The Brews Traveler series focuses on the continuing craft beer adventures of the Liberty Brew Tours crew as they explore breweries across the world.
Overview
Listermann Brewing is a relatively well-known craft brewery, even outside the Cincinnati metro area. During a recent Ohio trip, I had the opportunity to head down to Cincy to check out some local spots. Listermann was at the top of my list, and I’m glad it was. While they’re probably best known for the Chickow! series ( A double-brown ale ), the tap list proved to be extensive. I’m pretty sure Listermann’s tap list has the highest average ABV of any brewery I’ve ever visited. As of November 2019, there’s a multitude of 16%+ brews (mostly bourbon or brandy barrel-aged) and even the ‘smaller’ dark beers are in the 10-12% range. The brewery itself is basically on top of Xavier University, although visiting over Thanksgiving probably limited the college crowd a bit. The taproom and supplemental seating areas are capable of handling decent crowds.
Listermann’s Cincinnati Zoo collaboration beer, Team Fiona
The Beer!
When I visit a true craft destination like this, I’m typically looking for beer geek brews. This generally includes barrel-aged stouts, sours, double IPAs, and other odd variations. Listermann has so many of these, I couldn’t hope to get through them all without passing out underneath the bar. While that’s a pro move and I do recommend it when necessary, the group I was traveling with wouldn’t have been keen on it. I decided to do a flight of a couple big beers and the mythical Calamansi sour. Here’s what I thought –
Calamansi Cream Ale – a very unusual sour, featuring Calamansi. Calamansi is a lime-like fruit primarily cultivated in the Philippines. I rarely see this adjunct outside local Philly favorite Tired Hands Brewing. The fruit is actually featured better here than anywhere else I’ve tried. This beer is legitimately amazing, a combination of creaminess, sour fruit and lime. I wasn’t sure what to expert from this one, but it’s fantastic. Along with Branch and Bone’s Bramble Blast, it was my favorite of the entire trip. Calamansi is life.
Triple Digit Series: Chickow! – This is Listermann’s flagship double brown, which I’ve had bottled before. I found it much more enjoyable on tap, with the hazelnut and raisins coming through prominently. Definitely worth checking out if you’re visiting.
Give me something to bake – This one’s a pastry stout, and a collaboration with Mikerphone Brewing. Given that these are both excellent breweries, it’s not surprising the result is great. The raisins/pie flavor come through beautifully, even at a beefy 11% ABV.
Bourbon Barrel Vanilla Cinnamon Chickow! – At 12%, this beer has some weight to it. It’s got tons of cinnamon, but a little bit too much alcohol for my tastes.
Conclusion
This trip was a huge success. Listermann is a great spot with a fantastic tap list. If anything, I wish I could have spent more time here ! This is your must-visit brewery in the Cincinnati area.
— Jeff, brews traveler series extraordinaire
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