Cincinnati Beer Bars

There are many different styles of bars. Some are dives, some are swanky with $15 cocktails. Some (the best ones) pay close attention to their craft beer selection. We’ve compiled a list of Cincinnati Beer Bars who put a lot of thought and effort into selecting a diverse range of craft beers. It is fun to explore these bars because you’ll always find something you’ve never had!

Northern Kentucky

Braxton Labs located in Newport just across the bridge from downtown Cincinnati. Braxton Labs is Braxton’s innovation brewery, pumping out small-batch crazy, delicious brews. They also carry 30ish guest taps of an excellent choice of local, regional, and international selections. High-end bourbon is offered as well. Every Monday they host “Rare-Keg Monday” where, you guessed it, they tap an extremely rare beer from anywhere in the world. They fill growlers, howlers, AND crowlers to go. The taproom hosts monthly fundraisers partnered with local and regional breweries. Braxton Labs is also directly connected to the country’s largest beer and liquor retailer, Party Source. If you can’t find it at Party Source, it likely doesn’t exist (with the exception of Yuengling beer which doesn’t distribute to Kentucky for some reason). No food options here but the taproom staff has menus available of local restaurants who deliver to the taproom.

Clifton

Brass Tap is located in Clifton on UC’s campus, 2 miles north of downtown. Don’t let this “college” bar fool you. These guys and gals are serious about their craft beer which makes them a great Cincinnati Beer Bar. With over 40 taps and hundreds of bottle and can selections, it’s an amazing excursion into the world of beer. The taproom staff is highly trained to find that right beer for you and then another, and another. They host a daily happy hour from 3-7 PM every day which gets you $3 local drafts – now that’s a deal – probably why they’re rated the best happy hour in town every year! Small menu of food options available. Just enough to cleanse the pallet and keep you from falling off your rocker!

Downtown Cincinnati

It’s difficult to write a blog about Cincinnati Beer Bars and not mention OTR. Pre-prohibition, OTR (Over-the-Rhine) housed over 32 breweries and countless saloons. The resurgence of this neighborhood in the last ten years has seen the entrance of booming businesses, residential areas, and saloons now referred to as bars. Your two top spots for beer in OTR will be Liberty’s and Lackman (pictured below). Both bars feature excellent rotating taps with a unique atmosphere. If you’re with someone who isn’t into beer (yuck) both bars have wine and craft cocktails.

Other Greater Cincinnati Beer Bars and Retailers

Arnold’s is the only restaurant on the list AND is located downtown. This is Cincinnati’s oldest bar. They feature a wide array of craft beer, bourbon, craft cocktails, bourbon, delicous food, frequent live music on their unreal patio, oh and did I say bourbon? Always worth a stop to this beautiful, historic downtown Cincinnati restaurant.

Lucky Turtle is located 15 minutes north of downtown Cincy. Excellent Cincinnati craft beer selection and VERY interesting craft beer cocktails. Also connected to a liquor store with carefully selected craft beer selections for your to-go needs.

Jungle Jim’s has two locations; one is 25 minutes from downtown Cincy. The other 25 minutes east of downtown. This local grocery store has been featured on several Travel Channel and Discovery shows. Not sure which is more crazy; their decoration, beer/wine/cheese selection, or for some reason their obscene amount of hot sauces, housed in a firetruck of course! This is a destination spot for people who like food and beverages around the world. Hell it’s almost worth the trip just to see the bathrooms! You’ll definitely get lost in the awesomeness of these stores but, stay focused, they have great beer selections and several drafts to enjoy while you’re in awe of this grocery store/theme park.

Cappy’s Wine and Spirits; Located 25 minutes northeast of downtown Cincy, We would get in BIG trouble with the local beer geeks if this was not mentioned. Rightfully so, Cappy’s keeps their Cincinnati beer rotating almost on a daily basis. New, unique beer is always arriving. They also have taps to enjoy on-premise or growlers to go. They always carry a great selection of local, regional, and national craft beers.