Inspired by Rick Armon’s “50 Must-Try Craft Beers of Ohio,” I decided to put together my list of a must-try beer from each and every brewery in Cincinnati.

Now before you go crazy telling me how wrong I am in the comments section or on Twitter (shameless plug), please note that I completely understand and realize that this is a *subjective* list. This is my list of must-try beers from every brewery. I tried to keep it organized and varied in terms of style and availability, so keep that in mind as well.

Obviously I have not tried every beer from every brewery, although I’ve made a respectable attempt. If you think there’s a beer that I must try from any particular brewery, please feel free to let me know in the comments and I’ll add it to my Untappd wish list.

Without further ado:

3 Points is the new kid on the block in Cincinnati, but I’ve got to admit that I’m a fan of their ‘clean’ style of beers. They haven’t produced anything too far out of left field (yet), and all of their beers are easy-drinking and true to style. So far the standout from them for me has been Origami, their IPA. It’s a nice classic West Coast style with a burst of hops and nice tropical flavors.

Other great beers: TCB’N, Gesture 137, Easy Ale

If you’re a malt head like me, then you are apt to try just about any malt-forward beer from your local watering hole. When 13 Below opened up last year, this one really impressed me with its caramel color and subtle sweetness. It’s a nice bold beer at 6.9% that is perfect for a cool fall day.

Other great beers: Confused 13, Porter

16 Lots is one of the lesser-known Cincinnati breweries, as they’re a little ways away from the city’s core in Mason. Muddy Creek is their flagship oatmeal stout, a nice chewy dark beer perfect for colder days. It is surprisingly low ABV at just 5.1%, making the smooth chocolatey and oaty flavor go down even easier.

Other great beers: The Major, Pike Street

It takes guts to come right out of the gates with a big, boozy barrel aged Russian Imperial Stout to hang your hat on, but that’s just what Alexandria Brewing Company did with their flagship beer. They’ve released the beer aged in Elmer T Lee and Knob Creek barrels, and both have had rave reviews. The beer is also an homage to the military as ABC is veteran owned.

Other great beers: Sessions in Black, Garden of Heaton

Bardwell is technically a winery, so perhaps I should be giving you wine recommendations from them. But alas, they also brew beer – 3 different styles – which is pretty dang good. Situated way out in Mt. Orab, it’s worth the trip just to try their Orabian Dark English Mild Ale. With a very light hop character and smooth malty flavor, this one goes down easy even at 6.5%.

Other great beers: Bronco Beer, Golden Buggy

I love the branding of Bad Tom Smith. They’ve got a story to tell and are sticking to it. But for a brewery that prides itself on having easy-drinking beers, they brew one hell of a Russian Imperial Stout. Coal Hearted Killer is a professional beer drinker’s beer at 11.9% and will convince you that calling an Uber is probably a good idea. Fudge, chocolate, and coffee make up the flavor profile of this night ender.

Other great beers: Hazy River, Jailbreak Churro Brown Ale, 13 Preachers

Bircus itself is a unique concept, and so it stands to reason that they’d have some unique styles not commonly seen in U.S. breweries. This traditional German style has a rich amber color and balances hops and malt for a nice smooth refreshing beer. Perfect to drink at the circus.

Other great beers: Showman, Comic Walrus

Dead Blow itself is a unique tasty tropical stout, but when you add 20 pounds of Starter Coffee to the mix, it becomes irresistible. This beer comes in at a nice 7.2%, the perfect balance to give you a nice buzz with a full body.

Other great beers: Dark Charge, Braxton Labs New England IPA, Twisted Bit

Brink consistently brews some of my favorite beer in Cincinnati, and I’m surprised that they’re still a little under the radar despite winning all kinds of medals after just over one year. Moozie has won both gold and silver at the US Open Beer Competition, as well as silver at the World Beer Cup. Thick and chewy, this is like a chocolate milkshake of goodness.

Other great beers: After Glow, Armored Heart, Minion Bait

Another brewery perhaps overshadowed by the fact that it’s also part of a winery, Cellar Dweller consistently produces some solid beer. A perfect example of that is Eye Opener, their popular hazelnut coffee and cream stout. It definitely lives up to its name with the caffeine boost from the coffee, but it may be an eye closer with its 7.5% ABV.

