Christian Moerlein: The Man and His Brewery

In the nineteenth century, a German immigrant named Christian Moerlein (1818-97) built a brewing company that became an empire comprising several buildings that together took up a sizable portion of the northwest corner of Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine district. By the time of his death, it had become the largest brewery in Ohio and one of the five largest in the United States. Moerlein's phenomenal story lends credence to the American Dream and the belief that one could climb the ladder of success by means of hard work, thrift, and persistence. Although the Christian Moerlein Brewery did not survive Prohibition, the reputation of its founder has only increased in stature as Cincinnati's foremost Over-the-Rhine beer baron whose exceptional brews contributed greatly to Cincinnati's place in the annals of brewing history as a major brewing center.