Today is the birthday of Regina Wauters (March 1, 1795-January 24, 1874). She was married to Pedro Rodenbach and the two of them bought out other family members to become sole owners of what would become known as Brouwerij Rodenbach in Rosalre, Belgium.
Born in Mechelen, Regina Wauters was the daughter of a rich local brewer. She married Pedro Rodenbach in 1818 and moved to Roeselare in West Flanders, Belgium, where his family had a distillery.
In 1821 Pedro took along with his brothers and sister a brewery. The brothers agreed to a partnership for fifteen years. At the end of this period, Pedro and Regina bought the brewery from the others and Regina ran the business while Pedro served in the military during the Belgian revolution.
Rodenbach bought the distillery from his family in 1835. He died in Brussels in 1848. His family sold the distillery to Regina Wauters, Her distillery remained for a long time the only significant distillery in Roeselare. Regina extended it immediately after she bought it. Later she asked her eldest son, Raymond, to work in the distillery. Raymond Rodenbach would continue to run the distillery until c.1895. The distillery was later sold to Honoré Talpe who transformed it into a chicory factory.
Regina invested her money not only in the distillery of the Rodenbachs but also in their brewery. In 1836 the family Rodenbach sold the brewery in Roeselare with numerous other properties. Pedro Rodenbach would buy most of it with the money of Regina. Pedro had to sign legal documents to recognize her as sole proprietor of the brewery and any other property that he had bought from his family.
Regina immediately began to expand the brewery. Although she succeeded in building one of the largest distilleries in the region, she would fail to create the largest brewery in the city. She suffered from the fierce competition with Anna Gesquiere, who also ran a brewery in Roeselare.
In 1860 her son Edward Rodenbach came to work in the brewery and it was during his directorship that the brewery expanded outside Roeselare. In 1864 Regina sold him, at the age of 69, her brewery, her house and workshops, along with eleven bars she had bought. Regina Wauters would retire to live on her private means until her death in 1874.
And this is her entry from her Dutch Wikipedia page, translated by Google Translate:
Regina Wauters was a rich brewer’s daughter from Mechelen. She married Pedro Rodenbach in 1818 and moved to Roeselare. The family had a distillery in the Spanjestraat. In 1820, Pedro and his brothers and sisters took over a brewery in the street. In 1835 the family Rodenbach decided to sell the distillery that was still managed in community to Pedro. Pedro Rodenbach was also a soldier and since the Belgian revolutionhe could hardly be seen in Roeselare. He would die in Brussels in 1848. The family then sold the distillery to Regina Wauters, who acted by her husband’s proxy. However, it was Regina who provided the necessary money. She had the necessary documents drawn up, her husband acknowledging that she was the sole owner of the distillery and all other real estate. The distillery would for a long time be the only noteworthy distillery in Roeselare. She employed a lot of people. Regina would expand it immediately after the sale. Later she involved her eldest son, Raymond, in the case. Raymond Rodenbach would continue to run the distillery until about 1895. The distillery was later sold to Honoré Talpe who made it a chicory factory.
Regina Wauters did not only invest her money in the family distillery of the Rodenbachs. In 1836 the Rodenbach family, mainly represented by Alexander Rodenbach , sold her brewery in the Spanjestraat with many other properties. Pedro Rodenbach would buy the majority of that. However, he did this again with Regina’s money. Pedro also had to acknowledge once again in deeds that the brewery and all other properties he had bought from the family were now her property.
Regina Wauters immediately started the expansion of the brewery. She might have one of the largest distilleries in the region; she would not succeed in creating the largest brewery in the city. Before that she had too much competition from Anna Gesquiere, the widow Cauwe, who had a brewery on the Polenplein. There was a strong competition between the two ladies in the 1830s and 1840s. In this way they both strove to introduce the steam engine in Roeselare as soon as possible. Regina Wauters was known for the vigorous management of both her affairs. Her policy was particularly forward-looking. But she was also hardened in the small parts of the business world. For example, she was repeatedly suspected of circumventing the city tax on alcohol. She also had a lock placed on the Mandelbeek without a license,
Since 1848 she moved her sons Emiel and Florent to the brewery, but remained so in the background that they quickly noticed it. In 1860 her second son Eduard Rodenbach entered the brewery. He used to be a lineman manufacturer, but he was certain of being insecure during a flax crisis and decided to concentrate successfully on the beer industry. In 1864 Regina Wauters, now 69, her brewery, home and workshops, together with the eleven cafes she had bought, would sell to her son. From then on, Regina Wauters would retire until her death in 1874.
In 2004 a street in a Roeselaar industrial zone was named after her, the Regina Wautersweg.
And this is the history currently on the brewery website:
The Rodenbachs moved from Andernach am Rhein to Roeselare in West Flanders. The Rodenbach line boasted numerous military men, poets, writers, brewers and entrepreneurs, as well as pragmatic revolutionaries and politicians.
