Over-the-Rhine, an area known for its rich brewing heritage, is set to welcome a fresh addition to its repertoire of beer-focused establishments. Mellotone Beer Project, a joint venture by craft beer industry veterans, is slated to occupy the space once held by Taft’s Ale House at 1429 Race St., making its debut later this year. The Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC), which revitalized the once-church structure, has found new tenants in Dennis Kramer-Wine, previously with Rhinegeist Brewery, and Alexandra Nowell, formerly of Three Weavers in Los Angeles, as reported by WCPO.
Following the closure of Taft's Ale House in November 2023, an establishment that long sat as a landmark in the neighborhood for eight years, the quest for a fitting replacement has culminated with the signing of a lease for the expansive 12,345-square-foot locale, according to information sourced from Bizjournals. Kramer-Wine's transition from director of culture and founding director of distribution at Rhinegeist Brewery, coupled with Nowell's brewing expertise seems poised to deliver a new chapter in the city's craft beer narrative, and as Kramer-Wine enthused in a press release obtained by WCPO, "When we learned that 1429 Race Street was available, we were on a call with 3CDC the very next day, and we're thrilled with the partnership, location, and amazing space that we found."
The Mellotone Beer Project is not just another taproom but promises a blend of "fresh and uncomplicated beers," a departure from an industry sometimes caught up in layers of complexity. Complementing its brews, Mellotone will feature a scratch kitchen under the culinary lead of Brendan Martin, who made his reputation at Boca Restaurant Group, as the details emerged in the press release by 3CDC detailed by WCPO.
Nowell's experience melding with Kramer-Wine's vision for Mellotone suggests a harmony of ambition and craft, "Both personally and professionally, (Kramer-Wine and I) were a great match – very complementary of one another," Nowell said in a statement reported by WCPO, and as the anticipation for Mellotone's grand opening mounts, Cincinnati beer enthusiasts will mark their calendars for November when the doors will swing open to reveal what Kramer-Wine and Nowell have been brewing behind the gothic façades of their new beer sanctuary.
