Urban Artifact

First time here, I knew it was mostly sour beers, so I was fine with that. Sampled six beers, 2 were not sour ones. I liked all of them fine, but nothing stood out as outstanding. I did really like the space though. Plenty of seating in the 2 rooms in the basement and a stage with a band playing. There are also board games you can play. I would like to see the upstairs (the actual church part). I didn’t venture into the ladies room, but my friend did and was totally grossed out. Most of the toilets were clogged and the one that wasn’t, the seat was loose. I’m happy that they have repurposed an old church and the music line up is pretty good, I’d like to come back as their beer selection grows.

An amazing addition to the growing brewery scene in Cincinnati. Urban Artifact specializes in «sour beers», which I personally really loved trying. They have cocktail and wine options as well for those friends you’re always trying to bring along to your favorite beer scene, but are always concerned that they’ll complain that there’s nothing there for them.
Urban Artifact has a really neat aesthetic and a great monthly live music and events line up posted along a big wall by the bar. With acts ranging from the Blue Wisp Jazz Band to local singers and bands, there’s pretty much something that can appeal to everyone.

The vaulted ceiling in the upstairs space is my favorite part of this venue. Even more so than the beer! It’s beautifully weathered and is rented out for events like one I recently attended. The beer is sour and it’s intentional I’m told? Why someone would specialize in what tasted «citrusy» is beyond me. I had a few I
didn’t like the Finn and got a growler to go of something I did like (tennebaum?) that was less sour. I like that they have the old school board games there. I saw an Othello board but I knew no one would be able to beat me so I didn’t even bother. The bar and tables are awesome! Single slices of oak cut lengthwise from the tree give this place a modern touch for it to be in such an old church. It felt weird drinking beer in a church at first and I thought that maybe if the sold wine it would feel more natural! I’m a weirdo and I know it. The place was cool though. Id go again.

The beer was so-​so and the space is a little odd. It’s more a music venue with some beer to drink. It’s furnished kind of sparingly given the size of the place. Looks like they have a full live music calendar and it would be a good sized room for a local band to play. But, as a brewery alone, they didn’t have anything that stood out.

This is a fun brewery specializing in sour beers in an old church in Cincy. Church breweries are really turning into «a thing» and my husband loves sours so we figured we’d give it a try.
I haven’t been able to make myself like sours at all, so I can’t speak to their specialty. I can, however, talk up their cherry beer and their seasonal stout, which were both delicious. The cherry beer (Cherry Pie) wasn’t too sweet at all, but it did have a really nice pie type flavor to it. Actually pretty refreshing. The seasonal stout was a gorgeous heavy beer with a good amount of spice to it.
The space is a re-​purposed church gym, and they’ve kept a lot of the old décor elements while making functional upgrades here and there. The result is a nice mesh of new, warmer wood elements and old church tile which oddly enough ends up working well.
They often have live music, and I’d like to go back to check it out some time.

Urban Artifact has the most unique setting of any brewery I’ve ever been to. I didn’t get any history about the church itself unfortunately, but we did mistakenly walk into the wrong part of the building and got to look around. I hope they have plans to do something the with upstairs portion — it holds a lot of promise. The brewery is located in the basement and has a cozy little set up. The tables looked to be reclaimed wood and the bar stools were adorned with their logo, which was pretty nifty. As strange as it sounds, I was really happy with how spacious their bathrooms were. Too often, I come to bars/​breweries and the restrooms feel cramped. They don’t serve food, but they did have snacks in you’re in a pinch. The beer was relatively unique. I enjoyed their Cherry Pie — a tart cherry gose with vanilla the best. They offered about 10 different varieties and all were decent. Overall, I was quite content with my experience and it was worth hanging out in Cincy all day waiting for them to open.

There are pretty much only sour beers on the menu, so please keep that in mind before you go here. Sour beers aren’t for everyone. I enjoy sours and was looking forward to checking this place out. I was a little disappointed to find the tasting room was in the «church basement» part — I was really hoping to see the main church area, I guess the way Taft’s Ale House is. Anyway, the beers were pretty good. I really liked some of them a lot, but then some I wasn’t a huge fan of, but that’s kind of how sours go. I do like that they have live music every night (or at least it appears to be every night). Check it out!

