Craft breweries come in all shapes and sizes – and in all scenarios.
One of the more unique recent openings in the Cincinnati craft scene is Blue Ash’s Firehouse Grill Brewery.
The brewery is unique in two ways – first in that it was a restaurant that added a brewery, and second in that the building where it’s located was a brewery in a previous life. Firehouse Grill opened in 2011 in the space that housed the former Watson Brothers Brewery from 1996 to 2005. The restaurant was always known for their expansive craft selection, including lots of local options.
Fast forward to earlier this year, and Firehouse Grill decided to add a brewery to become Firehouse Grill Brewery. They signed on Justin Chaney – formerly of Swine City Brewing and The Common Beer Co. – to brew up some even more local (hailing from approximately 15-30 feet from your seat) options to add to their robust tap list.
Their relatively small four-barrel brew system will limit their production, but they don’t seem to want any beer to really get outside of their brewpub.
The space itself is very large, with a huge bar area indoors as well as several event spaces. But the real gem is their outdoor patio. With plenty of space to social distance, it’s a perfect option for those looking to ease their way back into hitting up breweries.
The brewpub reminds me a lot of the Christian Moerlein Lager House at The Banks, although for those in the suburbs the drive isn’t as far.
We tried three of their beers during our weekend visit, and all were very solid. The Blue Ash Brown was very lightly carbonated with a great malt character, and almost reminded me of more of an ESB. The Summit Saison was the standout of the trio, with a nice peppery pop. We also tried the Flight Path IPA which was a classic West Coast style for the hop heads.
We also had food from their menu, which consists of burgers, sandwiches, pizza, salads, and appetizers. I had a burger and my wife Angie had a quesadilla, although most of the food that was brought out to our table and others looked delicious.
Firehouse Grill Brewery is a great addition to the Blue Ash area which also features Fretboard Brewing Company and March First Brewing.