LEBANON, Ohio — It’s been a long time coming, but the Lebanon Brewing Company is ready to open its doors to the community as the only brewery in the area. 

What You Need To Know

  • After more than six months of construction and over a year since the idea was formed, the Lebanon Brewing Company is finally open

  • The brewery is the first of its kind in Lebanon

  • It offers craft beer, seltzers and food

  • Managing member Nathan Ridgley says he's happy to finally open the doors to the community

It takes a lot of work to get a brewery open- not to mention transforming a former fire station into one. But that’s what Nathan Ridgley and the owners of Lebanon Brewing Company are doing. And it’s about to be the only brewery in the area.

“We were really excited. There have been several announced the last few years," Ridgley said. "We kind of got tired of waiting, so we decided to do it ourselves. We’re just as excited as everyone else is to have somewhere to hang out and drink some good beers.”

But it will be a little while from this point to get those doors open. Ridgley and his wife grew up in Lebanon and knew they wanted to give back to their community.

Now, nearly six months since construction began, the Lebanon Brewing Company is finally ready to open as the first micro-brewery in the community. The building has transformed into a brewery, opening its doors to the public for the first time. 

The new taproom at Lebanon Brewing Company (Spectrum News/Katie Kapusta)

“It’s been a long time coming, a lot of work, a lot of hurdles to get over, but we’re just happy to finally be able to throw the doors open and show people what we’ve been working on," Ridgley said.

Ridgley says delays for opening ranged from delays in construction and contractors to shortages in materials.

According to the National Association of Manufacturers, 88% of survey respondents said that supply chain challenges were a primary business challenge in the first quarter of the year, while Lebanon Brewing Company was undergoing construction. But, now, customers don’t have to wait to enjoy a cold one here. 

Nathan Ridgley hands out merchandise to customers (Spectrum News/Katie Kapusta)

“Having that all available is going to be a real benefit for everyone that lives here as well as people that come and visit," Adam Mathews, the vice mayor of Lebanon, said.

Now, Ridgley is happy to share this project with the community and its visitors.

“I think we’ll be a good destination for while they’re here on their visit to our great town to stop in and see what we can do," he said.

Customers cheers with new Lebanon Brewing Company beer and seltzer (Spectrum News/Katie Kapusta)