Rhinegeist to Host Inaugural Oktoberfest Celebration

Rhinegeist is giving us a reason to raise our steins as it launches a new Oktoberfest celebration in its Over-the-Rhine taproom.

OTRberfest is a unique, community-focused Oktoberfest event bringing together several local businesses and celebrating all things beer in the heart of Cincinnati’s historic German brewing district. The event starts at noon Friday, Sept. 6 and runs until 9 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 8.

Rhinegeist’s OTRberfest will feature beer- and Oktoberfest-centric activities, like tours led by the Brewing Heritage Trail, guest beers on tap, a Schmidt’s Sausage Haus cream–puff-eating contest, live music from the Cincy German Band, goat yoga hosted by Good Green Earth Farm and a stein-holding competition from the OTR Chamber of Commerce.

“We are thrilled to be a part of the first annual OTRberfest at Rhinegeist,” Julie Clayton, executive director of the OTR Chamber of Commerce, said in a press release. "We wanted to lead a fun spectator event that not only fit the theme, but would bring excitement to the weekend, which is why we chose the Stein Holding Competition!”

Schmidt’s Sausage Haus Restaurant will be on-site with some Oktoberfest-inspired food, and Cincinnati Beverage Company, which owns the Christian Moerlein brand, will also be in the Festgarden to share some history and a love of beer, including some of its traditional German selections on draft.

“Christian Moerlein operated in the Rhinegeist Brewery over 100 years ago and we are thrilled to be back, serving traditional German-style beers, reminiscent of what they brewed in the early 1900s,” Elliott Culter said in the release.

Rhinegesit’s brewing and distilling neighbor Northern Row will also offer OTRberfest programming in its taproom (111 W. McMicken Ave.) that weekend.

"Nowhere else in the U.S. does Oktoberfest mean as much as it does to Cincinnatians, so when Rhinegeist asked us about helping host a neighborhood Oktoberfest it was an emphatic ‘yes!’” said Brendan Douglass, operations manager at Northern Row. “Hosting an Oktoberfest celebration in our historic Brewery District where we have operating breweries is a special opportunity."

OTRberfest is free and open to the public. You can follow Rhinegeist on its social media for the latest updates.

Rhinegeist Brewery, 1910 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. More info: rhinegeist.com.