HighGrain Brewing Co.
On a recent Friday (before the slap down of quarantine started), Mrs. Bacchanalian and I decided to check out one of the more recent additions to the amazing Cincinnati microbrewery scene. HighGrain Brewing Co., which is located at 6860 Plainfield Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45236, opened its doors, just over one year ago and from what we have seen, every time we have driven by, it seems to be attracting a nice crowd. We arrived around 2:45 in the afternoon and beat the crowds, with only two other tables occupied while we were there.
The brewery is located in the old Silverton Memorial Municipal Building, which used to house the sheriff’s department. The interior of the building is very spacious though it is a bit utilitarian; I felt it was a little sterile and plain. Perhaps during the evening with a large crowd the place would have felt more exciting. They do serve food and the menu has an assortment ranging from appetizers, burgers, sandwiches and tacos. As we had already had lunch prior to coming, we did not sample any of their fare.
As for the beer…My favorite style of beers are New England IPA’s and HighGrain had two on the menu for me to sample, which makes Mr. Bacchanalian very happy! The first one I tried was the Juicy IPA (6% ABV). The beer has a nice light orange, hazy color. The aroma was light, with mild fruit and pine notes. The beer had a high carbonation and pretty strong hops, both of which I did not care for. The hops and carbonation distracted from the fruit flavors of grapefruit and tangerine. Upon my first few tastes, I felt it would not be a beer I would come back for. In fairness, after the beer sat and opened up a bit the carbonation settled down and the fruit came forward enough to make the beer a nice drink.
The next New England I tried was called Hazy IPA (6.4% ABV). Ligher in color and body compared to the Juicy IPA, it had a nice aroma of orange and pineapple. Less hop forward, the flavors were brighter and crisp. Grapefruit and pine, with just a hint of the pineapple for a nice flavor profile. This was a more pleasant beer from the start for me.
I had the chance to taste a couple of the beers which Mrs. Bacchanalian sampled. I enjoyed the Rustic German Helles (5.2% ABV). It was a very nice beer. Light in color; it was a true German Helles in style and taste. A very nice, easy drinking beer. The one other beer I had a taste of was the Coconut Porter (6.9%ABV). Smooth and mellow, with a nice coffee flavor with a coconut background. I do not always enjoy porters as they tend to be a bit sweet for me, but this one was a nice surprise for me. Probably could not drink a whole glass, however it was a good beer.
All in all, I enjoyed our experience at HighGrain Brewing Co. I look forward to going back again, perhaps in the evening to compare the atmosphere and sample some of the fare. HighGrain has about a dozen beers on tap to choose from so there will be something to please just about anyone’s taste buds. I will be happy to return and enjoying their beer again.
About The Author
