Lebanon Valley Craft Brewery has officially opened its doors at 840 N. 7th St. in Lebanon. Take a tour with LebTown as we walk through the newly reopened historic brewery.
Before we begin, take a moment to appreciate the history of the building. You should read our full story from 2021 but here’s an abridged version.
The building was built in 1856 by brewer Henry Hartman, just down the street from the oldest brewery in the county (Charles Arnt’s, which began operating as early as 1759). The building changed hands several more times before ending up as Lebanon Brewing Co. in 1887 and, after another ownership change, the New Lebanon Brewery in 1894.
The operation persisted and even made it partly through Prohibition, likely by producing “near beer” during that period. After Prohibition finally halted brewing operations at the facility in 1924, it lay dormant until a new owner reopened the brewery as Lebanon Valley Brewing Co. after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933.
The brewery chugged along for another 20+ years until it ceased production in 1959.
Read More: Lebanon County during Prohibition: Bootlegging, moonshine, & speakeasies
Fast forward more than 50 years and the brewery stood ready for its latest chapter to begin. Partners David Koch, Henry Goodwin, Michael Osborne, and Kevin Booth began restoring the building to be a modern brewery and restaurant in 2017.
Read More: Lebanon Valley Craft Brewery eyes early fall 2021 reopening of historic brewery
Although the process took longer than anticipated, the team began distributing bottled beer locally in early 2022. As LebTown previously reported, LVCB is taking an approach to its business in the same way it brews beers: steady, contained, and focused on producing one result at a time.
Read More: Lebanon Valley Craft Brewery comes to a shelf near you; pub to open this summer
Although Lebanon Valley Craft Brewery had done a few outdoor events in the lead-up to its grand opening, the public was left patiently waiting (“and waiting and waiting,” as the brewery joked on its Facebook page) for the brewpub to open.
The announcement came on Friday, Feb. 24, with little forewarning. Otherwise your intrepid LebTown correspondents might have been there, if invited by a tip or for a tipple. Nonetheless, we wanted to get out there as soon as we could so we could show you around Lebanon’s newest brewery.
“There are no words to express how much your support has meant… through the ups, the downs, and the years of renovations,” said the brewery on its Facebook page when announcing its surprise grand opening. “You’ve stuck by us from the beginning and we can’t thank you enough.”
Perhaps not surprisingly, Lebanon Countians were quick to head over and check out the county’s newest watering hole.
Although the kitchen isn’t yet operational, Lebanon Valley Craft Brewery is welcoming outside food in the meantime (including offering a limited snack menu) and partnering with local food trucks to provide some chow to go with their suds. Free popcorn is also available for all patrons.
The owners want to make sure the brewery is a spot where patrons can relax and linger for a while; the wireless phone chargers built into the bar will no doubt help with that (as will the free wifi).
Lebanon Valley Craft Brewery has six flagship beers and six seasonal brews on draft, ranging from a Dead Man’s Dollar lager, a Spunky Monk hefeweizen, and a Mango Trout wheat ale at the lower end of the ABV spectrum, to a Hop-Zing New England IPA, a Drie Hanen Belgian tripel, and a Key of G helles bock at the upper end.
Flights are available for $12, which gets you four 5-ounce pours of any beers on the menu. If beer’s not your thing, the brewery also offers craft cocktails.
The brewery’s 15-barrel system, purchased from Five Seasons Brewing in Atlanta, Georgia, is visible from the brewpub floor. The bottling line is downstairs. Osborne, who has been brewing since the ’90s, previously told LebTown that there’s room for expansion to grow brewing capacity in the future.
In addition to the expected beers available for to-go purchase, the brewery also has a section stocked with t-shirts, hoodies, stickers, and glassware, all bearing the brewery’s logo or other designs.
Fans of the brewery may also be interested in joining the crew as a “bierverkoster” (German for “beer taster”) through its membership program, which can be purchased online.
Lebanon Valley Craft Brewery is open this weekend (March 10-12) on Friday from 4 to 9 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information or current hours, check out their Facebook page or visit LVCraftBrew.com.
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