Other great beers: Jeremiah’s IPA, Hopewell’s Oatmeal Milk Stout

Most imperial IPAs drink smooth, which makes them dangerous and delicious. But Bay of Bengal is a nice hop bomb, bitter and dank as some of the best beers in the country. At 8.5% and 95 IBUs, this probably isn’t a beer that you’d give your neighbor who is new to craft beer. This seasonal comes out in the fall just in time for the Bengals to lose in the first round of the playoffs.

Other great beers: Original Lager, Barbarossa, FC Cincinnati Blood Orange IPA

Darkness is a smaller brewery located in Bellevue, Kentucky, but they seem to be chugging along at the three-year mark. Man on the Moo was one of their first beers and has since become one of their most popular offerings. This sweet milk stout even won a silver medal at the 2018 Alltech Commonwealth Cup.

Other great beers: Hop Head Nebula, Bellevue Common

One of the favorites of serious beer drinkers in Cincinnati, DogBerry has had a slow but steady expansion over the past few years. Originally a tiny 1bbl brewhouse, they’ve expanded and are now even offering regular cans. One of their first can offerings back in February was Bray’s On Target, a perfectly drinkable brown ale with a hint of coffee and a slight woody flavor. This was a fridge staple while it was around.

Other great beers: Reaching Out, Time,Blue, Zestic

Mt. Healthy’s Fibonacci is one of the most locally-focused breweries in Cincinnati, and the story behind Mulberry Grove shows just how ‘far’ they’ll go to be local. After asking their neighbors in the area to donate mulberries, they brewed this beer for their first anniversary in 2017. They also teamed up with Urban Artifact for some of their sour wort, making this a fun collaboration between two great breweries.

Other great beers: The Tollhouse, Earth Daisy

If you haven’t tried Fifty West’s award-winning barleywine, then you should kick yourself in the pants. It’s won gold at both the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup, and with the recent resurgence of this style, I’m not sure how this one doesn’t get more hype. The description perfectly describes what this “sticky and strong malt” beer is, but be careful because as the name implies, it comes in at a hefty 10.2% ABV.

Other great beers: Punch You in the EyePA, Doom Pedal, Ghost of Imogene

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not necessarily the biggest fan of Belgian style beers, but this slightly sweet and boozy Quad definitely hits the mark for me. FigLeaf has been impressive from their spot in Middletown, including winning a silver medal at the 2017 US Open Beer Competition for their Ponderous Porter.

Other great beers: Ponderous Porter, ISO-Trope, Pride of CinDay

If the resurgence of the pilsner style isn’t enough to get you to try this one, then perhaps its silver medal from the 2018 World Beer Cup will change your mind. Fretboard burst onto the scene as probably the best new Cincinnati brewery in 2017, and they’ve been consistently putting out great stuff since. Vlad is everything you want in a pilsner – crisp, clean, easy-drinking.

Other great beers: S23, Reba, Nati Dread

This is their most popular beer on Untappd, and it’s a little bit of a unique offering that you don’t really see every day. It was a little too sweet for me, but people seem to love it, so that’s why I’ve listed it here.

Other great beers: Killjoy, Haybale

Way out in Aurora, Indiana, some people tend to forget about Great Crescent. They have their own little area, though and are actually one of the longer running breweries in “Cincinnati.” Their Coconut Porter is a nice take on the classic style, with just enough nutty flavor from the coconut added in the boil. This is a beer that will warm you up on a cold day.

Other great beers: Cosmic IPA, Dark Lager

This one was a no-brainer for me. If you like dark, spicy beers, this is the one for you. And there’s really no other way to drink it than out of a big German style mug. Hofbrauhaus gets a lot of crap for their location and the atmosphere, but the crowds they draw put a lot of other local breweries to shame.

Other great beers: Hofbrau Original, Oktoberfestbier

Listermann was by far the most difficult brewery to pick just one beer from, because it’s my favorite brewery, and they make not only so many different beers, but so many varied styles – and they’re all great. But Brass Monkey is probably the beer that got me hooked on the haze craze, and this juice bomb is a huge hit every year when it comes out.

