From the beautiful Moerlein Lager House in Smale Riverfront Park in Downtown Cincinnati, it’s a very special Live edition of Cincy Brewcast. We are joined by the visionary Greg Hardman, who took a glorious, but dead name from Cincinnati’s brewing heyday–Christian Moerlein–and turned it into a powerhouse of the modern craft beer movement in Cincinnati’s exploding Craft Beer scene. We are also joined by the man charged with maintaining and expanding both the quality and repertoire of Christian Moerlein Brewing Company, Head Brewer Eric Baumann. We taste four of Moerlein’s excellent seasonal brews–People’s Pilsener, Crimea River Russian Imperial Stout, Plum Berliner Weisse and Shiver Chai Porter. Then we find out how the Lager House was the first element of the world-class Smale Riverfront Park, and Greg’s story on how the plans for the Lager House came together in a weekend! Greg and Eric also break news on several new beers on the horizon for Moerlein, including the re-launch of the original recipe Christian Moerlein “Cincinnati Select Lager”–originally introduced by Hudepohl Brewing in 1981– in celebration of this year’s 500th anniversary of the German “Rhineheitsgebot” German beer purity law. Then, we are joined by Eddie Chimi and Chris Nascimento from the Greater Cincinnati Craft Beer Society for a discussion/debate on a wide-ranging selection of craft beer issues such as “National vs. Local” craft beer, Can “Big Beer” become “Craft Brewers” too, and should we even support craft brewers owned by major international beer corporations? There’s lots of food for thought and great discussion on this week’s special “Live” edition of Cincy Brewcast–“The Voice of Cincy Craft”.

Guests This Episode

* Greg Hardman – Christian Moerlein

* Eric Baumann – Christian Moerlein

* Eddie Chimi – GCCBS

* Chris Nascimento – GCCBS

From The Beer Fridge

* Christian Moerlein – People’s Pilsner

* Christian Moerlein – Crimea River

* Christian Moerlein – Little Jack Plum

* Christian Moerlein – Shiver (read more about this beer)