13 Below Brewery
7391 Forbes Rd, Sayler Park
13 Below Brewery opened in the Sayler Park neighborhood west of downtown Cincinnati in September 2017, and although it didn’t receive as much fanfare as many other breweries, they are doing a lot of things right. First off, the name refers to the fact that the brewery is located 13 nautical miles “below” downtown Cincinnati just off of Route 50. This is an homage to their location right on the Ohio River using terminology that a riverboat captain would use to describe his position on the river below the city.
Co-owner Doug McKendrick has been homebrewing since the early 2000s, and the quality of his product shows. The brewery opened with a “boatload” of solid beers, definitely approachable with something for just about every style of drinker. The laid-back taproom features a decent-size bar, plenty of tables, an outdoor patio, and is dog-friendly.
For food, they have an on-site food truck outside called the Incline Smoke Shack, which serves hand-crafted BBQ.
Must-try beer: Lock & Dam #37 (Scotch Ale) – If you’re a malt head like me, then you are apt to try just about any malt-forward beer from your local watering hole. When 13 Below opened, this one really impressed me with its caramel color and subtle sweetness. It’s a nice bold beer at 6.9% that is perfect for a cool fall day.
Other great beers: Confused 13, Porter