Lockport Brewery, Bolivar

Before Andrew Marburger ever considered going into brewing full time, he made one very bad batch of beer. That home-brewing failure only made him more interested in crafting a great batch though, which set him and his wife, Lauren, on the path to open  Tuscarawas County’s first new brewery since Prohibition in 2016.

Lockport Brewery is a nod to the Old Lockport Lager Beer that the New Philadelphia Brewing Co. used to make just down the highway, but that doesn’t mean the place is stuck in the past. Quite the opposite, with the brewery crafting a lineup of beers that caters to fans of pilsners and lagers as much as it does those who seek out IPAs and sours.

“We’re very cognizant of the fact that we operate in a more rural setting,” says Andrew.  “We want to cast a broad net and try to satisfy as many folks as possible ... Overall, our philosophy on beer is whatever we’re making, we want to make it really well.”

Favorites here include Gateway, a cream ale that took a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 2018, as well as the Ruckus IPA. (Both scored wins in the 2021 Ohio Craft Brewers Cup). Summer favorites include a strawberry ale in honor of the local strawberry festival.



The brewery was originally located just down the street until the Marburgers found a larger kitchen and more parking at their current location adjacent to Wilkshire Golf Course and relocated there in 2019.

The food menu here spans a lineup of pizzas, salads, burgers and chicken sandwiches (including a Nashville hot chicken variety that’s become a favorite).

Inside the main taproom, large communal tables line the windows, while a smattering of four-tops and barrel two-tops allow smaller groups to grab a seat together. A covered back porch faces the golf course, and there’s a large outdoor beer garden on the grounds.

“We want to continue to make it more of a backyard oasis, where you can bring your dog or your kid and kick back,” says Lauren.  

10748 Wilkshire Blvd. NE, Bolivar 44612, 330/874-6037, lockportbeer.com