ArtWorks to toast 100th mural with Taft’s Ale House beer
When ArtWorks toasts the completion of its 100th mural, “The Cincinnati Cobra,” it will do so with a new Taft’s Ale House beer by the same name.
A celebration of the mural, which features world heavyweight boxing champion Ezzard Charles, will take place 1-3 p.m. Saturday at the mural site, 1537 Republic St. in Over-the-Rhine.
The new beer, The Cincinnati Cobra Pale Ale, will be tapped just prior to the start of the event, at 12:45 p.m.
State Rep. Christine Kuhns will proclaim Oct. 3 “Ezzard Charles Day” in honor of the mural dedication.
Mayor John Cranley, ArtWorks CEO and artistic director Tamara Harkavy, and mural designer Jason Snell will also speak at the event, which is free and open to the public.
Taft’s Ale House head brewer and partner Kevin Moreland said he appreciates ArtWorks’ efforts to beautify the neighborhood and wanted to get involved with the group. (Taft’s is about two blocks away, at 1429 Race St.)
Beer already has a tie-in with ArtWorks, as the nonprofit is adding more projects at and north of Liberty Street, in the Brewery District. Teresa Hoelle, vice president of institutional advancement, said the organization has invested $1.2 million in projects in that area.
And last fall, Christian Moerlein brewed Henry Holtgrewe Cincinnati Strongman Porter to celebrate ArtWorks’ mural of the man once known as the “world’s strongest.”
For the new Cincinnati Cobra Pale Ale, which ArtWorks board members helped brew, Moreland chose an American Pale Ale. He’s been researching that style, which he said fits with Taft’s Americana branding and with Charles’ story. The Georgia native’s grandmother raised him in the West End, and he attended Woodward High School before rising to boxing fame.
The beer, which Moreland hopes to brew year-round, is based on classic pale ale recipes and uses Citra hops, he said.
Immediately following Saturday’s mural celebration, the beer will be featured at a happy hour at Taft’s, with proceeds to benefit ArtWorks. A T-shirt, designed by mural artist Snell, will also be sold to benefit the nonprofit.
Moreland said he hopes to build on Taft’s relationship with ArtWorks – and maybe even have a William Howard Taft mural in the neighborhood someday.
“The Cincinnati Cobra” is ArtWorks’ 11th mural so far this year. The nonprofit launched the mural program in partnership with the city of Cincinnati in 2007.
Shauna Steigerwald, ssteigerwald@enquirer.com