Built on Beer Tour: Findlay Market brewing history, 2 hours

Walk into a pre-Prohibition brewery's subterranean cellars carved from the hillside.

The Built on Beer Tour is a two-hour guided walking tour of Cincinnati's Brewery District that starts at Findlay Market and covers the western portion of the neighborhood, including a descent into the historic Jackson Brewery's underground lagering cellars. The tour visits the Sohn/Mohawk Brewery, several Christian Moerlein sites, and the location of the Bellevue Incline, with stories of the breweries and the people who built them during beer's industrial revolution. A pint of local beer or soft drink is included at a neighborhood taproom at the end, and the total walking distance is less than a mile with no stairs required to enter or exit the cellars.

Step-by-step itinerary

Brewing history and architecture tour

• Start at Brewing Heritage Trail Sign
• Walk along Brewing Heritage Trail
• Visit underground lager cellars at Jackson Brewery
• See Sohn/Mohawk Brewery and Christian Moerlein sites
• View Bellevue Incline location
• End at neighborhood taproom for local beer

The experience

Two hours, less than a mile of walking, and the route stays in the western Brewery District around Findlay Market. The guide leads you past 19th and early 20th century brewery buildings that still stand, explaining which ones operated during Prohibition and which ones didn't survive it. The centerpiece is a walk into the Jackson Brewery's subterranean lagering cellars: the cold rooms where brewers stored beer before refrigeration. You enter from street level and there are no stairs going in or out, so the cellars themselves are accessible even though the neighborhood has hills.

The tour also passes the Sohn/Mohawk Brewery, multiple Christian Moerlein sites (Moerlein was one of Cincinnati's major brewing figures), and the location of the Bellevue Incline, a cable car that once connected the neighborhood to the hilltop above. Each stop has a story about the people who built these operations and the industrial scale of beer production in the city. The guide is live and speaks English, so the commentary is direct rather than audio or app-based.

At the end, the group stops at a neighborhood taproom where a pint of local beer is included with your ticket, or a soft drink if you prefer. The Brewing Heritage Trail store also offers a discount on merchandise, so if you want to take something home about the history, there's a place to do that before or after the tour.

What’s included

• Entry into the Jackson Brewery's historic underground lagering cellars.
• a guided walk past 19th and early 20th century brewery buildings in the Brewery District.
• a pint of local beer or soft drink at a neighborhood taproom at the tour's end.
• a discount on merchandise in the Brewing Heritage Trail store.

Before you book

Days and timesFriday to SundayDepartures at 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (21 and older) · Youth (10 to 20 years) · Child (4 to 9 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Brewing Heritage Trail

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English and delivers the commentary live, so you follow the stories directly rather than through an app or audio device. This works well if you want to ask questions about the buildings or the brewers as you walk, and it's comfortable for anyone who prefers a human voice to a recording.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (10 to 20 years); Child (4 to 9 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is inside the Jackson Brewery cellars?

The Jackson Brewery cellars are the underground lagering rooms where brewers stored beer in the pre-Prohibition era. They were excavated from the hillside beneath the brewery, and you walk through them as part of the tour to see how the space was used and understand the scale of brewing operations in Cincinnati.

How much walking is involved in this tour?

The total walking distance is less than a mile, and the route covers the western portion of the Brewery District around Findlay Market. There are no stairs to climb entering or exiting the cellars, though the neighborhood itself has some hills.

Is the beer included at the end a choice, or does everyone get the same thing?

A pint of local beer is included with your ticket, and a soft drink is available as an alternative if you prefer not to drink alcohol.

What other brewery sites does the tour visit besides the Jackson Brewery cellars?

The tour passes the Sohn/Mohawk Brewery, several Christian Moerlein sites (Moerlein was a major Cincinnati brewer), and the location of the Bellevue Incline, a historic cable car. The guide shares stories about each location and the people who built the brewing industry in the city.

Can I bring a stroller or pram on this tour?

Yes, infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and service animals are allowed. The cellars are accessible without stairs, and the total walking distance is less than a mile.