Oktoberfest Weekend, OTR and BEER!

The Over-the-Rhine Brewery District Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation (OTR Brewery District Group) in conjunction with he Christian Moerlein Brewing Company are proud to announce events Oktoberfest weekend. The celebration will mark a new era in the future of Cincinnati beer.

The future site of the Christian Moerlein Brewery located at 1621 Moore St. – (formerly known as the Husman Potato Chip Factory and Kauffman Brewery) will be open to the public, commemorating plans for the company’s new endeavors: guests will be greeted with story-boards of the packaging and brewing facility and the Moerlein Lager House architectural plans.

Two sets of tours will be held: the “”Prohibition Resistance Tour” where beer lovers and history buffs can roam the historic lagering cellars and newly discovered tunnels (beneath Hamer St) that once connected the brew house and lagering cellars of the Kauffman Brewery. A new tour from author Mike Morgan, in conjunction with his new book – fittingly sharing the same title, “Over-the-Rhine: When Beer Was King,” which will be released on Oktoberfest weekend. The tour will feature a guest appearance from CEO Greg Hardman of Christian Moerlein Brewing Company, who contributed the forward to the book.

The “Over-the-Rhine: When Beer Was King” tour consists of two planned trips will lead participants on a walking journey that chronicles the melting pot of subjects that explore how beer and politics meshed the cultural make-up of the Queen City. The tour will travel the length of Vine Street, talking about early neighborhood history and politics. Participants will travel through the Crown Brewery, Kauffman Brewery, and end at the future home of the Christian Moerlein Brewery. Purchase tickets here:

Downtown Oktoberfest celebrants can take free shuttles from Arnold’s Bar (210 E. 8th St.) to and from the brewery. At the brewery, attendees can find a larger-than-life collections of special commemorative steins and historic brewery memorabilia, which will be available for purchase – guests can also preview a trailer for the “Cincinnati Beer Story” documentary. Food will be available from Café de Wheels who will be serving ‘Brats & Burgers’ at the beer garden.

While enjoying Cincinnati beer history, participants can enjoy: Moerlein Fifth and Vine Oktoberfest Marzen, Moerlein Lager House Helles, Moerlein Over-the-Rhine Pale Ale, Little Kings ‘Slim King Can’, Hudy Delight, Hudy 14-K, Burger & Burger Light, and the premiere of the new 125th Anniversary Hudepohl Amber Lager.

Brewery Open House Hours & Tours
· Saturday September 18th 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
· Sunday September 19th 10:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

The Shuttle
The shuttle will run from 9A-6P on Saturday and 11A-6P on Sunday, and is FREE. The downtown shuttle stop will be Arnold's Bar and Grill, located at 210 East Eighth Street.
The “Over-the-Rhine: When Beer Was King” Tours
NEW tours during Oktoberfest: Mike Morgan, author “Over-the-Rhine: When Beer Was King,” will lead participants on a walking tour that chronicles places and events in his new book. Tours will start at the new location of the Christian Moerlein Brewing Company. There will be two “Over-the-Rhine: When Beer Was King Walking Tours” guided by the author:


Saturday September 18th at 3:00 P.M.
Sunday September 19th at 3:00 P.M.



Tours will last approximately 2 and half hours, and will start and end at the new Christian Moerlein Brewery (located at 1621 Moore Street ).

Tours are available with a specially priced copy of the new book, and all tickets include a beer ticket good for use at the brewery all weekend. Purchase additional copies of the book


Coverage Suggestions:

1. Guided tour with Mike Morgan to historic brewing sites in Over-the-Rhine. Video opportunity.


*Space is limited and tickets can be purchased at the Brewery District website: http://www.otrbrewerydistrict.org/events_tour_whenbeerwasking_10.php


The Brewery District Tours
The public will have a rare opportunity to travel back to Nineteenth Century Cincinnati and explore the city’s rich brewing heritage, both above and below ground. The Brewery District Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation (Brewery District) will be presenting its popular “Prohibition Resistance Tour”.
Tours will start at the new location of the Christian Moerlein Brewing Company. All tickets are sold for specific times and space for each tour is limited. Tickets are $30 and available at www.otrbrewerydistrict.org (click on Prohibition Resistance Tour on right-side menu.) Ticket price includes a 2 1/2 hour walking tour and beer ticket.


· Brewery District Tours - Hours of operation
o Saturday September 18th 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
o Sunday September 19th 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.


Coverage Suggestions:



1. Press walk-through: brewery guided tours with detailed history on cellars and future plans for this brewing cite.

2. Kauffman tunnels – video of break through from both sides of the wall to show newly found tunnel underneath the new Christian Moerlein Brewing Company.

3. Historical Perspective: in the 19th century, beer brought community together, how will the lager house and brewery continue this tradition?



*All proceeds from the weekend benefit the Brewery District, a non-profit committed to making the Over-the-Rhine Brewery District a healthy, balanced, and supportive neighborhood economy by preserving, restoring, and redeveloping our unique brewing history and historic urban fabric. More information about the Brewery District can be found at www.otrbrewerydistrict.org.
*Space is limited and tickets can be purchased at the Brewery District website: http://www.otrbrewerydistrict.org/events_tour_10_ticket.php

“Over-the-Rhine: When Beer was King
Rediscovering Cincinnati’s Lost Brewing Society
Mike Morgan, an urban & cultural development advocate in Cincinnati has finished his first book: “Over-the-Rhine: When Beer Was King”, exploring a rich history of Cincinnati brewing tradition.

Book Synopsis:
Over the Rhine is a place where a building owner can stumble upon huge caverns underneath a basement floor, or find long-forgotten tunnels that travel far below city streets. Its present mysteries are attributable to a past that transcends the common story of how cities change over time: It is the story of a how a clash between immigrants and “real Americans” helped rob Cincinnati of its image, its soul, and its economy. In the 1870s, OTR was comparable to the cultural hearts of Paris and Vienna. By the turn of the last century, the neighborhood was home to roughly 300 saloons and had over a dozen breweries within or adjacent to its borders. It was beloved by countless citizens and travelers for the exact reasons that others successfully sought to destroy it. This is the story of how the “Paris of America” became a time capsule.

About Mike Morgan:
Michael Morgan is an attorney who has spent the last five years leading non-profits that are dedicated to the physical and cultural restoration of Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. This work has been diverse, ranging from pro bono legal work to improve local government and advocacy to save historic buildings to orchestrating beer-soaked special events. Morgan is a graduate of the University of Toledo College of Law and Ohio University. As a Trustee of the Brewery District CURC, Morgan helped create the organization’s Prohibition Resistance Tours of historic brewery sites. He has also been the primary organizer of Bockfest for the past several years, and is an unabashed proponent of local beer.