historic tours in Cincinnati

BUILT ON BEER TOUR

2 Hour Historical Brewery Architecture Tour Above Ground & Below

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CINCINNATI BREWING & DISTILLING TASTING TOUR

2.5 Hour Mostly Indoor Behind the Scenes Brewing & Distilling Tasting Tour Including a Visit to an Underground Lagering Cellar

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DARKSIDE OF BREWING TOUR

2 Hour True Crime & Gruesome Events Fall Tour Includes a Visit Inside an Abandoned 19th Century Brewery & Theater

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OVER & UNDER THE RHINE TOUR

2 Hour Historical Cincinnati Over-the-Rhine Neighborhood Tour Above Ground & Below

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BREWERS & BARONS TRAIL TOUR

2 Hour Guided Tour of Our Historical Trail, Featuring Unique Signage, Art Installations, and an Underground Lagering Cellar. 

 

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CELLARS & SALOONS BRUNCH TOUR

4 Hour Brunch & Beer Tasting Tour Starting At The Moerlein Lager House

Accompanied by a Brewing and Saloon History Tour Above Ground and Below.

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BUILT ON BEER/BREW BUS

1 Hour Historical Brewery Architecture Tour Above Ground & Below + 3 Hours of Beer Tasting with the Brew Bus

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PRIVATE, CUSTOM TOURS

Schedule a private tour on a day and time of your choosing for your special event.

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BALLPARKS & BREWERIES BUS TOUR

This unique spring & summer experience takes guests to every location where the Reds played during the 19th and 20th century!

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GIFT CARD

Give them an experience they’ll remember!
Gift Cards in Any Denomination

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Darkside of Brewing Tour

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Tour Duration: 2 Hours

Price: $39

Tales of Cincinnati’s Haunted & Gruesome Past • Includes a Free Beer!

What To Bring

Tours run rain or shine, so please dress appropriately for the weather and wear comfortable footwear, as the tour route covers a variety of paved and unpaved surfaces. All guests will be provided with a flashlight for exploration of darkened streets and the inside of the theater and brewhouse.

True Crime and Gruesome Events Seasonal Tour!

About

Join the Brewing Heritage Trail on this limited edition seasonal tour and learn about gruesome and macabre events from Cincinnati’s past. Grave robbing, a serial killing saloonist, and other murderous and deadly mayhem is explored on this new tour, which also includes a visit to an abandoned city street, overtaken by nature, as well as a flashlight tour of the Imperial Theater and the 19th century Jackson Brewhouse. Both have not been open to the public in many years and their exploration is only available through this tour!

Additional Information

This is an outdoor walking tour of less than one mile, beginning from the Brewing Heritage Trail Tour Center at 1939 Race Street, and concluding at the Northern Row Brewery & Distillery next door, for a pint of beer. Some content may not be appropriate for young children, so please keep this in mind when booking.

Ballparks & Breweries Bus Tour

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Tour Duration: 2.5 Hours

Price:
$59 All Ages Welcome

What To Bring

We suggest dressing for the weather and wearing comfortable shoes to walk in. On sunny days, sunglasses and a hat are suggested.

visit where the reds played in the 19th century

About

Professional baseball began in Cincinnati and this unique experience takes guests to every location where the Reds played during the 19th and 20th century, tracing the connection between historic brewing and our national pastime along the way.

Beginning at the Moerlein Lager House, next to Great American Ballpark and at the site of Riverfront Stadium, we head out via bus to Union Grounds, where the undefeated 1869 Red Stockings played baseball! Crosley Field is certainly on the list, as is the original Crosley Radio Factory, where Powell Crosley built his broadcast empire before purchasing the Reds.

Findlay Market’s Opening Day Parade is a Cincinnati tradition dating back more than a century and we’ll take you along the original parade route, sharing stories from the event’s past, as we head into the Brewery District to check out some of the brewing structures tied to Reds history.

Additional Information

Tickets include a souvenir map, showing the ballpark sites visited, and a beer or soft drink at the Moerlein Lager House when we return. Tours run rain or shine and the group does disembark from the bus several times in order to take a closer look at some locations, but guests are welcome to remain onboard. Don’t miss out on this new, one of a kind tour, only offered by the Brewing Heritage Trail!

Cincinnati Brewing & Distilling Tasting Tour

BOOK

Tour Duration: 2.5 Hours

Price:
$35 (18+ non-drinking)
$49 (21 drinking)

•An Underground History & Behind the Scenes Experience

What To Bring

We suggest dressing for the weather and wearing comfortable shoes to walk in. On sunny days, sunglasses and a hat are suggested.

An Underground History & Behind the Scenes Experience

About

This mostly indoor tour begins at the Brewing Heritage Trail Tour Center (1939 Race St.) The first stop is the Rhinegeist Brewery, located inside a pre-Prohibition brewing structure, where we’ll take a behind the scenes tour of their modern and historic facility (stairs are required for part of the tour), concluding with a flight of their winter beverages. Next stop is the lagering cellar of the historic Jackson Brewery, exploring underground passages where beer was fermented and cold stored dating back to the 1850s! We then head over to Northern Row Brewery and Distillery, where we’ll get a close-up look at their distilling process, followed by a spirit sampling! No other tour in the city offers historic and modern brewing and distilling, with an underground cellar exploration, so don’t miss out on this unique seasonal tour offered only by the Brewing Heritage Trail!

