewery in the city.