Wandering Monsters Offers Beer, BBQ, and Room for the Whole Family
At Wandering Monsters Brewery & BBQ in Anderson Township, the visit begins with a sense of welcome. Set along Beechmont Avenue, the brewery combines craft beer, BBQ, duckpin bowling, outdoor seating, and family-friendly activity in a way that feels lively but still comfortable. With a bounce house for children and enough space for adults to relax over a flight, Wandering Monsters feels built for groups who want more than a quick drink at the bar.
The brewery opened in July 2023 with founder Jason Brewer, a Cincinnati native whose interest in craft beer developed through Cincinnati Beerfest and his work with Listermann Brewing. Head Brewer Zac Boehnke, Head of Hospitality Mark Farris, and Kitchen Operations Manager Mike Georgiton help give the brewery its balance of thoughtful brewing, good food, and relaxed hospitality.
On our visit, two flights between the two of us offered a broad look at the tap list. The beers moved from crisp and easy-drinking to fuller, hoppier, fruit-forward styles. The playful names give Wandering Monsters personality, but the beers themselves show careful attention to ingredients, balance, and finished flavor.
Kapowski, an amber ale brewed with crystal malts and Cascade hops, gave the flight a strong start. Medium-dark amber in color, it carried a sweet floral aroma, toasted malt, caramel, and a slight citrus edge, with enough brightness to keep the finish clean and easy. Bossie, the brewery’s Wisconsin Ale, was lighter and easygoing, but still aromatic and flavorful, with a clean profile and gentle fruitiness from the yeast.
Monsters Genuine Draft was one of the visit’s best surprises. Bright gold, effervescent, balanced, and more flavorful than its light color suggested, it delivered the easy drinkability expected from a very light lager while still giving the sample real character. At 3.5% ABV, it was clean and satisfying, a beer that could easily fit a long afternoon on the patio.
Hefegriff, the German-style hefeweizen, added a welcome wheat-beer contrast. Brewed with German Pilsner, wheat, and Munich malts, it is described by the brewery in terms of classic hefeweizen yeast character. Our tasting leaned toward spice, mild grain, earthiness, and a warm aromatic quality, giving the lineup another texture beyond malt, hops, and citrus.
The IPA side of the flight brought the brightest flavors. Neon Squid, an Austin IPA brewed with seven hop varieties, offered peach, nectarine, and orange-citrus notes with enough dryness and moderate bitterness to keep the sweeter notes in check. Maxwell & Coney Go To A Ballgame, a Hop Butcher Double IPA, was citrusy and less sweet than several of the others, giving the flight a useful contrast.
The fullest pours came from the Double New England IPAs. Monster Chili Cheese Coney, brewed with Hop Butcher for the World, was one of the most enjoyable samples. Sweet citrus came through clearly, but the beer stayed balanced and surprisingly easy to drink for the style, with tropical fruit and lime notes matching the brewery’s general description. Hullbreaker, brewed in collaboration with Finback, was creamier and more layered, with bright fruit carried through a fuller, hazier body. Compared with Monster Chili Cheese Coney, it felt richer, more saturated, and more complex.
The food matched the visit well. We ordered the smash burger and pulled pork with fries, and both were flavorful, well prepared, and suited to the relaxed BBQ setting. The pulled pork reinforced the brewery’s BBQ focus, while the burger made an easy match for a flight of beer.
The setting added significantly to the appeal. The outdoor seating was comfortable, with enough distance from the main road to make the patio feel relaxed and easy to enjoy. Families had room to settle in, children had something to do, and the adults were able to enjoy the beer, food, and surroundings without the visit feeling rushed.
Wandering Monsters succeeds because the parts work together. The beer lineup is creative and flavorful, the food is satisfying, and the atmosphere is cheerful without becoming chaotic. For an East Side outing with distinctive beers, good BBQ, and room for the whole family, Wandering Monsters offers a visit that feels easy to enjoy and easy to recommend.
