Reds Opening Day: Taft's Ale House, Lachey's Bar join the party for first time

Blessing of the Beers!

CINCINNATI -- By 9:15 a.m. Opening Day, more than 150 people had already settled into Taft’s Ale House, sipping beers and getting a firsthand look at Cincinnati’s newest brewery.

Well, it’s 5 o’clock, somewhere, right?

For Taft’s, Opening Day has a double meaning. As Reds fans celebrate the start of the season, it’s also the official first day of business for the old church-turned-brewpub at 1429 Race St. in Over-the-Rhine.

With hundreds of thousands of people flocking Downtown for the Findlay Market Opening Day Parade, the Reds’ game vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates and other related events, longtime local bars and restaurants are accustomed to the overflow of fans. But for newcomers marking their first Opening Day, such as Taft’s, the experience is brand-new.