OVER THE RHINE, OH (FOX19) -
The Christian
Moerlein Brewing Company opened its new brewery on Wednesday.
The brewery is in a 125,000 square foot
revitalized space formerly known as the former Husman Potato Chip plant and
pre-Prohibition Kaufmann Brewery facility in the heart of the historic
Over-the-Rhine Brewery District.
The craft brewing facility
completes the four-phase vision for the Christian Moerlein Brewing Company and
its owner Greg Hardman, which includes returning local ownership of
Cincinnati's beer brands, repositioning the brands to build a base of sales,
opening of the Christian Moerlein Lager House on Cincinnati's Riverfront and
producing the brands locally in the historic Over-the-Rhine Brewery District.
"We are proud to become one of
the building blocks for the renewal of Cincinnati's Historic Brewery District,"
said Greg Hardman, president and CEO of Christian Moerlein Brewing Company.
"When beer was king in Cincinnati, Over-the-Rhine was the hub of the industry,
and we are honored to revive the proud heritage of brewing in this great
brewing city."
The new craft brewery, expected
to add up to 20 jobs by summer 2013, will have initial capacity of 750,000
gallons of beer or 15,000 barrels in its first year, with additional capacity
to be added throughout the year. The Christian Moerlein brands will be brewed
and distributed from the new facility. Previously, the location served as a
pilot brewery for Moerlein test brews.
Future construction phases of the
brewery will include additional brewing capacity and an Event and Tour Center
to serve as destination and economic driver for Over-the-Rhine and downtown
Cincinnati.
"Our goals with the new Christian
Moerlein Brewery are to accelerate the regional expansion of Moerlein lagers
and ales craft beers, one of the pioneer brands of today's craft beer movement,
create continued tourism for Over-the-Rhine and Cincinnati, and most
importantly, brew the best beer with our great brewing team," said Hardman.
The Company also announced it has
been working on the development of many new styles of Moerlein craft beers that
will be introduced from the new brewery facility in 2013.
The Christian Moerlein brewing
facility also will join the Cincinnati Brewery Heritage Trail now being
developed through the Over-the-Rhine Brewery District and Downtown. Tours are
planned to begin in the fall of 2013.
Stops on the Brewery Heritage
Trail will include original brewing sites, ice houses, bottling plants and
homes of the great brewers of the 19th century. The trail will follow the
original path that beer traveled in Cincinnati during the brewing stage in
Over-the-Rhine to the transportation stage along the Ohio River.
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Greg Hardman, President & CEO of the Christian Moerlein Brewing Company, is joined by city leaders for a congratulatory toast to the opening of the new Brewery in historic Over-the-Rhine (Source: Christian Moerlein)
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