Today is the birthday of Jacob Muth (February 6, 1825-December 6, 1892). He was born in Prussia (Germany today) and came to New York as a young man, eventually settling in Wisconsin. Over his career, he founded two breweries in the state, the Jacob Muth Brewery in Sheboygan, which later became the Thos. Schlachter & Co.) and in Burlington, the Jacob Muth, Sr. Brewery.
Here’s a short biography from The History of Racine and Kenosha Counties, Wisconsin:
JACOB MUTH, saloon-keeper. Burlington; born at Hesse Darmstadt, Prussia, in 1825; he came to New York, in 1846; arrived in Milwaukee, May 1, 1846, and worked in P. H. Best & Bros. brewery for two years; he then went to Sheboygan and built a brewery there, which he operated himself one year, and, in 1849, took in two partners, Joe and Aug. Binz; in 1852, he sold out his interest to them, and came to Burlington; July 30, 1852, he built a frame brewery here, and operated it till 1872, then tore down part of the old brewery, and, with some new additions, altered it into a malt-house, and used it for that purpose till 1876; he then sold the property to the People’s State Bank, and started a meat market, but, not liking the business, he sold that to his nephew and opened the saloon he now owns. He married, in Milwaukee, in 1847, Margaret Eimmerman, of Richfield, Wis.; they have five children living – Jacob, Mary, Dora, Emma, and Lilly.
And this obituary is from the Journal-Times, December 7, 1892:
Today is the birthday of Henry Miller (February 6, 1857-August 19, 1902). He was born in Pennsylvania, and was originally a furniture salesman. But later in life he co-founded the Duquesne Brewing Company in 1899, serving as its first president. They were one of the first breweries to pasteurize their bottled beer, the original Duquesne Lager and Silver Top, which quickly began outselling local and out-of-state competitors, and turning the business it into a large regional brewer. But in 1905, they merged with 16 breweries in the area to create the Independent Brewing Co. of Pittsburgh. They survived prohibition and by 1940 were the nation’s eighth-largest brewery, but closed for good in 1972.
There wasn’t much information, or even a picture, I could find of Miller. But here is a short obituary of him from the American Brewers Review:
Today is the birthday of George Wiedemann Jr. (February 6, 1866-March 26, 1901). He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of George Wiedemann Sr., who founded the George Wiedemann Brewing Co. in 1870, in Newport, Kentucky. After his father passed away in 1890, he and his brother sons continued to run the business. After prohibition, the brewery merged with G. Heileman Brewing Company, and in 1967 was operated as the Wiedemann Division of the G. Heileman Brewing Company, Inc. The brewery was closed in 1983.
This is Wiedmann Junior’s obituary from the American Brewers’ Review from April 20, 1901:
Here’s another obituary from the Kentucky Advocate West:
Today is the 62nd birthday of Brian Ford, owner/brewer at the Auburn Alehouse near Sacramento, California. Brian previously brewed at Beermann’s Beerworks, but left before they closed well over a decade ago. His new place is in an old historic building, a really cool space, where he’s making some more great beer. Join me in wishing Brian a very happy birthday.
Brian pouring his beer at the Raley Field Beerfest in 2007.
Rich Norgrove, from Bear Republic and Brian, bookending Dave Morrow from DBI, at the Celebrator’s 25th Anniversary Party in 2013.
And here’s Brian with Glynn Phillips, from Rubicon, at the same event.
Brian and Lisa at their Get’r Started Party in 2015.
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.
Thursday’s ad is for Pabst Bock Beer, which was published on February 5, 1940. This one was for Christian Heurich Brewing Co., of Washington, D.C. and was founded in 1872. This ad ran in The Evening Star, also of Washington, D.C.
Today is the birthday of John L. Hoerber Jr. (February 5, 1848-April 1, 1927). His father, John L. Hoerber, founded the John L. Hoerber Brewery in 1858 of Chicago, Illinois, located at 186 Griswold Street. There was very little information I could find about him or his son, not even a photo. But their brewery appears to have taken on a partner in 1864, and was renamed the Hoerber & Gastreich Brewery, but just one year later was hte John L. Hoerber Brewery again. But in 1865 it was sold. As far as I can tell, another John L. Hoerber Brewery was opened in 1864, located at 216/224 West 12th Street, but appears to also have been sold in 1882. Then in 1882, yet another brewery was opened at 646/662 Hinman & 22nd Streets, though it 1885 it changed its name again from brewery to the John L. Hoerber Brewing Co., which is stayed until prohibition. After prohibition, it reopened as The Hoerber Brewing Co., and remained in business until 1941, when it closed for good.
