In 1840, a man named John Hoham lived in Germany. He was drafted into the German Army to fight in the Franco-Prussian War, but refused to fight. He was put in a German prison with his brother Martin Hoham. They dug their way out and escaped the German prison and put their families on The Crescent, a steam-powered sailboat with a charted course set for New York. After 56 days on the Atlantic Ocean,
they finally landed in America. In 1844, the Hoham families made their way to Marshall County and settled in Plymouth, Indiana. in 1857, John purchased a parcel of land on the south side of Plymouth for $75 and constructed a brewery, making German lager beer. During the Civil War era, John Hoham used his brewery as a stop on the Underground Railroad to harbor slaves on their way to freedom in Michigan. It is believed he used the large fermenting vessels in the brewery to hide them. Even today, there are drawings on the inside of one of the vessels most likely from a slave child. After a decade in operation, John Hoham sold his portion of the business to John Klinghammer who continued the brewery till 1890. That was the end of the first brewery in Plymouth, Indiana. Black Sail Brewing Company is proud of those who laid the groundwork with the first brewery and continues this legacy by being the second brewery in Plymouth, Indiana. Like the sails on the ship that carried John Hoham across the Atlantic Ocean almost 175 years ago, we have the wind of their legacy billowing our sails today. Black Sail Brewing Company's logo of the old ship with tattered sails pays homage to John Hoham and what he overcame to start the first brewery in Plymouth, Indiana. Though he is no longer here, his legacy lives on, much like ghost ships in tall tales whose time has come and gone yet continue to sail the seas. After home brewing for some time, an unexpected encounter happened that opened doors that couldn't be ignored. After considering what it would take to start a brewery in Plymouth and all the risks and hurdles involved, we decided to take a play from John Hoham's book and go all out and forge our way. In 2014, the idea for Black Sail Brewing Company quickly materialized into what you see now. We can't imagine what things will look like a couple decades from now, but we know this: we love beer, good food, and great friends. That will never change. Black Sail Brewing Company focuses on making high-quality and enjoyable craft beer. We use local and regional ingredients whenever possible to help support local vendors as well while simultaneously reducing the environmental impact of our beers through reduced shipping and responsible brewing and packaging practices. With a 5 bbl brewhouse and a number of 10 bbl fermenters, we are capable of producing roughly 1,000 bbls per year. We brew a rotating number of beers, including seasonal, one-offs, and commemorative beers. While the majority of these beers are to be kegged and poured in our taproom or at regional establishments, a select few will be bottled for sale. The taproom will also do growlers. Want to be a part of our Growler Club? You will be able to purchase growlers of beer and become an official member! Members will receive invitations to exclusive tap parties and will receive all future growler fills at a discount. Our team is made up of our two co-founders. Not only do they both love good beer and music, they're brothers-in-law. This lends itself well to a family-friendly and community-oriented atmosphere at BSBC.
