CINCINNATI — The Listermanns are stepping away from the brewery that bears their name.
Dan and Sue Listermann announced their retirement from Listermann Brewing Company on Thursday; instead, the company will be helmed by Terrie and Steve Ipson, according to a press release from the company.
The brewery opened in 2008 and for the last 15 years Listermann has been a staple of Cincinnati's ever-growing craft beer industry.
Though the brewery has been creating the Listermann namesake beer for 15 years, the company's existence in Cincinnati spans much longer than that; Listermann Brewing Company got its start manufacturing homebrewing equipment in 1991 before becoming a full-scale homebrew shop in 1994, according to the press release.
Dan Listermann himself spent years experimenting with brewing beer. His first foray into homebrewing took place when he was an engineering student in 1973 at Miami University in Oxford.
In 2018, as the brewery celebrated its 10th birthday, Listermann recounted how he came across this small brewing kit at a local pharmacy. He took the kit back to his dorm and, after brewing two batches of undrinkable beer, he threw the whole kit out.
"It was a disaster," he said.
Listermann said he didn't attempt to make his own beer for another fifteen years. Instead, he graduated and landed a full-time engineering job, which was actually fortuitous for future craft beer lovers.
"Then in 1988, my old roommate Brian Johnson called," Listermann said. "He said he wanted to try again and I said, 'Johnson, don't do that.' My brother and I then went up to his house and made some beers and that was really good. That was the beginning of the end of my engineering career. I started making my own beer and then I'd find little things that I could improve in equipment and I started the business in 1991 of manufacturing home-brew equipment."
After juggling two careers for two years, Listermann quit his job as a quality engineer at Senco Products to focus on making and distributing homebrewing parts full-time. In 1995, Dan and his wife, Sue, purchased the building in Evanston where Listermann Brewing is still located.
"We're exceptionally proud of the opportunity to have been pioneers in supporting local home brewers and helping to build the Cincinnati craft brewery scene," said Dan and Sue in the press release. "When looking toward the future, we knew finding someone that could maintain our reputation, continue our legacy and take Listermann Brewing Company to the next level was critical. The Ipson’s ability to focus on quality craft beer, guest experience, community involvement and employee culture will enable them to carry on the Listermann Brewing family tradition and values."
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