I do enjoy visiting Urban Artifact which is doing well developing it’s own niche on wild and tart beers. The cool thing about the brewery is that it allows patrons to also make their own creations if they wish, by introducing their own flavors. I have not done that as of yet as I have found the original versions rather tasty in themselves. A recommendation for the first timer here would be to start with flights, so you can test the various offerings. And if unsure, then ask for a taste which they will gladly provide. A great uniqueness now available in the Northside area.

The beer is different. But that’s what is so awesome. Go into it expecting some sourness and you will find a beer you like. The bartenders are great, the live music is fantastic and the capabilities of this location have yet to be unveiled.
Don’t come here if you aren’t interested in exploring different beers and only stick with InBev IPAs (boo).
The owners pour their heart and soul into this place and is it seen with the eye as well as noticeable in the beer. Keep it up!

I am a fan of sours so this place was wonderful to me. I really enjoyed the beers and I liked the taproom. It is a kind of beer that may not be for everyone but it hit the spot for me.

Please… Be ready for what this Brewery is when you walk in the door. You will not find «normal» or «mainstream» beers when you step foot in Urban Artifact’s subterranean taproom. This is a place that celebrates «Wild Culture» with a selection of wild and tart beers that will challenge the palate of many beer drinkers.
This is a good thing… Different is good for this city.
Yes, the taproom is in the basement of a church, and if that surprises you, it’s very possible that you are missing what the bigger picture of the complex is about. This a destination, meant to be as much about gathering, live music, and good food as it is about beer. Beer is merely the first piece of a very large puzzle.
That being said… I love the beer.

I’m a big fan of Urban Artifact. In wandering around with a friend a few months ago, we ended up inside– trying beer, taking a tour, and generally feeling energized by this newly established brewery. The tap room is part music venue with stage, part hang out space. There are stools at the bar, tables near the walls, and places to stand. I’ve only ever come by at ‘off’ times for a bar crowd– but it’s been lovely.
I like sours and less traveled beer profiles, so the beer is a big hit for me. I like the idea of the flavored syrups in case sours are not your jam, but I didn’t really know how to use them and not ruin my drink, so keep that in mind.
My most recent trip here a few weeks ago was for an afternoon out with my husband. We played games, sampled some brews, and colored (that may be for kids, but grandma had our son and it seemed like a good use of my time to space out, without just sleeping on the bar top!).
My husband isn’t as big a fan of the sour style, but he found a few he did like. I think it’s wise that there are guest taps and the root beer, in case you just aren’t finding something to suit your pallet.
In sum, I’ll be back for more beer and another low key time in the church basement.

I am in love with local Brews and unique beers, and this place has both! Not only do they have live jazz music in the basement of an old church, but they serve a range of sour beers that I can honestly say I have never had before. We went to check them out once we heard they would be featuring beers at Clifton Big Night Out in May, and again in July, and we had no trouble finding a place to park on the streets nearby. When you walk down into the basement you are greeted with living edge bars to enjoy your drink and great, live local music. They had several beers on tap, including Nitro, and they all had something different going on. The Harrow is my favorite, after trying all the different ones we had ordered in our group, for its complex taste, sourness and a taste of salt at the end. Now I know people say «I can only have 1 and then I am done» but we had a few throughout the night and never lost its luster.
They are open:
Monday — Thursday: 4pm — 12am
Friday: 4pm — 1:30am
Saturday: 12pm — 1:30am
Sunday: 12pm — 12am
They even offer tours, which I hear are pretty cool, every Saturday and Sunday at 1:00pm and 3:00pm each day. Their website says «Show up at the taproom and let the bartender know you’re interested. Limited to 12 persons per trip and we’ll have samples to taste during the tour. Call ahead if you want to schedule a larger crowd — we’ll gladly accommodate!»
This place is just starting out and they plan to turn the main sanctuary into a music venue, which will be a great addition to Northside and our neighborhoods at large. If you like supporting local breweries and want to try something new, check out this new addition to Cincy’s long Brew Scene.