Other great beers: Cuvee de 75, Chickow!, Nutcase Peanut Butter Porter, Team Fiona

I’m a sucker for a good brown ale, and Earth Cookie is very solid. Maybe my favorite thing about this beer is the rich mahogany color, and it gets 2 points just for the beautiful way it looks in a glass. It’s got just enough of a hint of chocolate and coffee to be dangerous. Just imagine drinking one of these sitting and watching the Little Miami River roll by on a beautiful fall day.

Other great beers: Blackbird Fly, Coffee Buzz

I knew that some of these would be easier than others, and this was perhaps the easiest choice for me. My fiancee Angie and I first bonded over this beer right when we started dating, so this will always have a special place in my heart. Aside from that, it’s also a great beer. It’s sweet, chocolate, and finishes with a smooth aftertaste. It also comes out around Valentine’s Day, when you’re looking for something sweet and warming to get you through that last bitterly cold part of the winter.

Other great beers: Axis Mundi, Citra High, PsycHOPathy

March First has been cranking out crushable lagers and pale ales, but for my money where they really excel is their cider. I may get crap for including a cider on this list, but it’s my list and I really don’t care. The Holtmans collab has just enough cinnamon and spice to balance out the dry sweetness of the cider. Delicious!

Other great beers: Ohio Pilsner, Craft Lager

I’m not sure if they even make this any more, but this is a nice juicy double IPA. I’m also not sure if it’s advertised as being “hazy,” but it looks like a thick orange juice and drinks just as citrusy and smooth. Mash Cult is lesser known and hard to find, but they’ve got some good stuff.

Other great beers: Ramathorn, Dump ‘Em Out Stout

Way out in Hamilton is Municipal Brew Works, a brewery that’s always busy and cranking out new beers. True West is a base porter with cold brew coffee added, and it’s delicious. It’s also just 5.4% ABV, so you can even have a few if you want.

Other great beers: Anniversary Series, Midnight Cut

Mt. Carmel has been around Cincinnati for what seems like forever, and their beer was some of the first I had when I moved to the city. And the beer that I fell in love with is their Coffee Brown Ale, a nice dark beer brewed with Deeper Roots coffee that will help you get up in the morning. Just the scent of the beer is enough to put a coffee beer lover over the top.

Other great beers: Nut Brown Ale, Hibiscus Blueberry Blonde Ale

It’s not difficult to find tart or sour beers these days, but Narrow Path’s is available right next to the Loveland Bike Trail. I feel like cherry isn’t utilized enough in beer, especially because it always seems to translate so well. Narrow Path is one of the city’s smaller breweries and they’ve carved out a nice niche in the suburban community.

Other great beers: Tire Patch IPA, Vanilla Cream Ale

I like Nine Giant’s food more than their beer, but the Crooked Rain is decent and juicy. Perhaps the trifecta hops blend of citra, mosaic and el dorado are hard to mess up.

Other great beers: Save Ferris, West End Girls

It’s hard to imagine a blonde ale as a “must try” beer, but Old Firehouse’s Pin Up Girl is an exception. An easy drinker at just 5% with 15 IBUs, it’s a malty golden beer with a clean finish.

Other great beers: Code 3, Maple Porter

Paradise is a small brewery in Anderson Township, and their All American IPA is – you guessed it – a classic IPA. It’s almost a session and easy-drinking at 5.2%, and it’s just fun as heck to drink out of their unique glasses with an airplane logo.

Other great beers: Flat Tire Amber Ale, Peppercorn Pale Ale

I’m not usually one to jump at a saison, but Chapeau Gris is a two-time US Open Beer Competition gold medal winner. And for good reason – it’s nice and dry hopped and has a beautiful golden color. Quarter Barrel is known just as much for their food as for their beer, and I feel like the Miami kids in Oxford don’t know what they have in this beer.

Other great beers: Three Legged Elvis, Unicorn Feathers

Queen City was Blue Ash’s first brewery in 2016, and now there are three breweries, so maybe they started a trend. The Dark Knight wasn’t Cincinnati’s first black IPA, but it’s a cornerstone beer for Queen City and people flock there to pick this one up.

Other great beers: Cincinnati Famous IPA, Rings of Saturn

Cincinnati’s largest brewery obviously has a ton of great options for a must-try beer, but perhaps their best beer is the seasonal Saber Tooth Tiger release. A way too smooth double IPA, it drinks a lot lighter than its 8.9% ABV. The brewery released Saber Tooth in cans for the first time in 2018, and it’s also a little bit of a diversion from their well-known design. The sleek black can perfectly highlights their love for all things prehistoric.

