Ohio Brewery News

Lockport’s Old Is New

In 1864, the New Philadelphia Brewing Company was established, the first brewery to operate in Tuscarawas County. By the turn of the century, the brewery was producing more than 8,000 barrels of beer annually. For reference, in today’s craft beer market, New Philadelphia would’ve been a top 20 beer producer in the state of Ohio.

Of course, Prohibition drastically altered the course of the brewery’s growth. The New Philadelphia Brewing Company did emerge after the adoption of the 21st Amendment in 1933 with Old Lockport Lager Beer as their leading brand. Unfortunately, lost revenues during Prohibition, changes in ownership and consolidation within the brewing industry would force New Philadelphia Brewing Company to shutter in 1949.

It would be more than 65 years before Tuscarawas County would have another brewery, the long dry spell broken when Andrew and Lauren Marburger founded Lockport Brewery in 2016. The new brewery took its name from New Philadelphia Brewing’s flagship, Old Lockport Lager Beer, as an homage to the area’s brewing history.

Now, six years later, Lockport Brewery is making that tribute tangible by resurrecting Old Lockport Lager. While the original recipe has been lost to history, the brewers at Lockport have recreated an authentic pre-Prohibition style lager that uses ingredients that would’ve been in wide use at the time to craft what they hope is a close facsimile to the original beer.

Enjoy it on tap at Lockport Brewery’s taproom in Bolivar, pulled from an original, antique Old Lockport tap handle from the New Philadelphia Brewing Company. Find out more at facebook.com/lockportbeer