Website
https://www.hosterbeer.com/L. Hoster Brewing Company – A Storied Columbus Brewing Legacy
L. Hoster Brewing Company traces its roots back to 1836, when German immigrant Louis Hoster launched what would become Columbus, Ohio’s largest brewery by the late 19th century. Located in today’s historic Brewery District at Front Street and Livingston Avenue, the original complex included brewing buildings, horse stables, and ice houses—technology-driven infrastructure that supported annual production of over 140,000 barrels by the 1890s.
The brewery merged in 1904 to form the Hoster Columbus Associated Breweries but shuttered in 1919 due to Prohibition. Its iconic industrial architecture and smoke stacks remain major landmarks of the Brewery District, now undergoing a $100 million+ redevelopment into Front & Fulton: a mixed-use complex featuring restaurants, office space, bars, and apartments, slated to open in summer 2023.
After lying dormant for decades, the Hoster Brewing Company name was revived in 1989 as a brewpub, distributing a modern version of its famous Gold Top Lager across Columbus. That brewpub operated until about 2001; the brand was revived yet again in 2024 with a new east-side brewery and taproom at 653 N. James Road, spotlighting historic recipes like Gold Top and German-style lagers on 10+ taps.
