I had the opportunity yesterday to go into the old Jackson Brewery (also heard call George Weber Brewing Company), now known to many as the Metal Blast Building for a metal company that was located there after the brewery had folded and the old Clyffside Brewery.  Both have address on McMicken but Jackson really sits high above on a portion of Mohawk.  We were led all over the buildings and in both cases were shown the basement and sub-basement rooms where beer would have been stored and brewed.  Each impressive in their own ways, the basement and sub-basement of Jackson was very cool but very dark and hard to get good photos.

 

The first pictures are of Jackson and the last three are at Clyffside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If YOU want the opportunity to go inside these buildings (all potions not accessible) and for a bus tour of OTR pointing out various sites, churches, and other breweries, come to Bockfest on Saturday, March 4 at 12:30 pm (Kaldi's); sponsored by Bockfest.

i can picture this area. wow, great work, i hope others take the upcoming tour too. i love threads like this & i'd love to see more of the old cincinnati brewery's.

I think I see the back of my girlfriend's head in one of those pics. Maybe.

 

Thanks for the pics, now I'm sorry I didn't go myself.

Wonderful, thanks.

Great chance of revival in this part of town....cant wait to see it happen!!!

 

Nice pics.

Great pictures.  Some of them almost give the sense of an old castle overlooking the city.

the last pic = my new desktop background

I didn't reply to this?!?!

 

Great shots!!!

If YOU want the opportunity to go inside these buildings (all potions not accessible) and for a bus tour of OTR pointing out various sites, churches, and other breweries, come to Bockfest on Saturday, March 4 at 12:30 pm (Kaldi's); sponsored by Bockfest.

 

I just may have to do this.  I need to know these buildings more intimately.

^ Hmm, hit me up... I might be interested in going with you.

 

Nice photos.

I helped with some clean-up at Jackson Brewery over the weekend. I encourage everyone to come on the tour; it's going to be a (metal) blast. Ba-dum.

 

Who's in? If you're there, chances are I'll be the guy in the Reds hat.

I'll probably be in a "Cincinnati" hat . . . I too encourage everyone to come!

I am definitely in! This is like an answer to prayer for me. I have wanted to get inside this building since I discovered it last fall.  THANKS for the fotos and your hard work.  Can't wait!  Is there a charge $$, and how does the bus thing work, who's conducting the tour?

Representatives from Architreks are giving the tour with sponsorship by Main Street Business Association.  Plans are being finialized but I believe there weill be a five dollar charge and you will possibly have to sign a waiver (as we are going in the basement of Metal Blast).  A bus (more like a trolley) will drive us around, we'll point out stuff and depart the bus to go in certain building.

Got this email with details.

________________________________________________

 

Join us on Saturday, March 4th for Bockfest's first annual

OTR Saints and Sinners Tour!

 

Your tour guides, Kate, Dan and Jen will showcase the fabulous history and architecture of some of Over-the-Rhine's most significant religious institutions and breweries.

 

The tour includes a trolley ride and interior tours of beautiful St. Francis Seraph and Old St. Mary's AND the former watering holes: Jackson Brewery, Clyffside Brewery, and Grammers!

 

Learn which brewery was raided by the FBI during Prohibition and which church has unidentified corpses in its basement.

 

The $5 tour will last two hours.  Meet us at Kaldi's at 1204 Main Street this Saturday at 12:30pm!!  Tickets are limited, so get there early and bring your cameras- this is the first time the breweries have been open to the public!

 

You don't want to miss this!!

This is very tempting. Is the Kroger garage free on the weekends? One could park there and walk to Kaldi's.

^ I always park on Court Street. 

 

So if I am at Kaldi's at 12:30 am I guaranteed a ticket for this tour?

Monte:  We only have room on the trolley for about 30 people so to guarantee a spot I'd say get there earlier.  The three guides (myself included) are going to get there around noon to start selling tickets and we leave promptly at 12:30.

hmmm, are little kids welcome?  She is 7 :)

 

BTW, how early is early?

The architectural detail in these buildings really reminds me of my loft.  It almost makes me sad to see these buildings not being used for anything.  They've got tons of potential for rehab if put in the right hands.  I'm not too familiar wity Cincy, or the surrounding area, but it could make for a cool neighborhood if a developer throws the capital at it (like Edwards did with Columbus' Brewery District).

Monte -

 

The waiver says this regarding children:

It is recommended that children or persons with disabilities that make walking up or down inclines, steep and/or narrow stairs, or over uneven surfaces either DO NOT TAKE THIS TOUR OR ABSTAIN FROM THE PORTIONS OF IT THAT POSE A PERSONAL RISK TO YOU (and every individual assumes personal responsibility for determining what activities pose a personal risk.)

 

If you get there at Noon you should be good as ticket sales will not occur until that time.

