The rise, fall, and rebirth of the legendary Wiedemann Brewing Company will be celebrated during German Heritage Night on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at historic Mecklenburg Gardens in Clifton.
The festivities kick off at 6 p.m. with a keg tapping of Wiedemann’s tasty Oktoberfest brew, stein-hoisting contests and prizes, and Mecklenburg’s mouth-watering pig roast buffet ($25 per person; drinks, tax, and tip not included).
Live entertainment will be provided by the always lively Alpen Echos, specializing in music to drink beer and dance by.
The evening will be highlighted by a presentation by local author and historian Don Heinrich Tolzmann who will be signing copies of his newly released book, George Wiedemann–Northern Kentucky’s Beer Baron: The Man and His Brewery.
The book focuses on the beer baron who founded the famed Wiedemann brewery, and the dynasty that presided over it for several generations, creating a legacy that ultimately inspired its recent rebirth. Founded in 1870, Wiedemann’s fine brews have been on the market in this region for almost 140 years, which is longer than any other local beer!
Tolzmann is the author of numerous books and articles on German-American history and Cincinnati’s beer culture, and is currently president of the German-American Citizens League of Greater Cincinnati and curator of its German Heritage Museum on West Fork Road. Copies of the book are available from the Little Miami Publishing Company ($12.95). To order, call: 513-576-9369, or email: info@littlemiamibooks.com.
Tolzmann is also a member of the Cincinnati Beer Barons Hall of Fame selection committee, which has not yet selected George Wiedemann for that honor.
Mecklenburg Gardens is located at 302 E. University Ave., just a few blocks from University Hospital in Clifton. Free parking in the lot behind the restaurant and on the street.