Rhinegeist

Rhinegeist was founded by Bob Bonder and Bryant Goulding, who first met in 2005 when working together as business consultants in San Francisco. After Bob moved to Cincinnati in 2007, he called Bryant in August 2011 with an idea for a brewery in the city, which he thought was "a vacuum for locally brewed craft beer." After planning for several months, Bryant moved to Cincinnati in July 2012. Searching for a brewer, the duo found Jim Matt, a pharmaceutical chemist and homebrewing hobbyist. They tasted some of his homebrews, including two that would later evolve into Rhinegeist's Uncle and Truth beers, and decided to bring him on board. After securing funding from local investors, they leased a {{convert|25000|sqft|sqm|adj=mid}} building in Over-the-Rhine that had formerly served as Christian Moerlein Brewing's packaging hall. Construction work began in January 2013 and lasted until mid-2013.{{cite web |title=Our Story |url=https://rhinegeist.com/culture/our-story/ |website=Rhinegeist Brewery |access-date=17 August 2019 |language=en |df=mdy-all}}

Rhinegeist officially opened its doors to the public on June 29, 2013. Their lineup on opening day consisted of Uncle, Spikelet, Cougar, and Truth, which are a British mild ale, a hoppy wheat beer, a blonde ale, and an IPA respectively. They served around 2,500 customers on that day. They began opening their brewery taproom every Thursday through Sunday and distributing to local bars. By mid-July, they were distributing to about eight bars and were near the upper limit of their production capacity.{{cite web |last1=Brownfield |first1=Andy |title=New OTR brewery opens to thousands, loses a few pints |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/blog/2013/07/new-otr-brewery-opens-to-thousands.html |website=Cincinnati Business Courier |publisher=American City Business Journals |access-date=17 August 2019 |date=15 July 2013}}

Rhinegeist began selling its beer in cans in February 2014, starting with Cougar and Truth. They added a third beer, a session pale ale called Zen, to their can lineup in May.{{cite web |last1=Kern |first1=Jac |title=Rhinegeist Zen Now Available in Cans |url=https://www.citybeat.com/home/blog/13029946/rhinegeist-zen-now-available-in-cans |website=CityBeat Cincinnati |access-date=17 August 2019 |language=en |date=29 May 2014}} The cans were available in five Kroger supermarkets by July, and in 65 by September. In December, they announced plans to expand to Kentucky with a new distribution facility in Erlanger.{{cite web |last1=Pichler |first1=Josh |title=Rhinegeist expanding into Kentucky |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2014/12/06/rhinegeist-expanding-kentucky/19999019/ |website=Cincinnati Enquirer |publisher=Gannett Company |access-date=17 August 2019 |language=en |date=6 December 2014}} Market research firm IRI reported that Rhinegeist was the top new craft beer vendor of 2014 in U.S. supermarkets, based on $782,539 in supermarket sales. The brewery sold nearly 11,000 barrels of beer in 2014.{{cite web |last1=Steigerwald |first1=Shauna |title=Drink up: Rhinegeist tripling production |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2015/03/13/rhinegeist-brewery-reveals-expansion-plans/70275446/ |website=Cincinnati Enquirer |publisher=Gannett Company |access-date=17 August 2019 |language=en |date=13 March 2015 |df=mdy-all}}

By late 2014, the brewery and its founders started receiving national attention. In September 2014, Bryant Goulding was credited by GQ as a craft beer expert.{{cite web |last1=Steigerwald |first1=Shauna |title=Rhinegeist co-owner Bryant Goulding in GQ |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/nightlife/2014/09/22/rhinegeists-bryant-goulding-in-gq/16053589/ |website=Cincinnati Enquirer |publisher=Gannett Company |access-date=17 August 2019 |language=en |date=22 Sep 2014 |df=mdy-all}} In November 2014, Rhinegeist's Truth IPA was named to a list of the 100 best beers in the world by Men's Journal.{{cite web |last1=Brownfield |first1=Andy |title=Cincinnati beer named one of 100 best on the planet |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/blog/2014/11/cincinnati-beer-named-one-of-100-best-on-the.html |website=Cincinnati Business Courier |publisher=American City Business Journals |access-date=17 August 2019 |date=12 November 2014 |df=mdy-all}}

