Cincinnati's Brewery District Shows Signs of Life

Dayton Daily News:

Over-the-Rhine — or OTR as locals call it — was founded by German immigrants in the 19th century but fell on hard times in the 1970s and ’80s. It was the site of the city’s race riots in 2001 and once was dubbed the most dangerous neighborhood in America.
In the last decade, OTR has been undergoing intense gentrification amid criticism that the city’s poorest are being pushed out, and the southern half of the neighborhood has become the trendiest spot in Cincinnati, with bars, restaurants, and high-end condos taking the place of run-down and often-vacant buildings.
The northern half, where the brewery district is, has been largely untouched by gentrification.
Back in the late 19th century, the district was at its peak, with 18 large breweries in operation, some on a national scale, Hampton said.
One of them, the Christian Moerlein Brewing Co., became the fifth-largest brewery in the nation and could have reached the heights of Anheuser-Busch or MillerCoors had its founders not decided to close when Prohibition hit in 1920 and lasted 13 years.
All but one of the pre-Prohibition breweries in the district eventually shut their doors and a handful was demolished. From 1957 to 2010, only one beer-maker was in business in Over-the-Rhine, leaving the ornate and massive brick breweries empty and crumbling.
Now, three companies are brewing beer in the district. One of them, Rhinegeist, is brand-new and will open a taproom to the public on June 29 in what used to be part of the Christian Moerlein complex.

It would be pretty cool to see this area get revitalized.  It is so close to downtown, it has a lot of potential.  Cincinnati's brewery history is pretty fascinating.