Little Kings Beer: Cincinnati's Best Places To Buy

Little Kings is a sweet cream ale that is now back on shelves and back to its original recipe. It is light in volume but full of flavor, with a refreshing and subtle sweetness. The 7-ounce bottle was first created in 1958 when the draught beer cooler broke down at Cincinnati's Montgomery Inn. The small bottles were perfect for customers who wanted a sidecar chaser for their bourbon boilermakers without buying full-sized bottles. Today, Little Kings is brewed in Over-the-Rhine, and you can find it in stores, bars, and more throughout Cincinnati.

Little Kings Brewery

The story of Little Kings began when the draught beer cooler broke down at Cincinnati's renowned Montgomery Inn, a popular spot for blue-collar workers to unwind after a long day. With refrigeration being unreliable at the time, the patrons' usual boilermakers—a combination of a shot of whiskey and a sidecar chaser of beer—were temporarily unavailable. Ed Schoenling, a prominent beer seller at the Inn, and his wife, Irma, came up with a creative solution. They decided to put their Schoenling cream ale, known for its subtle sweetness, into 7-ounce bottles, making it the perfect size for a sidecar chaser.

The little bottles quickly gained popularity, not just in Cincinnati but also in other parts of Ohio, Chicago, the Upper Midwest, and even California. The cream ale, with its slightly higher alcohol content of 5.5%, was brewed on Central Parkway. In the following decades, the brand changed hands several times, with different companies acquiring the brewery and its facilities. In 2004, Greg Hardman, the owner of Christian Moerlein Brewing, brought Little Kings back to Cincinnati, where it is now brewed in Over-the-Rhine.

Today, Little Kings Brewery continues to be a beloved part of Cincinnati's beer culture, with its unique bottles and refreshing cream ale. The beer's versatility pairs well with various dishes, and its small size makes it perfect for a quick drink that stays cold until the very last drop. Little Kings has become an integral part of the city's social scene, with many residents having their own stories and memories associated with the iconic little bottles.

Christian Moerlein Brewing

The Christian Moerlein Brewing Company was founded in 1853 in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighbourhood by a Bavarian immigrant and blacksmith, Christian Moerlein. Moerlein loved brewing hearty, European beers, and his beers were awarded top honours wherever they were exhibited. The company's beers were not only popular in Cincinnati but were also exported to Europe and South America.

After Christian Moerlein's death in 1897, the company continued operating until America's prohibition period forced its closure. The Moerlein brand was reintroduced to Cincinnati in 1981, and the updated beer rode the leading edge of the craft beer revolution. It became the first beer to certifiably pass the strict Reinheitsgebot Bavarian Purity Law of 1516, containing only four ingredients: malted barley, hops, water, and yeast.

In 2004, the company was purchased by Cincinnati resident and Beer Baron Gregory Hardman, who maintains the same guidelines of true quality and great taste set by the brewery's founder. Today, the Moerlein Lager House, located in the dynamic Smale Riverfront Park, is a working microbrewery producing a full line of Moerlein craft brews. The menu features inspired 19th-century dishes alongside guest brews and freshly brewed award-winning Christian Moerlein beer. With an extensive bourbon selection, an expanded wine list, and signature cocktails, there is something for everyone at the Moerlein Lager House.

Montgomery Inn

Little Kings Beer is a sweet cream ale that was originally brewed by the Schoenling Brewery in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is said that the beer was first created when the draught beer cooler broke down at Cincinnati's famous Montgomery Inn in 1958. The patrons at the Inn enjoyed the Schoenling Cream Ale as a sidecar chaser for their bourbon boilermakers, but they didn't want to buy full-sized bottles. Thus, the 7-ounce Little Kings Beer was born.

Over the years, Montgomery Inn has expanded its reach, offering its signature sauces and seasonings in grocery stores across the country. This expansion has allowed fans of the Inn's cuisine to recreate their favourite dishes at home, sharing the taste of Montgomery Inn with family and friends. The Inn's success and longevity are a testament to the quality of their food and their dedication to satisfying the taste buds of their patrons.

So, while you can enjoy a refreshing Little Kings Beer at various locations in Cincinnati, Montgomery Inn holds a special place in the history of this unique brew. The combination of Montgomery Inn's delectable ribs and Little Kings Beer creates a perfect pairing, offering a true taste of Cincinnati's culinary culture.

Schoenling Brewery

The Schoenling Brewing Company was established in 1934 in Cincinnati, Ohio, a city with a thriving beer industry. It was family-owned and quickly became a staple for locals, despite competition from other local brands. In 1958, Schoenling introduced its 'Little Kings' cream ale, which helped the brewery grow to sizes that rivalled the biggest modern breweries in the city.

In the 1970s and 1980s, many regional breweries in Cincinnati began to consolidate and merge. In 1986, Schoenling merged with the Hudepohl Brewing Company, becoming the Hudepohl-Schoenling Brewing Company. This merger marked the end of Cincinnati's independence from the national brands that were infiltrating the market. The Schoenling plant at 1625 Central Parkway became the main site of beer production for the combined company from 1987 onwards.

The Hudepohl-Schoenling Brewing Company continued to operate independently in Cincinnati until 1997 when it was sold to the Boston Beer Company, brewers of Samuel Adams Beer. The Schoenling Brewery was renamed the "Samuel Adams Brewery" and the contract with Boston Beer Company continued until 2001.

Today, the Hudepohl-Schoenling Brewing Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Christian Moerlein Brewing Company, and the Little Kings brand lives on.

Cincinnati, Ohio

Little Kings is a beer with a long history in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was originally brewed in the city by the Schoenling Brewery and was launched in 1958. Legend has it that the sweet cream ale in its iconic small bottle was created when the draught beer cooler broke down at Cincinnati's famous Montgomery Inn. As refrigeration was unreliable at the time, the bar's blue-collar patrons, who usually drank boilermakers (a shot of whiskey with a sidecar chaser of beer), were offered Schoenling cream ale in 7-ounce bottles instead of from the keg. The small bottles proved popular and the beer took off.

Little Kings is now brewed by the Christian Moerlein Brewing Company, which brought the brand back to Cincinnati after production moved out of the city in 2001. The beer is available to buy in stores and bars across Cincinnati, with the Little Kings website recommending that customers keep an eye on its bottle finder to see where they can get it.

Little Kings can be purchased at the following locations in Cincinnati:

• Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace
• Lunar Brewing Company
• Missing Jimmy's
• Wine Dive
• Findlay Market
• Bobby's Beer Garden
• Oxford Bowling
• Untappd at Home

The beer is also available at the Christian Moerlein brewery in Over-the-Rhine, where you can take a tour of the Little Kings bottling line.

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