{{Vertical bar chart

|full_name = Rhinegeist annual beer production

|position = right

|height = 300px

|large_scale = 50000

|small_scale = 10000

|note = Measured in barrels produced (US bbl){{cite web |last1=Brownfield |first1=Andy |title=Rhinegeist's big third year by the numbers |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/02/27/rhinegeists-big-third-year-by-the-numbers.html |website=Cincinnati Business Courier |publisher=American City Business Journals |access-date=17 August 2019 |date=27 Feb 2017}}{{cite web |last1=Keith |first1=David |title=Rhinegeist to Launch New Beers, Expand Distribution, Implement ESOP |url=https://absolutebeer.com/news/rhinegeist-to-launch-new-beers-expand-distribution-implement-esop/ |website=Absolute Beer |access-date=18 January 2022 |date=30 January 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Cieslewicz |first1=Bill |title=Cincinnati brewery ranks among tops in U.S. for sales volume |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/04/08/cincinnati-brewery-ranks-among-largest-in-us-for.html |website=Cincinnati Business Courier |access-date=18 January 2022 |date=8 April 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Kingery |first1=Nikki |title=Rhinegeist to expand its reach into a new state |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2022/08/05/rhinegeist-to-expand-its-reach-into-a-new-state.html |access-date=April 8, 2023 |work=Cincinnati Business Courier |date=August 5, 2022 |language=en |url-access=subscription}}{{cite news |title=Largest Cincinnati Area Breweries |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/subscriber-only/2023/03/17/largest-cincinnati-area-breweries.html |access-date=April 8, 2023 |work=Cincinnati Business Courier |date=March 28, 2023 |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Ferrentino |first1=Isabella |title=Largest Cincinnati Area Breweries |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/subscriber-only/2024/03/15/largest-cincinnati-area-breweries.html |website=Cincinnati Business Courier |language=en |date=March 15, 2024}}

|2013|2000|2014|11000|2015|31470|2016|56500|2017|86242|2018|100302|2019|106000|2020|97381|2021|103500|2022|106140|2023|110000

}}

In March 2015, the brewery announced plans to install a new brewing system that would enable them to triple their production rate and expand into the Columbus market. In May 2015, they announced plans to open a {{convert|17000|sqft|sqm|adj=mid}} small-scale brewing facility in Columbus.{{cite web |last1=Eaton |first1=Dan |title=Fast-growing beer maker taps Columbus for small-scale brewery |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2015/05/26/cincinnati-beer-maker-taps-columbus-for-small.html |website=Columbus Business First |publisher=American City Business Journals |access-date=17 August 2019 |date=26 May 2015 |df=mdy-all}} They also expanded into hard ciders with the introduction of their new Cidergeist product line. They launched their first two ciders in their taproom in July before distributing them broadly to markets and restaurants in October.{{cite web |last1=Steigerwald |first1=Shauna |title=Tapping now: Hard cider from Rhinegeist |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2015/07/24/tapping-now-hard-cider--rhinegeist/30632689/ |website=Cincinnati Enquirer |publisher=Gannett Company |access-date=17 August 2019 |language=en |date=24 July 2015}}{{cite web |last1=Steigerwald |first1=Shauna |title=Rhinegeist's ciders hitting wider market |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2015/10/05/rhinegeists-ciders-hitting-wider-market/73225572/ |website=Cincinnati Enquirer |publisher=Gannett Company |access-date=17 August 2019 |language=en |date=5 Oct 2015}} By the end of 2015, they were selling beer and cider in Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, and parts of Kentucky, and IRI reported they had sold 31,470 barrels that year.{{cite web |last1=Furnari |first1=Chris |title=Rhinegeist Brewery Triples Production in 2015 |url=https://www.brewbound.com/news/rhinegeist-brewery-triples-production-in-2015 |website=Brewbound |access-date=17 August 2019 |date=8 February 2016 |df=mdy-all}}

