Cincinnati Brewery Caverns Tour: Beer Tasting Experience

Walk the tunnels Johnny Cash's film crew once used, then taste beer underground

A guided tour of Cincinnati's hidden brewery tunnels built in 1850, including the Linck Brewery passages and Jackson Brewery cellars closed to the public, with stops at Findlay Market and Rhinegeist Brewery to learn their role in the city's 1800s beer industry. The tour ends with a beer tasting at Northern Row Taproom for guests 21 and over. Under-21 guests receive a soft drink. A live English-speaking guide leads groups through two hours of walking on rain or shine.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore brewery tunnels and beer tasting

• Discuss building history and steel beams
• Walk to Linch Brewery Tunnels
• Walk through Findlay Market and learn history
• Visit Rhinegeist Brewery exterior and history
• Access Jackson Brewery tunnels and architecture
• Return to Northern Row Brewery for beer tasting

The experience

The tour starts at a building constructed with Carnegie Steel beams and moves straight underground to the Linck Brewery Tunnels, passages built in 1850 that are not open to the public and only accessible on this tour. Your guide walks you through the tunnel system while explaining how breweries operated in Cincinnati during the 1800s, when the city's water and limestone geology made it a major brewing center. The tunnels themselves are the main draw: most visitors never get access to them.

From there, the route moves above ground through Findlay Market, Ohio's oldest market, where the guide covers its founder James Findlay and the market's distinctive architecture. You'll walk past Rhinegeist Brewery (viewing the building from outside, not entering) to understand its historical role in Cincinnati's beer industry, then head to the closed Jackson Brewery to access its underground tunnels and see the building's architecture firsthand. The walking covers several blocks and neighborhoods, so the guide's commentary ties the sites together as a single story about how beer shaped the city.

The tour finishes at Northern Row Taproom on W McMicken Ave, where guests 21 and over get a beer tasting included in the price. Guests under 21 receive a soft drink of their choice. The whole experience runs two hours and operates in any weather, so there's no rescheduling needed if rain arrives.

What’s included

• Access to the Linck Brewery Tunnels and Jackson Brewery tunnels, which are not open to the public.
• a guided walk through Findlay Market with history of Ohio's oldest market.
• exterior tour of Rhinegeist Brewery with historical context.
• beer tasting at Northern Row Taproom for guests 21 and over, or a soft drink for younger guests.

Before you book

Days and timesWednesday to Sunday8 departure times: the first at 11:00, the last at 18:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (6 to 17 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupUp to 24

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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 today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPets welcomeNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by American Legacy Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see Cincinnati's underground brewery infrastructure and learn how the city's water and geology shaped its beer industry in the 1800s. The tunnels are the main attraction and they're only accessible on guided tours like this one, so there's no other way to walk them.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 17 years). Children under 6 can't be included in the booking.

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 are the Linck Brewery Tunnels and why can you only visit them on this tour?

The Linck Brewery Tunnels are underground passages built in 1850 beneath a Cincinnati brewery. They are not open to the public and closed to regular visitors, so this tour is the only way to walk through them and see the 1800s construction and layout.

Does the tour actually go inside Rhinegeist Brewery or just walk past it?

The tour walks to Rhinegeist Brewery and views the building from outside, but does not enter it. The guide explains the building's history and its role in Cincinnati's beer industry during that time period.

What is included in the beer tasting at the end?

Guests 21 and over receive a beer tasting at Northern Row Taproom as part of the tour price. Guests under 21 get a soft drink of their choice instead.

How much walking is involved in this tour?

The tour covers several blocks across different neighborhoods, from the starting building through Findlay Market, past Rhinegeist Brewery, to the Jackson Brewery tunnels, and finally to Northern Row Taproom. You should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness for the two-hour route.