Sour beers galore! If you are into sours then this place is for you! The venue is neat — it’s located in the bottom of an old church in the Northside area which is quite up and coming. In addition to the sour beers, they also serve homemade sodas (tonight’s selection was an orange soda and ginger ale).
The only food is whatever outside venue wants to come and serve so don’t bring an appetite just yet. Rumor has it that Meatball Kitchen is moving in next door… This is definitely a place to keep an eye on for future visits!

What a great addition to the already staggeringly growing Cincinnati Brewery Scene. Not only do they have great live music, including Jazz many nights a week, but their beer is some of the tastiest I have had in Cincinnati. No doubt it has a different product than the other places… well… anywhere, but it is worthy of exploration.
First off, the space is pretty awesome. Their taproom is in the basement under the church (the church will be a live music venue for larger act — Coming SOON!). It is decorated in a way that makes it unique while also paying homage to the roots of the building/​property. In the music area, they have padded walls (to help with the sound) covered in random pieces of the old gym floor from the gym. It makes for a brilliant re-​use of what probably would have just have been discarded.
They have rotating taps that will change as they brew new beer. Their two mainstays the Finn and Harrow are both great. They had the Finn available on Nitro tonight and I think it really opened it up and allowed you to taste all the flavors (which were many). They are both great and are a great place to start for the newbies. You can get a real feel for the unique flavor profile that their beers have.
One of my favorites of this night was a bourbon barrel beer that had just a hint of their «sourness». It tasted and smelled to me like a Manhattan (the cocktail). It was the bourbon flavor and smell mixed with the fruity and sour/​sweet taste of a single maraschino cherry. I loved it! I found it to be unbelievably complex and drinkable (even at 7% alcohol). As you are tasting the beers, you will find hints (or heaps) of the «sourness». This comes from the yeast that they use to make the beer. I found it absolutely drinkable, and 100% enjoyable. A new taste that you don’t get much in Cincinnati (outside of a few brewers who dabble). I was a little worried that the beers would all taste the same, but they really all have unique characteristics that make a flight here something I would definitely consider.
I applaud the guys who took a chance because I think with future expansion (and the addition of a restaurant next door), this Northside Brewery will be a hit. I would get there now before people start getting a taste for this unique and wild beer and you won’t be able to get a table or chair, which has become typical in Cincinnati breweries.

Well… I was excited to try this new barewery or whatever you want to call these craft beer «warehouses» popping up all over town.
The location is quite interesting with it being an old church. The bar is in the basement with an entrance from the side. They also have a roped off area with grass and a fire pit where you can enjoy your beverage outdoors. I think this could be very fun in the evenings and would like to come back to experience this.
This is a new place, and my review doesn’t exactly take this into consideration. I expect it to increase as a few things get sorted out. For example, there’s a lot of space in the open area around the bar, but seating and bar tops are sparse and a bit of an odd choice. For example, there are a couple longer stand-​up counter tops in the middle, with long benches next to the walls (but no tables for your drinks. Then there is a live entertainment area that is easily 50% of the total space with small tables and chairs set up. However, I’d guess they would want some area potentially for dancing… Though I do think the live music is a nice touch.
The menu behind the bar is hard to read and even harder to understand. Not everything is listed and there is a lot going on. First off, they have the «tart» section which is expected to be kept fairly standard. They have a few different styles here and all are very sour. Not a little sour. Very sour. I’m not a huge sour beer fan, so I would struggle to drink all night or come back often if this is the only option. Sure, they offer a variety of flavored syrup water in squeezable condiment style plastic containers. I’m just not much of a fan of ordering a sour beer and then squeezing syrup into it. One of these is a coffee kodiak which was more tart than coffee to me. I didn’t exactly enjoy it and I typically love coffee beer.
The other side of the bar menu is «wild» which is a collection of one off beers and ideas they are testing. They had one that was infused with fir needles and tasted a bit like drinking a sour Christmas tree. That was some people’s thing, but I guess it wasn’t mine. They also had one called Thoroughbred which was aged in a bourbon barrel. This was one of your more «normal» or conventional style beers and they desperately need more options like this to draw a diverse, regular crowd after the sour beer + syrup novelty wears off. It was delicious! It tasted like some poured a shot of bourbon into my beer. Unfortunately it was sold out after one glass. They informed me that all the bourbon barrel aged beers sold out rapidly. I mentioned this was a good opportunity to learn their customers’ preferences and cater to them.
They have some non alcoholic beverages such as ginger ale on tap, hop water, coffee and a few others. They also have nitro beer, which I’m not a huge fan of, but it does add a creaminess to the beer. But, bitter and sour and creamy isn’t really my thing either.
The food options were virtually non-​existent which is a problem many of these bar breweries have in common. I’m guessing they will often have a food truck outside?
You can taste the beer, but tastes are $ 2 ea. Also, this was not clear on the menu, but they offer flights of beer which are reasonable and help you decide what you like. Overall, we had a good bit of beer, we all found at least one thing we enjoyed and didn’t end up spending all that much.
There is some charm in all the reused/​reclaimed items, like keeping the kitchen vent hood over the toilets in the men’s restroom, or the old radiators along the bar front.
I’m guessing that they can easily make this a great spot with a few minor tweaks.

