The neighborhood of Silverton finally got its first craft brewery, as HighGrain Brewing Company opened at the former Silverton Municipal Building in June 2019.

Head brewer Matt Utter previously spent time at Christian Moerlein, and also has a background in German brewing. The brewery has also focused on sustainability, hoping to limit their impact on the environment and build community.

We visited HighGrain on a beautiful night just a few weeks after opening, and the place was packed on a Friday evening, with folks spilling out onto their deck patio and the grassy area outside. Inside, there are two markedly different areas, with a bar and high top tables on one side, with a restaurant feel and lower top tables on the other side. The brewery also plans to open up another space in their basement in the future. Their patio is also dog-friendly.

The first thing that struck me about HighGrain was the simple design in everything, from their light colors to the taplist, to the food. I’m a big fan of simplicity and they nailed it in that aspect. In terms of their beers, they had the style listed larger than the beer name, making it easier to decide which choice you’d like to make. They had just a handful of styles, ranging from a Helles Lager to a Hazy IPA. Their saison – Buddha Lemon – was also a standout in addition to their IPA, named Mule.

We didn’t try any of their food, but it looked delicious. HighGrain is a fun addition to the Cincinnati brewery scene and they should be easily able to set themselves apart as a unique brewpub with great beer and sustainability as a backdrop.