Trekking Cincinnati’s Heritage Brewing Trail

There is no question that Cincinnati enjoys its brews. The city is awash with everything from small-batch crafts to big-name labels. However, what you probably don’t know is that this city is historic for brewing. The Over-the-Rhine neighborhood isn’t just where you go to drink the beer and eat an eclectic collection of food to go with it, it is also one of the largest collections of pre-Prohibition breweries in the United States. In fact, the whole neighborhood is one of the most intact historic districts in the county.

If you are looking to see the OTR in a unique way, you will want to trek down the Heritage Brewing Trail. This urban walking trail takes you to all the finest preserved brewing areas to see iconic signage, art, architecture, and a few brewing tours.

If you aren’t so into walking around with a tour guide, you can download the free Heritage Brewing Trail app that provides a self-guided audio tour, additional stories about each location, and photos and other visual experiences that complement the touring experience. It is a great way to spend a warm day walking around exploring the more scenic side of the district.

However, there are some benefits to taking one of the guided tours around the district. For the most part, the self-guided tours will only see most of the breweries from the outside. However, if you engage in an outside tour, you will gain access to previously closed locations that feature sample brews and even some delicious food to keep your energy up.

As this district is low-key famous for its architecture (and beer) there are actually over a half dozen different guided tours that showcase the sights in this Cincinnati district in different ways. So next time you head to the OTR, remember to take it all in.