This two and a half hour tour is mostly indoors, with a short walk of about one block between each location. The underground cellar we visit was excavated from a hillside, so no stairs are required to enter and exit. Included in the tour is a flight of beers with seasonal selections from Rhinegeist and three spirit samples at Northern Row, however, you can choose to have a pint of their beer if you prefer. For guests on the tour not drinking alcohol, we will make sure to provide you with a soft drink at each location.

Built on Beer Tour

BOOK

Tour Duration: 2 Hours

Price: $39

• Our Most Accessible Tour!
• Historic Brewery Architecture Tour Above Ground & Below

What To Bring

We suggest dressing for the weather and wearing comfortable shoes to walk in. On sunny days, sunglasses and a hat are suggested.

Step into the past and explore the westside of the Brewery District!

About

Brewing high quality beer was an art form to many Cincinnati breweries and the buildings that housed their operations needed to be an extension of this passion. Come and witness the evolution of the brewing industry through the size, complexity, and architectural grandeur of the city’s historic breweries.

Beginning at the Trail Tour Center on Race Street, we follow the Brewing Heritage Trail along the western portion of the Brewery District and marvel at the many remaining 19th and early 20th century structures, while sharing stories of those who built or doomed these brewing empires during beer’s industrial revolution.

Tours include a visit into the vast subterranean lager cellars of the historic (non-operating) Jackson Brewery, as well as outdoor visitation to the Sohn/Mohawk Brewery, several Christian Moerlein sites, and the location of the Bellevue Incline. The Jackson Brewery cellars were excavated from the hillside under the brewery, so we enter from street level and there are no stairs to climb going in or out, making these cellars very accessible and the total walking distance for this tour is less than half a mile.

More Information

At the conclusion of each tour, the group will stop in at a neighborhood taproom for a pint of local beer, which is included with each ticket. Soft drinks are also available for anyone who prefers this option.

Brewers & Barons Trail Tour

BOOK

Tour Duration: 2 Hours

Price: $39

•Historic Beer Making & Brewery Worker Tour Above Ground & Below

What To Bring

We suggest dressing for the weather and wearing comfortable shoes to walk in. On sunny days, sunglasses and a hat are suggested.

Step into the past and explore the eastside of the Brewery District!

About

Discover the people and places that made brewing a cornerstone of the Queen City’s history with a guided tour of our unique historical trail. Beginning at the Tour Center on Race Street, we follow the Brewing Heritage Trail along the eastern portion of the Brewery District, sharing stories of the workers, brewmasters, and beer barons from the 19th and early 20th century. Experience the places they worked, learn the dangers they faced, and the empires they built by producing America’s best brews.

Tours include a visit into the subterranean lagering cellars and tunnels of the historic (non-operating) Schmidt Brothers / Crown Brewery, as well as outdoor visitation to historic Lafayette, Hudepohl and Kauffman Brewery structures. Those joining us in the underground cellar will need to be able to traverse a series of stairs leading in and out, but all guests have the option to remain topside.

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At the conclusion of each tour, the group will stop in at a neighborhood taproom for a pint of local beer, which is included with each ticket, and soft drinks are also available for anyone who prefers this option. Afterward, we’ll hop on the streetcar and ride it back to the Brewing Heritage Trail Tour Center.

What to bring

We suggest dressing for the weather and wearing comfortable shoes to walk in. On sunny days, sunglasses and a hat are suggested.

Over & Under the Rhine Tour

BOOK

Tour Duration: 2 Hours

Price: $39

•Over-the-Rhine Neighborhood Walking & Streetcar Tour Above Ground & Below

What To Bring

We suggest dressing for the weather and wearing comfortable shoes to walk in. On sunny days, sunglasses and a hat are suggested.

Explore the Over-the-Rhine Historic Neighborhood and Its Landmarks!

About

Over-the-Rhine is a historic neighborhood comprised of amazing structures both above and below the ground. Come and explore with us as we walk and ride the streetcar to major topside landmarks such as Findlay Market, Music Hall, Washington Park, and the location of the Miam-Erie Canal. We’ll also learn about its underground history as we stop by several places from above, including the pre-Prohibition lagering facility of the Lafayette Brewery and Cincinnati’s abandoned subway system below Central Parkway. Then we’ll go underground, where the Gerke Brewery fermented and cold-stored their beer dating back to the 1850s.

Our journey concludes at a local taproom, where we’ll have a pint or a soft drink, included with the tour.

More Information

This tour is not recommended for young children due to the steep steps leading in and out of the Gerke Lagering Cellar, required for guests who choose to explore the underground section of this tour. However, guests have the option to remain topside.

Cellars, Saloons, & Brunch Tour

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Tour Duration: 4 Hours

Price: $65

•Brunch, Beer Tasting & Brewing History Tour Above Ground & Below

What To Bring

We suggest dressing for the weather and wearing comfortable shoes to walk in. On sunny days, sunglasses and a hat are suggested.

