Esoteric Brewing Co
918 E McMillan St, Walnut Hills
Esoteric Brewing Co. became Walnut Hills’ first brewery when it opened in September 2020. They are also one of Cincinnati’s first minority-owned breweries. Longtime MadTree brewer Brian Jackson teamed up with co-owner Marvin Abrinica of Wunderfund. They were able to partially crowdfund Esoteric to bring their dream to life.
A couple of things stand out about Esoteric. First, they promise to only brew their beer with “pure ingredients, sourced locally, and grown organically.” They have a lineup of Belgian beers, as well as familiar styles like stouts and IPAs. They also promise an elevated craft beer drinking experience that goes beyond the warehouse taproom concept.
The second thing that stands out about Esoteric is their space. The brewery is part of a group that is renovating the entire Paramount Building, which is a centerpiece to the beautiful architecture in Walnut Hills. The brewery occupies 6,000 square feet of the 1920s era art-deco building.
Esoteric’s food partner is Decibel Korean Fried Chicken, which features an ordering window inside their taproom as well as a takeout location next door.
Must-try beer: Ethereal (Belgian blonde) – A beer that represents everything Esoteric wants to be, this one is both light and complex. It’s super fresh and they also brew a version with basil added.
Other great beers: Nirvana (Belgian Quad), Peebles (Imperial Porter)
Major Awards
US Open Beer Championship
- Oracle (American Fruit Wheat – POG) – Gold Medal – 2024
- Luminati (Munich Style Helles) – Silver Medal – 2024
- Oracle (American Fruit Wheat – Mango) – Bronze Medal – 2024
- Virtue (Belgian Dubbel) – Bronze Medal – 2021