Hermann J. Gaus (1867-194?) began manufacturing beer apparatus at 643 Bushwick Ave. in 1894, then moved to this address at 12 Jefferson St. (also in the Bushwick area of Brooklyn) in 1902.

Bushwick at that time was the beer capital of New York, with dozens of flourishing breweries.

Gaus died some time in the 1940's. His widow Ernestine continued to live at 12 Jefferson St. until late in the 1950's.