The Nati

Wanted to add some details about the 5 day launch of CM OTR Ale.

On April 25 at 4 p.m., at 128 W. Elder St. in the Findlay Market Square, the door to the "Moerlein OTR Ale Haus" will open. Launching the 5-day festival celebrating OTR Ale.

For the past two years, the Christian Moerlein Brewing Company has been hand-crafting Moerlein Over-the-Rhine Ale to replicate beers brewed in OTR's Brewery District during the mid-1800's. The beer has been named to honor both the history of Over-the-Rhine's brewing heritage as well as the efforts of the people working toward the neighborhood's rebirth. Moerlein OTR Ale will be a permanent member of the Moerlein family of beers. For the first five days of the beer's existence, the only place to purchase Moerlein OTR Ale draft beer will be at the Moerlein OTR Ale Haus at Findlay Market.

Your second opportunity to try out the beer will be at Give Back Cincinnati's Mint Juleps on the Square event celebrating the Kentucky Derby on May 5th!

The five days of events will include the following:

• Wednesday, April 25th: 2-4 PM, private press party - 4-8 PM, open to the public
• Thursday, April 26th: 2-8 PM. Brewery District and Friends Happy Hour. Traditional OTR dinner will feature bratwurst from Findlay Market's best sausage makers and cold Moerlein OTR beer.
• Friday, April 27th: 2-8 PM. Friday Fish Fry catered by the famous Aunt Flora.
• Saturday, April 28th: 11 AM - 8 PM. Brews, Blues and BBQ by Mr. Pig.
• Sunday, April 29th: 12PM - 4PM. Cajun Sunday Seafood Sampler by Luken's

All proceeds of beer sales will go toward the Brewery District's plan to sub-name McMicken Ave. "Brewer's Boulevard." Specifically, the money will be used for street signs and an Ohio Historic plaque honoring Over-the-Rhine's brewing heritage. Many of the remaining Nineteenth Century brewery buildings are located on or near McMicken. Information regarding the location of the remaining brewery buildings, Cincinnati's beer heritage, and the plans for "Brewer's Boulevard" will be available throughout the event. For patrons wishing to aid the effort with more than the purchase of beer, a $25 donation will buy an annual membership in the Brewery District Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation.

Commemorative Moerlein OTR Ale memorabilia highlighting the importance of the event will be available. This includes a limited number of commemorative pint glasses celebrating the beer's launch date and location.

The Downtowner newspaper has gone through a revamp. It has a new print design, has expanded scope to cover 'inner neighborhoods' like Newport, Covington, OTR, etc. It is also dramatically larger than it used to be (current issue is 32 pages).

It's much improved, and has a lot of timely information. I stopped picking it up the last year or so, as it didn't seem to have much new info, but was pleasantly surprised when i picked up the most recent issue.

Another new addition (which is a long time in coming) is a website. It's not the best/most organized website I've ever seen, but there have been plenty of times when I've wanted to share an article on this blog, or with friends and couldn't because there was no website.

The cover story this week is a new story on the Streetcar initiative. If you've been paying attention to the news, there isn't ground-breaking info in the article, but it's another affirmation of why Street Cars make sense as a first step in Mass Transit for our region...

Everyone's favorite topic it seems. I'll say it again, I can't wait until this is in affect, even if only for selfish reasons.

It looks like the ban should be in affect by the end of April, and enforcement will begin then. It appears the rules will have a 'loophole' to accommodate private clubs (think Knights of Columbus and the like). It didn't have details, so I wonder if you are going to have to be a registered Fraternal Organization or anything like that... if not, I think you are going to see a lot of new 'private' clubs where all the employees will be given a very minor stake in the company in order to get around the ban. Hope not... we'll have to wait and see what the rules look like.

Here is the update from CityBeat.

Well, I've got a bit of mixed feelings about this... It's been a long wait for 5/3 to start naming tenants and their first attempt is a relocated Jones the Florist, and the addition of Cadillac Ranch, which is a rock and country music themed bar... it kind of has that kitchy Planet Hollywood type of theme... it's going at the corner of 6th and walnut.

If the previously announced Jeff Ruby/Bootsy Collins restaurant opens a block away at the former 'Za location, it could have a major impact on Cadillac Ranch's ability to survive.

I guess it's progress, but seems to be a big letdown... I was hoping for a Maker's Mark Lounge... wonder if that's still on the table.

UPDATE: Today's Business Courier has named Graeter's and Starbucks (oh boy, just what we need, since there is already about 5 downtown) will be in the former space of the Visitor's Center, and PotBelly will be moving in along the square at an unnamed location.

The schedule for Lollapalooza in Chicago came out... and it's a stellar line-up (see below). One really cool note is that local favorites the Heartless Bastards continue their positive news with selection to the festival. That is awesome, and is more good news coming off the heals of their successful tour with Lucinda Williams... here's hoping that they'll be topping the charts soon!

Head to the Cincinnati Zoo the next three Thursdays in April. "Tunes & Blooms” - "a collection of Cincinnati’s finest and most-respected music veterans playing together in the Zoo’s beautiful gardens, for FREE, after 5 p.m."

Apr. 12 - Psychodots and Faux Frenchmen
Apr. 19 - Jake Speed and The Comet Bluegrass All-Stars
Apr. 26 - Kim Taylor and the Hiders

Well, the Reds have lost a couple in a row, so it's nice to have the Bengals schedule to look at and start daydreaming about!

What are the highlights.... The previously announced home opener on Sept. 10th against the Ravens is certainly huge. They head on the road for two games, and then return for another home game on Monday Night Oct. 1st against the Patriots....

Steelers come to Cincy on Oct. 28th, and the Browns on Dec. 23rd. December also brings two more night games, both on the road against the Steelers (Dec. 2) and 49ers (Dec. 15th). Overall, only 9 of the Bengals 16 games are at 1 PM... The other seven are 2 Monday Nights, 1 Sunday Night, 1 Saturday Night, and 3 Sunday Late Afternoon (Home v Jets, @ Seahawks, @ Ravens).

It's a great looking schedule... and one much favorable than last year... I'm calling 12 wins!

Huzzah! What an awesome piece of news... This is the event I mentioned that was going to be occurring at Findlay Market.

Christian Moerlein (which should be everyone's favorite beer) is rolling out a new beer. It's a Pale Ale and it's going to be called Christian Moerlein OTR. To kick it off they are re-opening (for 5 days) the former Elder Cafe bar at Findlay Market on April 25th.

Shortly there after you'll be able to enjoy the tasty new beverage at Give Back Cincinnati's Derby Party on Fountain Square on May 5th... so join us for some fun and great new beer...

I'll add more later when I find out more about the launch festivities are at Findlay Market.

Join Give Back Cincinnati on Tues., April 17th at 6 PM for the 2nd quarter of Community Conversations to hear about the plans for the Cincinnati Riverfront Park on the bank of the Ohio River.

RSVP HERE to hear Steve Schuckman, superintendent of planning and design for the Riverfront Park, speak about the plans for the park.

Click on the image below to download a copy of the full plan for the park.


Cindi Nugent, will present volunteer opportunities through the Parks Board, and a CRC rep will be there to talk about volunteer opps as well.
Free Food from Chic-Fil-A!

Labels: give back cincinnati