 

Brewmaster - Where in Brewery District do you live?  I lived in Greystone Winery for a year.  And those buildings do have owners and they are in process of developing plans, etc. for redevelopment.  Not sure where they stand in terms of finances, etc.

 

Brewmaster - Where in Brewery District do you live?  I lived in Greystone Winery for a year.  And those buildings do have owners and they are in process of developing plans, etc. for redevelopment.  Not sure where they stand in terms of finances, etc.

 

Small world!  That's where I live now. 

 

Two years ago, the owner decided to convert the apartments into condos.  They gutted them, laid down hard wood floors, granite countertops, stainless steel, etc... and called them Sterling Lofts.  They've got tons of character (exposed wood beams and brick walls) and have some great modern finishes in them. 

 

That's good that those buildings are in good hands.  They don't build character into buildings like that anymore!

This is great.  We (2) will be there at 12:00 sharp.  Thank you, Thank you

 

Moonloop - the Kroger garage is like any other public garage, especially evenings and w/e, it's never free :( 

I'll be at kaldis at 10 am:)

BallHatGuy - what can I say - that tour was flat out awesome. :clap: :clap: :clap:  So professionally done and fun.  Highlight for me was the Clyffside Brewery but the topper was the Jackson Brewery tunnels.  Man that was great.  The churches beautiful, Graemmers - really cool. It was also neat to meet some of the UrbanOhio clan.

 

Someone mentioned needing some help with other brewery clean-up, if that ever happens why don't you post that?  I, for one, would be interested.  Thanks again - MORE MORE MORE   

Like OTRFAN said, the tour was great.  Hats off to BallHatGuy for a great event.  I will probably make a thread on my photos from the tour but in the mean time feel free to check out the photos here: http://www.pbase.com/montecarloss/saints_and_sinners_tour

montecarloss - those pix really capture the day. Thanks! (what took you so long?) ;)   Who was that one ugly dude buying tickets?  Did you notice those two "townhouses" across McMicken from the tunnel entrances?  Their facades are parallel with the street but the building itself then runs off at an angle. a little odd. 

 

somebody HAS to do something with those tunnels one day. "The Grotto - Fun, but no Sun"  comes to mind. 

Thanks OTRfan and Monte.  We were glad people showed up at all  . . . but it was especially nice to meet some of the UrbanOhioers.  OTRfan you - By the time I got out of Old St. Mary's were gone and I didn't have an opportunity to ask you what you thought. I thought the tunnels alone people would like to see . . you just had to put up with Jen, Kate and I's other ramblings . . . ;)

 

Awesome pictures Monte.

BallHatGuy - had I known you wanted to talk I would have stuck around, but had to get home so I could turn right back around and come down for dinner at Arnold's and then the CSO.  I keep telling my wife it would be so MUCH more convenient if we lived downtown, but she's not budging - yet.

 

as far as "ramblings" - no way.  That was done as professionally as any tour I've been on and your (all 3 of you guys) level of preparation was obvious and appreciated.  Your factoids were well placed and fun, reactions all around me were very good.  The trolley was super, looked brand new, the driver also very good (I still don't know how you swung that with that ridiculously low $$ charge).   

 

That "brewery district" fellow helped too, I sure hope all of that condo development really comes thru. My daughter thoroughly enjoyed herself.  IMHO - this kind of thing should be done on a regular basis - coupling with every special event downtown for starters - I think it would be a real draw if more widely broadcasted.  WCPO.com had a blurb about it and it was also mentioned on their Friday evening newscast.  Unfortunately the web article simply referred to the bockfest.com site for more details and I scoured that site and didn't see anything specific about the tour itself.

 

Thanks again - and don't forget to post about the next 'clean up' if that was you that mentioned it during the tour.   

Thanks BallHatGuy,

If I hadn't seen your post I would have missed out too. Great job by everyone involved! Perhaps next time the tour could focus on a specific building or group of buildings within walking distance, as I could have spent two hours or more in the brewery buildings alone.  Wonderful!!!

 

 

The Main Street Businesses & Bockfest organizers basically paid for the trolley.  (Our contribution was so very tiny.)  So they need to be thanked and supported!

Dan, I would have easily paid $10 for that tour.  That was the best $5 tour I ever had.

Wish I could have made it. 

 

Jim Tarbell owns Grammers, correct?  Does he have any plans to do something with it?

Mark.  I believe he currently owns it but it is for sale, including the entire contents.

Anyone want to open a resturant? :)

Mark.  I believe he currently owns it but it is for sale, including the entire contents.

 

For $490,000

 

Here was some of his contents:

 

I cant believe that they didn't put the stadium there that would have been a great location for the city.

Interesting.  I too wish it would have ended up on Broadway.  I wish I had an extra million or so to buy and reopen the place, but it's not in the cards at the moment.