Cincinnati's beer culture still on the rise

Greater Cincinnati has become a craft beer Mecca in recent years. The last quarter of 2014 has seen much of that growth, with new breweries and bottle shops popping up all over the city. The local demand for craft beer is driving growth, of course, but so is each brewer’s passion for making beer.
 
With extended family in town for the holidays, this might be the perfect time to check out some of these places.
 
Blank Slate Brewing Company
4233 Airport Road, East End
Started in 2011 by Scott LaFollette, Blank Slate has grown from a draft-only distribution operation into a taproom. PourHouse opened in late November and features eight rotating taps.
 
The Growler House
1526 Madison Road, East Walnut Hills
The Growler House features 40 taps, 20 of which are dedicated to local breweries. It opened Dec. 2 and allows customers to stop in, sample a beer and then have a pint or fill up a 64-oz. growler to take home.
 
River Ghost
Erlanger, Ky.
Rhinegeist just launched distribution in Northern Kentucky and will be delivering to restaurants and grocery stores in the region. River Ghost will also be delivering wine from an undisclosed customer and plans to distribute beer from other local craft breweries in the near future.
 
Tap and Screw Brewery
5060 Crookshank Road, Covedale
The owners of Tom & Jerry’s Sports Bar added a brewery and taproom onto their existing restaurant. Tap and Screw opened to the public on Dec. 19 and will feature craft beer and local wines. The restaurant revamped its menu, and because the restaurant already has a liquor license the taproom also has a full bar.
 
Keep an eye out for the following ventures, too. They’re not open yet, but there's already a lot of buzz surrounding these spots.
 
Braxton Brewery
27 W. Seventh St., Covington
Evan Rouse, a six-year homebrewer, and brewing veteran Richard Dube are the masterminds behind Braxton Brewery. They plan to have 15-20 beers on tap, with both core and seasonal beers. The opening date is still up in the air, but early 2015 is the plan.
 
Casual Pint
Location TBD
Tennessee-based Casual Pint will offer 30 rotating taps of local and regional beers, which will be available by the pint or in growlers to take home. The food menu will include bar food staples like soft pretzels with beer cheese and wings. It’s slated to open in the third quarter of 2015 and will be the first location outside of Tennessee.
 
DogBerry Brewing
7865 Cincinnati Dayton Road, West Chester
Cincinnati’s first nanobrewery plans to open in the next few weeks. DogBerry will have 10 beers on tap, including their year-round rye pale ale, IPA, Kolsch, brown ale, blonde ale and five seasonals.
 
Fibonacci Brewing Company
1445 Compton Road, Mt. Healthy
Labeled as an ultranano brewery, Fibonacci will have a one-barrel system that will allow for about 300 beers per batch. Owners Bob and Betty Bollas plan to have an Imperial IPA, a Kolsch and an Imperial Stout on tap to start with when the taproom and brewery open in the spring.
 
Geo. Wiedemann Brewing Co.
530 York St., Newport
Wiedemann beer recently came back on the market when Jon Newberry bought the brand rights. He plans to open a brewery and taproom in Newport’s WaterTower Square, which he hopes to have up and running by Reds Opening Day 2015.