Rhinegeist continued to expand its market reach over the years that followed. Rhinegeist arrived in Cleveland and Boston in fall of 2016.{{cite web |last1=Bona |first1=Marc |title=Rhinegeist Brewery of Cincinnati to enter Cleveland market |url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2016/08/rhinegeist_brewery_of_cincinna.html |website=Cleveland.com |access-date=17 August 2019 |date=5 August 2016 |df=mdy-all}}{{cite web |last1=Dzen |first1=Gary |title=Things aren't looking cloudy for Rhinegeist Brewery |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2016/09/22/things-aren-looking-cloudy-for-rhinegeist-brewery/sNZEmhlzQSFHIygkp9ktCP/story.html |website=The Boston Globe |access-date=17 August 2019 |date=22 September 2016 |df=mdy-all}} This was followed by Pittsburgh in March 2017, Indiana in July 2017, and Nashville in February 2019.{{cite web |title=Rhinegeist Brewery Expands Distribution to Pittsburgh |url=https://www.brewbound.com/news/rhinegeist-brewery-expands-distribution-pittsburgh |website=Brewbound |type=Press release |access-date=17 August 2019 |date=3 March 2017 |df=mdy-all}}{{cite web |last1=Haneline |first1=Amy |title=Cincy's Rhinegeist beer makes its way to Indy |url=https://www.indystar.com/story/life/food/2017/07/05/cincys-rhinegeist-beer-makes-its-way-indy/452041001/ |website=Indianapolis Star |publisher=Gannett Company |access-date=17 August 2019 |language=en |date=5 July 2017 |df=mdy-all}}{{cite web |title=Rhinegeist Brewery Expands Distribution to Nashville |url=https://www.brewbound.com/news/rhinegeist-brewery-expands-distribution-to-nashville |website=Brewbound |type=Press release |access-date=17 August 2019 |date=20 February 2019 |df=mdy-all}} In 2020 Rhinegeist expanded to East Tennessee and Wisconsin.{{Cite web|date=2020-01-29|title=Rhinegeist to Launch Hazy IPA and New Fruited Ale, Expand into Southern Wisconsin and Implement ESOP in 2020|url=https://www.brewbound.com/news/rhinegeist-to-launch-hazy-ipa-and-new-fruited-ale-expand-into-southern-wisconsin-and-implement-esop-in-2020/|access-date=2020-07-31|website=Brewbound}} According to founder Bryant Goulding, the company focuses its expansion on individual cities that are close to their existing markets, as a majority of their beer is self-distributed and must be delivered from their fleet of vans for freshness.{{cite web |last1=Faw |first1=Larissa |title=Meet The Millennial Who Used An Algorithm To Find His Dream Job |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/larissafaw/2017/03/13/meet-the-millennial-who-used-an-algorithm-to-find-his-dream-job/ |website=Forbes |access-date=17 August 2019 |language=en |date=13 March 2017 |df=mdy-all}}

The brewery's production and sales volume increased with the market growth. Their annual production increased to 56,500 barrels in 2016, 86,242 barrels in 2017, and 100,302 barrels in 2018.{{cite web |last1=Furnari |first1=Chris |title=Brewers Association Publishes 2017 Brewery Production Figures |url=https://www.brewbound.com/news/brewers-association-publishes-2017-brewery-production-figures |website=Brewbound |access-date=17 August 2019 |date=25 May 2018}} In 2017, Rhinegeist was 33rd in 2017 on the Brewers Association's list of the largest craft brewing companies by sales volume, and in 2018, they moved up to 28th on the list.{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Carrie Blackmore |title=It's official: Rhinegeist is one of America's largest producers of craft beer |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2018/03/14/rhinegeist-one-americas-largest-producers-craft-beer/424953002/ |website=Cincinnati Enquirer |publisher=Gannett Company |date=14 March 2018 |access-date=17 August 2019 |language=en |df=mdy-all}}

