BarrelHouse Brewery: Craft Brewing in Cincinnati
BarrelHouse Brewery began as a brewpub in Over the Rhine with an immense selection of locally brewed, handcrafted beer. Operating as such from 1995 until 2005, BarrelHouse is now a full-fledged brewery in West End with distribution across Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. We at BuyCincy were afforded the opportunity of a tour and interview at this local craft brewery.
"Grown Organically." No, we're not talking about produce, but telling you BarrelHouse's take on its customer-base. For as unique a company it is, its growth necessarily comes from word-of-mouth and a dedicated customer base. Nonetheless, BarrelHouse has been expanding since its move, and added a new 22 oz. bottling line in 2007. The brewery sports several tanks for conditioning and brewing. These tanks are quite small (15 bbl, 465 gallons) compared to any of the larger American breweries, making every beer a truly "small-batch" brew.
"When you say handcrafted, you're thinking of this," BarrelHouse told us. BarrelHouse's staff is of the size that any employee must work in all aspect of the brewing process. The brewer we spoke with told us that he lifts the +50 pound bags of grains and sugars himself, stands with the wort, and stirs every batch with a large paddle. "There's no mechanization, we don't push any buttons to make your beer."In the end, though, BarrelHouse is so unique because it is one of the last of our renowned local brewers. The past decades have seen brewers come and go, but BarrelHouse is still going strong with a line up of four year-round beers with additional seasonal brews (summer's hefeweizen is on its way).
Year-Round Beers:
Duveneck's Dortmunder Style Lager
Cumberland Pale Ale
RedLegg Ale
Boss Cox Double Dark IPA
Seasonal Beers:
BarrelHouse Bock
Hocking Hills HefeWeizen
BarrelHouse Oktoberfest Lager
Belgian Style Winter Ale
Perfect For?
Folks in the tri-state area who like fresh, handcrafted beer.
Where To Get It?
BarrelHouse can be contacted directly for orders for half-barrels, sixth barrels, and cases at 513-421-2337. Their address is 544B West Liberty Street/ Cincinnati OH 45214. Any questions can be sent to Brewers@Barrelhouse.com. Or you can check out their website for more info on the company and their distributors www.barrelhouse.com. Finally, just check out your local bar! A fair number of bars carry BarrelHouse on tap in our area, call around and try it out!
How Much?
A draft at a bar can run you 3-5 dollars. The 22 oz. bottles typically cost anywhere from 2-4 dollars. Barrel, keg, and case information needs to be requested from BarrelHouse or their distributors.