Delicious food and beer, accompanied by a modern and historic brewery tour!

About

Our fun begins at the Moerlein Lager House, where we’ll have a flight of beers and take a short tour of the brewpub, before enjoying a freshly prepared brunch. Afterward, we catch a streetcar to Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, looking for relics of the city’s brewing past, both large and small, often hidden in plain sight. We’ll share stories of not only the breweries that helped to build the Queen City, but also the saloons where thirsty citizens gathered every day.

Along the way, the tour stops in for a pint at the Lackman Bar, located at a pre-Prohibition saloon site, with many local favorites on tap. After quenching our thirst, we’ll visit the historic underground lagering cellars of the the Park Brewery, open for the first time to visitors in many years and only available through this tour! Finally, we’ll catch the streetcar and head back to the Moerlein Lager House.

Food & Beverage Info

This tour includes a flight of Christian Moerlein beers, an entree selection from the brunch menu, and a pint of beer at the Lackman Bar.

More Information

Please wear comfortable shoes for walking and dress appropriately for the weather conditions, as we will be walking outside for part of the tour. Stairs are required to enter and exit the underground lagering cellars, but all guests have the option to remain topside.

Underground Tunnel Brewery District And Craft Beer Tasting

BOOK

Tour Duration: 5 Hours

Price: $80

•Where Hollywood Movies Have Been Filmed!

What To Bring

We suggest dressing for the weather and wearing comfortable shoes to walk in. On sunny days, sunglasses and a hat are suggested.

the brewery district tour

Two tours, one day. Take a visit along the Brewing Heritage Trail to see historic breweries and underground lagering cellars and afterward hit up three local craft breweries. Celebrate and experience Cincinnati’s amazing beer tradition! Receive a Souvenir Cincy Brew Bus Taster Glass!

See Cincinnati’s Largest Underground Cellar where Cincinnati Beer Tradition began. Go back in history with us and celebrate local beer afterward with a Craft Brewery Tasting Tour (16-20 oz of beer at 3 different locations).

We will start and finish at the BRAND NEW Brewing Heritage Trail Visitor Center Over-the-Rhine (1939 Race Street, 45202) directly next to Northern Row Brewing Company. Parking is next to and across from the Visitor Center and on McMicken and Race Street.

Plan on Walking, comfy shoes, dress for the being outside in the elements.

We are going do a one hour tour along a portion of the Brewing Heritage Trail and then explore the historic (non-operating) Jackson Brewery. We will explore the lagering cellars deep under the brewery and talk about what made those breweries such an important part of our heritage.

Then you will hop on the Cincy Brew Bus and head out to 3 local craft breweries where you will be treated to a behind the scenes tour, 16-18 ounces of fresh locally made beer and proper tasting techniques.

We will span two centuries of Cincinnati Beer and celebrate our past and our incredible future.

Tickets are limited to 14 people per tour unless you have a larger party, and then you can inquire about a private event.

Walkup’s are Welcome but try and book online first, we sell out frequently.

Private Custom Brewery Tour

INQUIRE

Tour Duration: TBD

Price: $TBD

•Private tour customized just for you!

What To Bring

We suggest dressing for the weather and wearing comfortable shoes to walk in. On sunny days, sunglasses and a hat are suggested.

see what you want to see, go where you want to go

About

We welcome private tours outside of our normal tour schedule. You can choose one of the public tours listed on our website or we can customize one for you. Tours are great for business outings, bachelor and bachelorette parties, family outings, and more! We can also assist with partners at local breweries and restaurants for tastings, food, and more.

Contact us at: info@brewingheritagetrail.org and let us know the date and time you are considering, along with the anticipated number of guests and any specific tour content or locations, such as taprooms, you’d like to visit.

Below is some general information about our private tours:

– Schedule/Duration: We can typically start the tour at any day or time you prefer and can either begin at the BHT Tour Center (1939 Race St.) or meet you at a location of your choosing in the neighborhood. Typically these tours are about 90-120 minutes, but we are flexible on the time depending on what you prefer.

– Content: All of our public tours are available as private tours and they typically include a visit to an 1850s underground lagering cellar, but if there are particular locations you’d like to visit, please let us know, otherwise we can curate the content for you. These are usually walking tours, but we can set up transportation for an additional fee or utilize the streetcar, which is free.

– Cost: The base fee is $300 and that covers 1-8 guests. Tours are $35 per person for each additional attendee, but we do give group discounts. For groups of 9-19, we offer 15% off ($29.75 each) or groups 20 or more we offer 20% off ($28 each). If you would like us to set up a pint or flight of beers at a local taproom before, during, or after the tour it is typically $5-11 per person depending on where we go and what you want to drink. However, if you would like to keep all food/beverages on a separate tab, we can set things up that way as well. For all private tours, we include a 10% gratuity for the guide and for groups of more than 20 we typically add a second guide, splitting the group in two.

– Timeline: We like to have most details and payments finalized two weeks before the tour date in order to schedule a guide and notify any taprooms we’re working with on the tour.