If you’ve followed the saga of Alexandria Brewing Company, you’d know that the opening of this place has been a long time coming. Andy Reynolds really started trying to get the place going in 2014, but the dream started long before that.
Finally, ABC opened in Alexandria, Kentucky in April 2018, becoming the eighth Cincinnati brewery south of the Ohio River in Northern Kentucky. The brewery has its own little area, with the closest fellow breweries being in Florence (Mash Cult) and Covington/Newport.
So Angie and I ventured south on a Friday night, pleasantly surprised at how easy the drive down to Alexandria is from downtown Cincinnati. The brewery sits in a strip mall-esque center with a few other co-tenants, but it’s clear already that the brewery is the feature here. They have a small patio and food truck outside, and the patio is dog friendly (the inside of the brewery, however, is not).
The inside of the brewery reminds me of a big industrial space, with high ceilings, plenty of high top tables, and big projection screen for watching the game. There’s a counter to order from the food truck to one side, with the bar featured in the corner.
We sat at the bar and ordered a flight, consisting of Sessions in Black black session IPA, Random Rap Reference New England IPA, Alexandria Amber, and Garden of Heaton Kentucky Common. I’m kicking myself for not trying the Brothers in Arms, which they had barrel aged in both Elmer T Lee and Knob Creek barrels.
It’s exciting that Alexandria definitely fills a hole and need in the Cincy craft beer market, and they seem to be doing things the right way with the right people.