Today is the birthday of J.J. Phair, co-founder of E.J. Phair Brewing. J.J. started homebrewing in 1990, and ten years later opened his brewery, which is named for his grandfather Ewart John Phair, who was an amateur winemaker and beer lover, as a way to honor E.J. The brewery’s had its ups and downs (though mostly ups), and today their current location is in Alamo. Join me in wishing J.J. a very happy birthday.
Two years ago I decided to concentrate on Bock ads for awhile. Bock, of course, may have originated in Germany, in the town of Einbeck. Because many 19th century American breweries were founded by German immigrants, they offered a bock at certain times of the year, be it Spring, Easter, Lent, Christmas, or what have you. In a sense they were some of the first seasonal beers. “The style was later adopted in Bavaria by Munich brewers in the 17th century. Due to their Bavarian accent, citizens of Munich pronounced ‘Einbeck’ as ‘ein Bock’ (a billy goat), and thus the beer became known as ‘Bock.’ A goat often appears on bottle labels.” And presumably because they were special releases, many breweries went all out promoting them with beautiful artwork on posters and other advertising. With Spring approaching, there are so many great examples that I’m going to post two a day for a few months.
Monday’s first ad is for Potosi Bock Beer, which was published on February 23, 1949. This ad was for the Potosi Brewing Co. of Potosi, Wisconsin, which was originally founded in 1852. This ad ran in The Grant County Herald, also of Elbow Lake, Minnesota.
Today is the birthday of Johann ‘John’ Baier (February 23, 1823-June 26, 1866). He was born in Gopfersgrun, Bavaria, Germany and emigrated to the U.S. sometime before 1850, settling in Baltimore, Maryland. There ee established the Johann Baier Brewery (sometimes referred to as the Johann John Baier Brewery) in 1850. He married Anna Maria Hartmann, who was born in Oberfullbach, Bavaria, and when Johan passed away in 1866, she took over the running of the brewery, and it was renamed the Anna Baier Brewery. Three years later, she brought on a partner and it was then called the Anna & Frederick Wunder Brewery. Two more name changes occurred between 1872 and 1885 — Frederick Wunder Brewery and then Mrs. Anna M. Wunder Brewery (after she remarried Frederick Wunder in 1869) — before finally becoming the brewery by which it was famously known in Baltimore for the rest of its existence: National Brewery in 1885.
This brief account is from Baltimore Magazine:
It was around this time that the original iteration of the National Brewing Company was born. It’s said that, in 1850, a Fells Point brewer by the name of Johann Baier leased the northeast corner of Conkling and O’Donnell streets, expanding up to Dillon within the next decade, on the city’s eastern hinterlands then known as Lager Beer Hill. Hand-dug cellars were the foundation of what would eventually become the largest brewery in Baltimore, a few of their brick remnants still at the current building’s base. After Baier’s death, his widow and her second husband took over operations, adding a beer garden, tavern, and stables, with barrels delivered locally by horse-drawn cart.
But by 1885, they went bankrupt, ultimately selling the business to their malt suppliers, who renamed it the National Brewing Company. Within a few years, they expanded east to Eaton Street, then merged with more than two dozen other breweries to create the Maryland Brewing Company, hoping that shared resources would help them create more affordable beer at a higher profit—an early economy of scale. Which is exactly what they did. Until Prohibition kicked the keg in 1919.
And this is from German Marylanders:
The brewery was built in 1872 at the corner of Conkling and O’Donnell Street. They were considered one of the smaller breweries in Baltimore. The brewery was started there by Frederick and Anna Wunder (actually Anna and her first husband, Johann Baier). When they couldn’t keep up any longer, the brewery was purchased in 1885 by Joseph and William Straus. They named it the National Brewing Company. National Bohemian beer was originally brewed in 1885. In the 1888 Baltimore Business Directory, it is stated as owned by J.L. Straus & Bro. proprietors and located at O’Donnell near Third in Canton. It, primarily because of its size, it was forced to shut down during prohibition. Many of the larger breweries remained in business by producing ‘near beer’. After prohibition National returned with their famous mascot, the one eyed Mr. Boh.
