By Alisha Woolery Cincinnati.Com Contributor
Hudepohl-Schoenling Communications Director Paul Abrams' office is covered in Cincinnati brewery memorabilia. Along the top of his desk are the company's trademark cans and bottles of Hudy Delight, Christian Moerlein, Burger and Little Kings. A drawing of the old Schoenling bottling plant is framed on the wall, and historic Hudepohl Brewery photos line the window.
Bartender Hayes Meurer pours a half pint at the Barrelhouse on 12th Street, downtown. History and tradition are important to the company.
"It's something I think about every day to remind me of the past," he said. "I don't want to see these brands go away under my watch."
Hudepohl-Schoenling Brewing Co. is the last of the great Cincinnati breweries. Unlike the dozens of hometown breweries that faltered during Prohibition, Hudepohl, which was founded in 1885, persevered. Schoenling Brewing Co. was created in 1933. The two breweries merged in 1986, and in 1999 the company was sold to Snyder International Brewing Group. The old Schoenling bottling plant was sold to Sam Adams-Boston Beer Co., which now bottles Hudepohl-Schoenling brands.
Although owned by an outsider, the company still considers itself a hometown company, fighting the good fight against the industry giants. As the large conglomerates like Anheuser-Busch get larger and larger, smaller breweries are fighting for a slice of the market in one of the most difficult periods in the beer industry history, Abrams said. The beer market is at a low growth, so the only way to gain market is to steal it from a competitor.
When your competitor is making 98 million barrels of beer and you are making 47,000, that can be difficult, Abrams said.
But Hudepohl-Schoenling does have one way to compete, and that's with the craft beers. Christian Moerlein, sold in 10 states, is now bottled as a bock, ale, honey almond and traditional lager.
A small microbrewery is run in a room by the keg docks, where the bock and ale were first tested. The microbrewery also allows the company to make smaller batches of beer for events or try out new creative recipes.
There are only two Cincinnati-owned microbreweries left in town. The BarrelHouse in Over-the-Rhine, and Queen City Brewing, an umbrella company that owns the Watson Bros. Brewhouse in Blue Ash and Jump Cafe on Main Street. The BarrelHouse is the larger of the two, supplying beer to more than 100 local restaurants.
General Manager Matt DeChagas said the company can't keep up with the demand for its quality brew. "If we had twice the equipment," DeChagas said, pointing to the microbrewing facility inside the restaurant, "we could sell all of the beer." In fact, management is working right now to expand the microbrewery.
The BarrelHouse restraurant and bar is a popular gathering ground for home brewing clubs and other microbrew fans. DeChagas says Cincinnatians have a fairly sophisticated beer palate.
"We have a lot of people committed to our beer," he said.
This loyal following also includes the college crowd, who is willing to pay a little more for the taste, he said. A foaming mug of BarrelHouse beer was probably kegged yesterday or the day before.
"Nothing sits around," DeChagas said.