Other great beers: Barrel Aged Ink, Experimental J-Hole, Truth, Puma

Rivertown has developed a following and a niche with their sour beers, but Roebling is still my must-try from them. The brewery has expanded immensely since moving to Monroe, and Roebling is now even available in cans. It’s a nice smooth option that’s good in the summer or winter despite its 7.9% ABV.

Other great beers: Ojos Negros, Nice Melons, Divergent

I love Oktoberfest beers, and Rock Bottom’s is an underrated version. Rock Bottom is a chain brewery, but they’ve been located in Fountain Square in downtown since the 1990s and are entrenched in Cincinnati’s beer scene. It’s a great place to go out with others and get some comfort food and classic style beers.

Other great beers: Hop Bomb, Kolsch

Rolling Mill –

I haven’t visited Rolling Mill yet, but will soon!





This may be one of the most underrated styles, and Sons of Toil does it right. You can have a few since it’s just 5.9%, and it’s got the right level of malt and just enough hops. It’s also a very clean beer without a bunch of crazy flavors.

Other great beers: Juicy NE IPA, Holiday Ale

Streetside is one of the more underrated breweries in Cincinnati, and although they don’t typically comply to the ‘mainstream’ of craft beer, they produce some unique beers and everything they do is done well. Case in point is Raspberry Beret, a 2016 King of Ohio Best of Show winner that is tart and crushable.

Other great beers: Suh, Brah?, Tea Bags, Demogorgon

Swine City came right out of the gates swinging with their New England IPA, a nice hazy offering. It’s higher ABV than a lot of NE IPAs, coming in at 7.3%. Swine City has a ton of different offerings and may still be trying to find their wheel house when it comes to beer, but I’m betting this one will be part of their core for a long time.

Other great beers: Say It Loud, Girl Got Reasons

This one may be an upset with a lot of people loving their Nellie’s Key Lime Caribbean Ale, but for my money Gustav is the best beer that Taft’s makes. And it’s brought them home some hardware, including a gold medal at GABF and silvers at the US Open Beer Championship and World Beer Cup. It’s just light enough with a perfect amount of honey and toasty flavors to make it great.

Other great beers: Gavel Banger, Nellie’s Key Lime Caribbean Ale

I like Urban Artifact, like a lot. Their Midwest Fruit Tart series is probably the best thing going in Cincinnati beer, bringing attention to this unique Northside brewery from across the world. But if there’s a beer from these guys that literally makes my mouth water just thinking about it, it’s Keypunch. It’s a key lime gose that is my absolute favorite go-to summer beer. It’s also light and citrusy and you can have more than one since it’s just 4.2% ABV.

Other great beers: Finn, Love Letter, The Gadget

What’s better than an IPA, you ask? A double IPA! And West Side’s Double IPA is one of the best in the city. Every place is looking for that beer to hang their hat on, and they may have just found it with this one. It’s got everything you want in a 9.78% dank snifter – that subtle hoppiness reminiscent of a double, as well as some nice fruit notes to balance it out.

Other great beers: Common Ale, Hefeweizen, ESB

The modern day version of the legendary Wiedemann’s Bohemian pilsner that made the brand famous, this is a light drinking beer with a nice malty undertone. The new Wiedemann’s has also dipped their toes into “modern” beers with brewer Steve Shaw, but this one remains the classic.

Other great beers: Royal, Oktoberfest, Bock

I’ve gotta admit that I’m a little surprised that this style hasn’t become all the rage, as it’s a unique offering with the flavor of a coffee stout and the body of a blonde ale. Some may call this a basic white girl beer that is in the same category as pumpkin spice lattes, but it is one of my favorite Cincinnati beers.

Other great beers: Chocolate Cherry Stout, Hammer IPA

With a name like Wooden Cask you definitely expect a brewery to have a hefty barrel-aging program, and after a little over a year in business they have just that. What I like most about their program is they’re going out of the box a little with beers that aren’t regularly barrel aged, like their Ruby red ale, and they aged it in rum barrels for an even more unique flavor.

Other great beers: Citrannati, 7th Street Runoff

Check out the full Cincinnati brewery guide here.