As Rhinegeist's availability was growing on a national level, so too was its popularity. In February 2016, Rhinegeist earned second place in a USA Today Readers' Choice New Breweries poll.{{cite web |last1=Sullivan |first1=Mallorie |title=Rhinegeist tops USA TODAY poll of best new breweries |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/nightlife/bars-and-clubs/2016/02/17/rhinegeist-tap-best-new-brewery-usa-today-poll/80518218/ |website=Cincinnati Enquirer |publisher=Gannett Company |access-date=17 August 2019 |language=en |date=17 February 2016 |df=mdy-all}} In March 2017, Forbes called Rhinegeist "arguably one of the hippest beer brands in the country." In April 2019, they were included on Thrillist's "32 Hottest Breweries in America Right Now."{{cite web |last1=Cieslewicz |first1=Bill |title=Raise a toast – Cincinnati brewery ranks among hottest in U.S. |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2019/04/03/raise-a-toast-cincinnati-brewery-ranks-among.html |website=Cincinnati Business Courier |publisher=American City Business Journals |access-date=17 August 2019 |date=3 Apr 2019}} In November 2019, they were included in Paste's "50 Best American Breweries of the 2010s."{{Cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2019/11/best-breweries-of-the-decade-2010s-american.html|title=The 50 Best American Breweries of the 2010s|last=Vorel|first=Jim|date=November 12, 2019|website=Paste|access-date=November 13, 2019}}

File:Rhinegeist Crash.jpg

Rhinegeist offers four beers, two fruited ales and two ciders in cans year-round.{{Cite web|title=Explore|url=https://rhinegeist.com/beer/explore/|access-date=2020-07-31|website=Rhinegeist Brewery|language=en}} Additionally, each year the brewery releases dozens of seasonal and limited canned, bottled and draft-only products. To date, it has released over 200 different beers and ciders.

• Truth (IPA) — recognized as one 100 best beers in the world by Men's Journal.{{Cite news|url=https://www.mensjournal.com/food-drink/the-100-best-beers-in-the-world/our-picks-in-2015-w445703/|title=The 100 Best Beers in the World, 2016|date=2016-11-07|work=Men's Journal|access-date=2018-11-09|language=en-US|df=mdy-all}}
• Juicy Truth (Hazy Juicy IPA)
• Knowledge (Imperial IPA)
• Cheetah (Lager)
• Geist Tea (Hard Craft Tea)
• Bubbles (Fruited Ale)
• Zappy (Cider)
• Swizzle (Cider){{Cite web|url=https://www.brewbound.com/news/rhinegeist-brewery-expands-distribution-to-nashville|title=Rhinegeist Brewery Expands Distribution to Nashville|date=2019-02-20|website=Brewbound|access-date=2019-03-05|df=mdy-all}}

File:MLS2Cincy announcement - Carl Lindner III with crowd (27573755697).jpg being awarded a Major League Soccer franchise.]]

Rhinegeist's main brew hall and taproom are located in a {{convert|25,000|sqft|sqm}} facility in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati. The taproom is open seven days a week and is open to all ages, offering games such as corn hole.{{cite web |title=Visit Us |url=https://rhinegeist.com/visit-us/ |website=Rhinegeist Brewery |access-date=17 August 2019 |language=en |df=mdy-all}} In late 2015, Rhinegeist opened a rooftop bar at the facility which is restricted to patrons 21 or older.{{cite web |last1=Steigerwald |first1=Shauna |title=Sneak peek: Rhinegeist's new rooftop deck |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/nightlife/bars-and-clubs/2015/10/29/saturday-rhinegeist-sneak-peek-new-rooftop-deck/74806032/ |website=Cincinnati Enquirer |publisher=Gannett Company |access-date=17 August 2019 |language=en |date=29 October 2015 |df=mdy-all}} Rhinegeist's brew hall can also be rented out for private events; in the brewery's first five years, it hosted more than 250 weddings and more than 750 events.