I will preface this by saying that I love, love, love sour beer. It is my absolute favorite style. There is no way I could not give this place a great review since they only produce sour beer. I have been waiting for a place like this for years.
The space is large and nicely adorned (although as others have mentioned it does retain a bit of a church basement feel, stirring memories for those of us who went to catholic school). There is a really cool stage where a psychedelic jam band was playing the Friday I attended. The sound system and stage lighting were impressive and on par with a music venue, rather than the typical bar set-​up.
I only got to try two beers on my first visit, Finn and Kodiak (on nitro). Both were really tasty. In my opinion, Urban Artifact and Taft’s Ale House are the best of the new breweries in the area and both have really hit the ground running with the quality of their initial offerings.

When I heard they opened up a Brewery in Northside, I could not wait to visit and try their beers. Taproom is in the church which was first known as St. Patrick, then, later, St. Pius X.
Loved the stained glass, and the preserved Maple flooring. The 1930s lamps and iron radiators that were once used to heat the basement have become fixtures in the tap room.
What to expect at this brewery is tart and wild beers which is brewed with wild yeast, bacteria or both. The bartender was VERY helpful and let us sample the beers before we made our decision. I ended up with the Kodiak which is best described as a tart brown ale. They have homemade syrups (raspberry or regular) at the bars that you can squirt and stir to your liking. This helps takes the tartness away.
My second favorite is also their Coffee Kodiak (love the smell of the fresh coffee aroma on the beer). My husband had the barrel-​aged Kentucky.
I liked their beers, but I can only drink one. Let’s just say you have to have an acquired taste for sour beers.
I enjoyed my time there and would return.
It is very spacious and has plenty of seating (you can bring food inside as well).
The setting/​mood of the bar is relaxing/​laid back.
They mentioned that are going to have more selections of beers.
Overall it was a good experience, but different.

Such a great addition to Cincinnati growing craft beer scene. All the beers (or at least all that we tried) were sours — which are my favorite. I will say that sour beers probably aren’t for everyone, so if you know you don’t like them, it might not be worth trying. Even though this is in the basement of the old church, not the sanctuary itself, they’ve including really unique design elements that makes it feel modern — think recycled gym floor as the menu board and old pipes and wood for the tables.
The upstairs space is supposed to be opening in the fall as a music venue which will be really cool. I’ve also heard that Meatball Kitchen may be moving in (not sure if it will be part of the space or next door) permanently in the next few months.

I was very excited to try out this brewery. Old church, beer, live music… Yes please! I was disappointed when we arrived to see the brewery was in the bottom of an old church. Anyone who attended Catholic school will immediately flash back to indoor recess in the under crofts. I was hoping for arching ceilings and stained glass windows, but it felt more like a basement.
And the beer is SOUR. I like a good craft brew, but the beer was not something I could drink. They do not offer any more mainstream beers, so I had one beer and was ready to move on.
The best parts of this venue were the live music and the outdoor patio area. I heard rumblings that the upstairs of the church was becoming a larger concert venue. I may come back for a band I like, but I won’t be a regular at this brewery.