Pedro Rodenbach took part in Napoleon’s Russian campaign and was instrumental in the Belgian revolution in 1830, which led to an independent Belgium. Three Rodenbachs were members of the constitutional congress when Belgium was founded. Constantijn Rodenbach was the author of the “Brabançonne”, the Belgian national anthem.
In 1836, Pedro Rodenbach, together with his entrepreneurial wife Regina Wauters, founded the brewery. However, it is Eugène Rodenbach whom RODENBACH has to thank for its unique quality and masterful character. Not only did he study the vinification of beer, but also optimised the maturation process in oak casks, or “foeders” (maturation casks). The world-renowned cask halls with their 294 oak casks, some of which are 150 years old, are protected as part of the industrial heritage of the Flemish Community.
Today would have been Danny Williams’ 67th birthday today, having been born exactly two days before yours truly in 1959. Unfortunately, Danny lost a battle with cancer a little over eight years ago, and passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 23, 2012. For over a decade, Danny worked for the Brewers Association as the beer competition manager for both the Great American Beer Festival and the World Beer Cup. Danny left behind two grown children and a then-8-year old son, Fletcher. His friend Ben Spencer, who’s also a good friend of mine, lets me know from time to time how Danny’s kids are doing, which is great. Join me in raising a birthday beer and giving a toast to the memory of Danny Williams tonight. Danny would have wanted it that way.
Danny Williams and a friend at the World Beer Cup dinner in Chicago several years ago.
Tom Nickel (owner of O’Brien’s in San Diego), Nancy Johnson, Director of GABF and Danny at Slow Food Nation 2008 in San Francisco.
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 second ad is for not for a specific Bock Beer, but for every Bock made by the member breweries of the Western Pennsylvania Brewers’ Association. The ad was published on February 28, 1951. This one was for the Western Pennsylvania Brewers’ Association which was founded in 1902 by at least a dozen different breweries. This ad ran in The Pittsburgh Press, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Today is the birthday of John Holme Ballantine (February 28, 1834-April 27, 1895). He was the second of three sons of Peter Ballantine, who founded P. Ballantine & Sons. In 1857, he brought on his three sons as partners. John Holme served as president of the family brewery from 1883 until his death in 1895.
This is John Holme’s obituary from the Genealogical and Memorial History of the State of New Jersey:
And here’s a history of the Ballantine brewery from “A History of American Manufactures from 1608 to 1860,” by John Leander Bishop, Edwin Troxell Freedley, Edward Young, published in 1868:
Earlier today, the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame, announced the 2026 inductees, the second class of inductees, in a coordinated livestream from multiple locations. You can watch the ceremony on YouTube. The brainchild of Marty Nachel, the Hall of Fame welcomed eight new members.
American Craft Beer Hall of Fame:
The 2026 Class
Charles Bamforth
A British scientist specializing in malting and brewing, Bamforth is a former president of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and served as the endowed professor of malting and brewing sciences at the University of California, Davis Brewing School. He later worked as senior quality adviser to Sierra Nevada Brewing Company and has received numerous industry honors, including the Brewers Association Recognition Award, the Master Brewers Association of the Americas Award of Honor, and honorary life membership in the MBAA.
Larry Bell
Bell founded Kalamazoo Brewing Company (later renamed Bell’s Brewery) in 1985 and became a frequent speaker and presenter throughout the industry. He received the Brewers Association Recognition Award for innovative brewing and dedication to craft beer, while Bell’s Two Hearted Ale earned recognition from the American Homebrewers Association as one of the best beers in the United States.
Sam Calagione
Alongside his wife Mariah, Calagione co-founded Dogfish Head Brewing Company in 1995 and became widely known for championing experimentation and nonconformity in brewing. He invented Randall the Enamel Animal draught flavoring device and later starred in the Discovery Channel series “Brew Masters” in 2010, helping bring craft beer culture to a broader audience.
Teri Fahrendorf
One of the first women brewmasters in the United States, Fahrendorf led brewing operations at Golden Gate, Triple Rock and Steelhead brewing companies and earned eight Great American Beer Festival medals. A 2014 Brewers Association Recognition Award recipient for lifetime achievement, she is also a respected consultant, technical writer and international speaker, and founded the Pink Boots Society to support women in the beer industry.
Kim Jordan
Jordan co-founded New Belgium Brewing Company in 1991 and guided the brewery’s growth from a small startup into one of the nation’s most prominent craft producers. Under her leadership, New Belgium became known for its sustainability initiatives and culture of social and environmental responsibility. She has also been named a 2025 inductee to the Colorado Business Hall of Fame.
Garrett Oliver
Oliver has served as brewmaster at both Manhattan Brewing Company and Brooklyn Brewery and is widely respected as an author and educator. His works include “The Brewmaster’s Table” and “The Oxford Companion to Beer.” Named an honorary Beer Academy Sommelier by the Institute of Brewing and Distilling, he remains a sought-after speaker and international beer judge.