In May 2018, Cincinnati Museum Center opened an exhibit of a Galeamopus dinosaur skeleton in Rhinegeist's brew hall.{{cite web |last1=Motsinger |first1=Carol |title=There are now dinosaur bones at Rhinegeist Brewery in Cincinnati |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2018/05/15/heres-why-there-dinosaur-bones-rhinegeist/612461002/ |website=Cincinnati Enquirer |publisher=Gannett Company |access-date=17 August 2019 |language=en |date=15 May 2018}} On May 29, 2018, Rhinegeist hosted the event announcing FC Cincinnati's acceptance into Major League Soccer as an expansion franchise.{{cite web |last1=Brennan |first1=Pat |title=FC Cincinnati will play its inaugural MLS season in 2019 |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/soccer/fc-cincinnati/2018/05/29/its-official-fc-cincinnati-has-joined-mls-begin-play-2019/652201002/ |website=Cincinnati Enquirer |publisher=Gannett Company |access-date=17 August 2019 |language=en |date=29 May 2018}}

Rhinegeist hosts an annual, invitational beer festival called Rare Beer Fest.{{Cite web|url=https://wearebrewstuds.com/stories/news/craft-beer-2nd-annual-rare-fest-proves-sequels-lit/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181227040652/https://wearebrewstuds.com/stories/news/craft-beer-2nd-annual-rare-fest-proves-sequels-lit/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=December 27, 2018|title=Second Annual Rare Beer Fest Will Prove Sequels Can Rival The Original|date=2018-08-29|website=Brew Studs|access-date=2018-12-26|df=mdy-all}} Participating breweries are asked to bring their rarest products, which are sampled by ticket holders over the course of two sessions.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thegnarlygnome.com/2018/08/rhinegeists-rare-beer-fest-returns-for-year-two/|title=Rhinegeist's Rare Beer Fest Returns For Year Two|date=2018-08-30|website=The Gnarly Gnome|access-date=2018-12-26|df=mdy-all}} Past participating breweries include 21st Amendment Brewery, Allagash Brewing Company, Bell's Brewery, Brooklyn Brewery and Mikkeller.{{Cite news|url=https://www.citybeat.com/food-drink/drink/blog/21020143/rhinegeist-announces-return-of-rare-beer-festival-with-some-additions|title=Rhinegeist Announces Return of Rare Beer Festival, with Some Additions|work=CityBeat Cincinnati|access-date=2018-11-09|language=en|df=mdy-all}}

{{reflist}}

• {{official website|https://rhinegeist.com/}}
• [https://www.citybeat.com/home/article/13005356/ripe-for-resurrection "Ripe for Resurrection: How Rhinegeist Brewery breathes new life into Cincinnati's historic Brewery District"] by Adam Sievering in Cincinnati CityBeat (magazine)
• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20170207203154/http://wearebrewstuds.com/features/craft-beer-growth-rhinegeist-how-one-ohios-largest-craft-breweries-defying-national-trends/ "Growth Of The Ghost: How One Of Ohio's Largest Craft Breweries Is Defying National Trends"]}} by Jeremy Fultz in {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20150510231951/http://www.wearebrewstuds.com/ Brew Studs (website)]}}

Category:Beer brewing companies based in Ohio

Category:2013 establishments in Ohio

Category:Tourist attractions in Cincinnati

Category:Manufacturing companies based in Cincinnati

Category:Food and drink companies established in 2013

Category:American beer brands

Category:Over-the-Rhine