Two years ago I decided to concentrate on Bock ads for awhile. Bock, of course, may have originated in Germany, in the town of Einbeck. Because many 19th century American breweries were founded by German immigrants, they offered a bock at certain times of the year, be it Spring, Easter, Lent, Christmas, or what have you. In a sense they were some of the first seasonal beers. “The style was later adopted in Bavaria by Munich brewers in the 17th century. Due to their Bavarian accent, citizens of Munich pronounced ‘Einbeck’ as ‘ein Bock’ (a billy goat), and thus the beer became known as ‘Bock.’ A goat often appears on bottle labels.” And presumably because they were special releases, many breweries went all out promoting them with beautiful artwork on posters and other advertising. With Spring approaching, there are so many great examples that I’m going to post two a day for a few months.
Sunday’s second ad is for Bowler Brothers’ Bock Beer, which was published on February 22, 1915. This ad was for the Bowler Brothers’ Limited of Worcester, Massachusetts, which was originally founded in 1883. This ad ran in The Meriden Daily Journal, also of Meriden, Connecticut.
Today is Fred Bueltmann’s 57th birthday. Fred was a partner in New Holland Brewing, and was their VP of brand and lifestyle before announcing his departure a few years back. He’s also a self-styled Beervangelist and published the “Beervangelist’s Guide to the Galaxy,” which was successfully funded on Kickstarter. These days he’s spending his time with the horses at Red Horse Center and playing Sousaphone with the Strapping Owls. I’ve met Fred several times over the years but got to know him a lot better at GABF a several years ago, when it seemed like we judged together on every other session, and had a marvelous time in between rounds. Join me in wishing Fred a very happy birthday.
Fred’s promo shot for his Beervangelist book.
Today is the birthday of John Emmerling (February 21, 1851-May 24, 1912). He was born in Philadelphia, but moved to Johnston in Western Pennsylvania, where he founded the Empire Brewery in 1878. It was concurrently also known as the Emmerling Brewing Co. the entire time it was in business, until it was closed by Prohibition in 1920.
JOHN EMMERLING, proprietor of the Empire Brewery, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, was born in Philadelphia, this State, February 22, 1851. His education was acquired in the public schools of his native city, upon the completion of which he learned the business of brewing. Subsequently, he traveled extensively, visiting many of the more important cities of the West, and finally, located in Pittsburg, where he married. In 1878 he came to Johnstown, and immediately embarked in the brewing business on his own account. Starting in the humble building now known as the Eintracht Hall, the brewery of John Emmerling prospered so well that in one year it was moved to the larger building now occupied by the bottling house of William Thomas. Six years more saw the business grow until it became necessary to build and remove to the large and commodious brick structure which occupies nearly half a square, fronting on Horner street. The plant is two hundred by one hundred and eighty feet, three stories high, and has an annual output of eight thousand barrels, and contains all the latest improved machinery known to the brewer’s art, including engines, two ten-ton refrigerators, seven pumps for various purposes, and bottling apparatus. A visit to the vault in which the beer is stored, gives to the uninitiated a genuine surprise. Following the guide, one wanders in and out among the huge hogsheads, some of which contain forty, and others as high as eighty barrels of the amber fluid, surrounded on all sides by pipes covered to the depth of several times their own thickness with white frost, produced by the intense cold of the ammonia and brine which they contain, one can but express astonishment at the wonderful advance made since the time when nature alone supplied the cooling substance. So large is the local demand for the beer brewed at this establishment, that very little is shipped out of the city. Two wagons are kept going constantly, and two others are used when the demand requires. The present force consists of fourteen men, to which several others are added when increased business makes demand. On September 26, 1872, Mr. Emmerling married Miss Phil. Houch, a daughter of Earnest Houch, a prominent citizen of Pittsburg, and to them have been born ten children. Mr. Emmerling was one of the organizers of the board of trade, in which he takes an active interest.
And this is his obituary from the Western Brewer, June 1912
John Emmerling at the wheel of a 1908 Maxwell that he drove round-trip between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia in a race with a $20,000 prize at stake (around $532,258 today’s money). Emmerling (who owned Emmerling Brewery) came out on top.
This is John Emmerling’s brewery, also known as the Empire Brewery in Johnston, Pennsylvania, which also served as the family’s residence.
