Valentine Loewer / Gambrinus Brewery

Business Type: Brewery (NY 433 b-g)

Years of Operation: 1870 to 1948

Location: 603 W 51st Street, 529 W 41st Street, 525 W. 41st Street, Manhattan

Description: Valentine Loewer was a German immigrant who came to the United States in 1860. Loewer entered the brewing business in 1868 with partner Jacob Josy, the two men produced Weiss beer at 603 W. 51st Street. Just two years later in 1870 Loewer & Josy parted ways and Loewer continued brewing on his own at a new location on West 41st St. Loewer continued brewing Weiss as his main offering but several years later began brewing lager beer as it started to grow popular. Weiss shaped bottles from the late 1870’s early 1880’s can be found from Valentine Loewer that are embossed “Lager Bier”. During the 1880’s Loewer renamed his company Valentine Loewer’s Gambrinus Brewery after “King Gambrinus” a legendary European character often associated with beer/brewing. After an expansion in 1902 Loewer’s Gambrinus Brewery became one of the largest establishments in NYC and one of the few to survive prohibition and continue brewing well into the late 1940’s.