Pete Slosberg
Slosberg co-founded Pete’s Brewing Company in 1986, and its flagship Pete’s Wicked Ale helped define the American brown ale style while becoming the No. 2 selling craft brand at its peak in the mid-1990s. He later authored “Beer for Pete’s Sake” and continues to contribute to the industry as an international beer judge and co-founder of the South Beer Cup competition.
Carol Stoudt
Stoudt and her husband opened Stoudt’s Brewing Company in 1987, where she became one of the first female brewmasters in the United States and the nation’s first female sole proprietor of a brewery. A recipient of the Presidential Award from Breweries in Pennsylvania, she is widely recognized as a trailblazer who helped expand opportunities for women in the craft beer business.
Today is the 47th birthday of Jeff Bell, whose alter ego was, until over a decade ago, Stonch, once one of England’s best bloggers. He retired from blogging to concentrate on his new job as landlord of a London pub, The Gunmakers, in Clerkenwell, a village in the heart of London. I stopped by to meet Jeff on my way back from a trip to Burton-on-Trent years ago. And several years back, I saw Jeff several times during GBBF week. But later, the blogging started up again, and he moved on from that pub, and for a time he was the landlord of the Finborough Arms in Earl’s Court, next to the Finborough Theatre, but he’s moved on from there, and for awhile was tramping around Italy as an “Englishman living in Tuscany.” But he’s back in England, and has taken up residence in the East Sussex town of Rye as the publican and proprietor of the Ypres Castle Inn, at least that’s the last I heard. Join me in wishing Jeff a very happy birthday.
In front of Gunmaker’s in the summer of 2009.
With a Gunmaker’s bartender at the British Beer Writers Guild event before the start of the Great British Beer Festival in 2009.
Ron Pattinson, talking with Jeff and Mark Dredge at the Carlsberg Laboratories in Copenhagen a couple of years ago.
Leaving Copenhagen; Pete Brown, Ron Pattinson, Jeff, Stephen Beaumont and Stan Hieronymus.
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 first ad is for American Bock Beer, which was published on February 28, 1951. This one was for the American Brewery Inc. of Baltimore, Maryland and was founded in 1863 by Joseph F. Wiessner. This ad ran in The Evening Sun, of Baltimore, Maryland.
Today is the birthday of James Younger (February 28, 1818-August 5, 1868). He was born in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, Scotland, and was the son of George Younger, and the grandson of George Younger, who founded the brewery that would become George Younger and Son in 1764. He was also a first cousin of Robert Younger (1850-1887) and the ancestor of the Younger family of York, North Yorkshire. Presumably because he wasn’t the first, but one of several in the very early days of the brewery, there’s very little information about him I could find.
He married Janet McEwan, daughter of John McEwan, in November 1850.
Here’s the Meadow Brewery around 1890, just before it became known as George Younger & Sons.
Today is the birthday of Joseph Metcalfe (February 28, 1832-September 26, 1858). He was born in Yorkshire, England, but came to the U.S. with his family as an infant, settling in Louisville when he was still a child. He was a brewer who owned breweries in both Louisville, Kentucky and New Albany, Indiana, which is just across the Ohio River from Louisville. He was often referred to as Colonel Metcalfe, and he was a veteran of the Mexican War as well as the Civil War.
He’s mentioned, curiously, in Germans in Louisville, in the prehistory of the town, from a German perspective.
And again similarly in an Encyclopedia of Louisville:
Here’s the story from IndianaBeer.com:
Colonel Joseph Metcalfe started a brewery in New Albany in 1847 which he sold to William Grainger in 1856 who sold it to Paul Reising in 1857. Reising sold it to Martin Kaelin in 1861 who renamed it Main Street Brewery. This was a two-story building of 40×60 feet with two lagering cellars. It employed five men who made 3,600 bbls by 1868.
This little item ran in Louisville Courier on September 11, 1855:
And this is how he’s mentioned in Hoosier Beer: Tapping Into Indiana Brewing History:
Tavern Trove has a slightly different timeline for the brewery, as do a number of sources.
Joseph Metcalfe Brewery 1847-1857
William Grainger 1857-aft 1857
Paul Reising Aft. 1857-1861
Martin Kaelin, Main Street Brewery 1861-1882
Louis Schmidt, Main Street Brewery 1882-1883
Hornung and Atkins, Main Street Brewery 1883-1886
Jacob Hornung, Main Street Brewery 1886-1889
Indiana Brewing Co. 1889-1895
Pank-Weinmann Brewing Company. 1895-1899
Merged with the Southern Indiana Ice and Beverage Co. of New Albany, Indiana in 1899
This is Metcalfe’s brewery shortly after he had sold it to Paul Reising.
The brewery crew when it was the Paul Riesing Brewery.
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.
Friday’s second ad is for Bushkill Bock Beer, which was published on February 27, 1912. This one was for Record Brewing Co. of Elmira, New York and was founded in 1902. This ad ran in The Elmira Star Gazette, of Elmira, New York.