Two years ago I decided to concentrate on Bock ads for awhile. Bock, of course, may have originated in Germany, in the town of Einbeck. Because many 19th century American breweries were founded by German immigrants, they offered a bock at certain times of the year, be it Spring, Easter, Lent, Christmas, or what have you. In a sense they were some of the first seasonal beers. “The style was later adopted in Bavaria by Munich brewers in the 17th century. Due to their Bavarian accent, citizens of Munich pronounced ‘Einbeck’ as ‘ein Bock’ (a billy goat), and thus the beer became known as ‘Bock.’ A goat often appears on bottle labels.” And presumably because they were special releases, many breweries went all out promoting them with beautiful artwork on posters and other advertising. With Spring approaching, there are so many great examples that I’m going to post two a day for a few months.
Sunday’s first ad is for Möerlbach Bock Beer, which was published on February 22, 1913. This ad was for the Möerlbach Brewing Co. of Rochester, New York, which was originally founded in 1908 by Mathias Kondolf. This ad ran in The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, also of Rochester, New York.
Today is the birthday of George Michael Biner (February 22, 1897-June 19, 1971). He was the brother of William H. Biner, who was also a brewer. He was born in the Montana territory to Swiss immigrant parents. His father, Theophil Biner, knew Leopold Schmidt and even worked at his Olympia Brewery. Biner sent both of his sons, including George, to brewing school in Milwaukee.
This short biography is from his Find-a-Grave page:
George Michael Biner (1897-1971) was the son of Theophil Biner and Juliana Truffer. George contracted polio as a soldier during World War I. However, he went on to be a successful artist, brew master and inventor. He supervised the laying of the tile for the dome of the Los Angeles County Library, invented a labeling machine for breweries and was the co-founder of Biner Ellison which pioneered the production of liquid filling machines, and still makes brewery equipment today.
Today is the birthday of Samuel Charles Whitbread (February 22, 1937- ), an heir to the Whitbread Brewery, who was president of the brewery and Whitbread’s other businesses from 1972 to 2001, when he retired. There’s some basic biographical information from the Peerage:
Sir Samuel Charles Whitbread was born on 22 February 1937. He is the son of Major Simon Whitbread and Helen Beatrice Margaret Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis.3 He married Jane Mary Hayter, daughter of Charles William John Hugh Hayter, on 31 August 1961.
He was educated at Eton College, Windsor, Berkshire, England. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge University, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England. He held the office of Justice of the Peace (J.P.) for Bedfordshire in 1969. He was a director of Whitbread plc between 1972 and 2001. He held the office of High Sheriff of Bedfordshire between 1973 and 1974. He was invested as a Knight, Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem (K.St.J.). He was invested as a Fellow, Linnean Society (F.L.S.). He was invested as a Fellow, Royal Society of Arts (F.R.S.A.). He was chairman of Whitbread & Company between 1984 and 1992. He held the office of Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire in 1991. He lived in 2003 at Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, England. He was invested as a Dame Commander, Royal Victorian Order (D.C.V.O.) in 2010.
This is his entry from the International Who’s Who for 2004.
Two years ago I decided to concentrate on Bock ads for awhile. Bock, of course, may have originated in Germany, in the town of Einbeck. Because many 19th century American breweries were founded by German immigrants, they offered a bock at certain times of the year, be it Spring, Easter, Lent, Christmas, or what have you. In a sense they were some of the first seasonal beers. “The style was later adopted in Bavaria by Munich brewers in the 17th century. Due to their Bavarian accent, citizens of Munich pronounced ‘Einbeck’ as ‘ein Bock’ (a billy goat), and thus the beer became known as ‘Bock.’ A goat often appears on bottle labels.” And presumably because they were special releases, many breweries went all out promoting them with beautiful artwork on posters and other advertising. With Spring approaching, there are so many great examples that I’m going to post two a day for a few months.
Saturday’s ad is for Point Bock Beer, which was published on February 21, 1969. This ad was for the Stevens Point Brewery of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, which was originally founded in 1857 and still brewing today. This ad ran in The Stevens Point Journal, also of Stevens Point, Wisconsin. I love the expression on the two faces.
