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Have a question that’s not included here? Feel free to e-mail the author (deutschmeister@sbcglobal.net) and receive a direct reply. On Cincinnati’s Beers and Breweries … Q: I recently bought a six-pack of Christian Moerlein beer. Is that the same one that was made by the Moerlein brewery before Prohibition? A: No. The recipe for what is now known as Christian Moerlein beer was prepared within the Hudepohl Brewing Company, before it reintroduced the name to the public in 1981. That said, it does remain faithful to the lager beer brewing style of the original, in that it has a fuller body than most American beers, and – like a number of pre-Prohibition beers – it does not use adjuncts (such as corn or rice, instead of pure barley malt) to lighten the flavor or color of the brew. Q: Are many of the old brewery buildings in Cincinnati still standing? If so, where can I find them? A: Several of the most prominent pre- and post-Prohibition brewery structures (e.g. the Moerlein and Hauck/Red Top brewhouses, as well as much of the former Windisch-Muhlhauser/Burger complex) have been torn down over the years, but many others remain. Although they are no longer used for brewing purposes, you can still marvel at their architectural splendor and envision the everyday hustle and bustle that took place there, as well as imagine the appetizing smell that lingered on brewing days. For a guide to which local brewery structures still stand and where they are located, consult Robert J. Wimberg’s book Cincinnati Breweries, available at the Ohio Book Store and selected other retail outlets. Q: Why did so many of Cincinnati’s recent breweries go out of business? A: In a word, competition. For better or worse, Cincinnati’s brewers did most of their business close to home, and made relatively little attempt to market their product extensively in far-away markets. While that made them readily identifiable to local beer drinkers, it also left them highly vulnerable to national brewers, with countless millions of dollars to spend on advertising and promotion. In the end, none of Cincinnati’s breweries were able to match their much larger rivals in economic might, and thus were literally spent into oblivion. Sad but true: even though Cincinnati beers were no less good than those produced by the nationals, very few local beer drinkers remained loyal to their hometown products over the years. Eventually, the bill came due. Q: Why is it so significant when a local brewery closes? A: From a civic point of view, each closure represented the loss of a known, often beloved hometown establishment, and a loss of employment for workers needing a job to support families. Tax dollars that previously were kept in the community, and supported area needs such as police, firefighters, and schools, flowed in the direction of other cities instead. And from a buyer’s perspective, the consumer was the loser, in that with each closure, beer buyers had fewer options at the point of purchase, and over time often paid more for their beer as a result of less competition to keep prices in check. Q: What Cincinnati beers can I still buy at the grocery store? A: Although Hudepohl-Schoenling no longer makes its beers in Cincinnati, it still has strong ties to the local community and maintains its business office here. Its products, including Christian Moerlein, Little Kings, Hudy Delight, and Burger, are still available at many area stores – and are a good buy, in terms of both price and quality. Also, an extensive line of Samuel Adams beers and ales is made in the former Schoenling brewery and likewise can be found at many local groceries and carry-outs. And while not normally available in grocery stores per se, draft brews from area microbreweries and brewpubs such as BarrelHouse are of consistently high quality and are well worth seeking out at the source. Q: Where can I find information on Cincinnati brewing, if I want to research a specific company? A: Well, let’s see … Over the Barrel would be a good starting point! Beyond that, the Wimberg book (Cincinnati Breweries) is a useful reference work. Back issues of local newspapers and magazines featured many stories about area brewers. And of course local libraries and historical archives (e.g. Cincinnati Museum Center) have many items catalogued, with trained reference librarians to help you find what you are looking for. Q: Which Cincinnati brewery was your favorite, and why? And, what do you think the best local beer was? A: I’m pretty sentimental about Hudepohl, which I grew up with and of which I have many fond memories from when it was open. (Note: the author discusses in detail his personal relationship to the Hudepohl Brewing Company in the introduction to Over the Barrel, Volume Two). It will be a particularly sad day for me when they tear that brewery down – which sadly may occur sooner, rather than later, as it is essentially abandoned and decaying rapidly. I suspect I'm not the only one who grew up with it and remembers just how big a seller its beer used to be, thinking that there would never be a time when there wouldn’t be a Hudepohl brewery in town. But, obviously, things change over time, sentimentality aside. As for the best beer, that’s a subjective answer to give. For me, Hudepohl 14-K was a really great, everyday drinking beer, with a wonderful grain flavor to it that I’ll never forget. Among the superpremium brews, Christian Moerlein has always been special, with a nice malty taste and aroma. And I honestly think that, among light beers, Hudy Delight is about as good as it gets. Fortunately, the latter two brews are still readily available for people who wish to seek them out.
On the Over the Barrel Project … Q: Volume One of Over the Barrel is now sold out, and I wasn't able to get it before the print run was exhausted. Is there any chance that Volume One will ever be reprinted? A: I wish that were possible, as there is still demand for the title. But economics have a lot to do with the issue. As one man with (I think) a good idea but, alas, little disposable income, I'm not able to put up the amount of money it would take to reprint the book in a quantity that would make it cost-effective (retail price) and then have to tie up its value until the copies sell over time (inventory) -- in the case of a book which is no longer new, slowly and gradually, compared to when it was first published. That said, if some fiscally well-off, beneficent individual or corporate entity in search of a sponsorship or profit-sharing opportunity were to come along and offer to underwrite the cost of the venture, well, then, that might be another story. ... Otherwise, beyond the Sudhaus Press waiting list (for possible
returned copies, although these have become extremely scarce), used book
vendors, and maybe the occasional eBay listing, there's probably not
much chance of finding it outside of selected libraries and private
collections. |
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