Alois Bube came to this country as a 25-year-old Bavarian Immigrant in 1869. He had learned the art of Beer making in Germany. Alois was originally employed at Lawrence Knapp’s brewery, but in 1878 he purchased a small brewery from Philip Frank (The Maltster). The brewery was located at the point formed by the intersection of Old Market Street and N. Market Street (where it still is today)! Frank’s Malt House was on the opposite side of N. Market Street.
Alois’s business was so successful that in1879 he built a larger Brewery and the Central Hotel. He also excavated large storage vaults under the brewery and hotel to properly store the Brewery’s products.
Alois’s beer was sold at several taverns and Inns in Mount Joy as noted on several signs advertising it for sale in old photos. He produced beer in both the Pilsener and Bavarian varieties, ale, and soft drinks. He was noted as producing a superior grade of mustache-mist beer. Daily deliveries of beer were made to Columbia, Elizabethtown, Ironville, Sporting Hill, Landisville, Milton Grove, Mastersonville, Union Square, and Mount Joy. Beer was delivered to a distributor in Middletown and Manheim twice a week.
Alois died in 1908 and his wife in 1918. John Hallgren purchased the brewery and Inn and operated it until 1917 when business conditions, and the impending prohibition forced him to close and sell the plant. Henry Engle, the husband of Josephine Bube took over the brewery and hotel about 1920. The Central Hotel was operated by the Engle family up until Henry Engle’s death in 1965.
The present owner Sam Allen has done much to restore the original brewing facilities. The entire complex, including the brewery, cooper’s shed, and bottling works buildings are listed on National Register of Historic Places.