There’s some information about junior in “The Book of Chicagoans: A Biographical Dictionary of Leading Living Men of the City of Chicago,” published in 1911:
Chicago historian and beer writer Bob Skilnik had an article in the Chicago Tribune that mentioned the Hoerber Brewery in 1997:
A population increase from a few hundred in 1833 to more than 100,000 in 1860 opened the market and made success possible for scores of brewers. In 1857, the city council ordered the grades of all existing properties to be raised to a height that would ensure proper drainage. John Hoerber used this opportunity to raise his combination saloon, store and boardinghouse and install a small brewery underneath, pumping fresh beer to his customers. By doing so, Hoerber beat the now-defunct Siebens on West Ontario by about 150 years for the title of Chicago’s first brew pub.
Today is the birthday of Henry C. Moffat (February 5, 1844-December 30, 1920). He was son of James Moffat, who along with his father John founded one of the earliest breweries in Buffalo, New York in 1833. It was later called the James Moffat Brewery, and after that the Moffat & Service Brewery. After his father died, Henry took over the brewery, renaming it the Henry C. Moffat Brewery in 1890, which was closed by Prohibition in 1920. It briefly reopened after repeal, in 1934, as Moffat’s Ale Brewery, but closed for good the same year.
There’s surpringly little information I could find about Henry himself, not even a photograph. This account of his brewery is from “100 Years of Brewing,” published in 1903:
According to John & Dave’s Buffalo Brewing History, John Moffat, along with his son James, acquired what was Buffalo’s second brewery and named it the Moffat Brewery.
Kane, Peacock and Relay brewery was short lived however and a 1909 article in the Buffalo Evening Times indicates John Moffat and his son James purchased the brewing operation around 1833. Also, the 1836 Buffalo City Directory lists Moffat as a brewer at that location. The 1839 Directory lists James Moffat & Co. as a “Brewery, Soap and Candle Factory”. The Moffat Brewery continued in operation until son James died and it was sold to Arthur Fox and became the Fox and Williams Brewery. In 1876 it was sold back to the Moffat family and continued in operation at the same location until the advent of Prohibition forced their closure in 1920. After Prohibition the Phoenix Brewery continued brewing “Moffats Pale Ale” through an agreement with the Moffat family.
And “History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County, Volume 2,” published in 1884, has this to say about Buffalo’s earliest brewers, including Moffat:
Today is the 87th birthday of British beer writer Roger Protz. Roger, of course, if one of Britain’s best-known beer writers, having authored over twenty books on the subject, including being the editor of CAMRA’s Good beer Guide for two decades. He’s also been very active in CAMRA through much of their history. Although our paths cross only occasionally, Roger’s great to share a pint with, and we apparently love a lot of the same British television shows, something I discovered after many beers at a dinner at Het Anker in Belgium a few years ago. Join me in wishing Roger a very happy birthday.
Roger with Melissa Cole at the Great British Beer Festival in 2009.
Roger with Austrian beer writer Conrad Seidl in Belgium during a press junket there in 2013.
Roger with a bottle of Pliny the Elder I brought with me to England for him in 2008.
At our table at BrewDog in Brussels after judging in 2016, from bottom left: John Holl, me, Roger, Pete Brown, Tim Hampson and Adrian Tierney-Jones.
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.
Wednesday’s ad is for Pabst Bock Beer, which was published on February 4, 1915. This one was for Pabst Brewing Co., of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and was founded in 1844. This ad ran in The Oshkosh Northwestern, of Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Today is the birthday of Peter P. Straub Jr. (February 4, 1893-October 29, 1972). He was the son of Peter Straub, who founded the Straub Brewery in St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania in 1872. The brewery is still owned and operated today by the Straub family.
Peter P. Straub Jr. in the early 1900s.
Peter Jr. was president of the brewery after his brother Andrew.
The Straub Family in 1904. Peter Jr. is in the second row, the first person from the left.
Early on, Peter introduced his sons to the world of brewing. Straub used wooden kegs for his beer. He always placed a red band around his barrels to ensure that people would know they were drinking his beer and so that he would get them back. As a lasting trademark tribute to Peter, the brewery continues to place a bright red band around each of its barrels. Red has become a trademark color for the brewery.
Peter (on the right) with his brothers Jacob and Francis.
Following Peter’s death on December 17, 1913, his sons assumed control of the brewery, renaming it the Peter Straub Sons Brewery. During this time, the brewery produced Straub Beer as well as other beer, such as the pilsner-style Straub Fine Beer and Straub Bock Beer. In 1920, the Straub Brothers Brewery purchased one half of the St. Marys Beverage Company, also called the St. Marys Brewery, where St. Marys Beer was produced. During Prohibition, which lasted from January 29, 1920, until December 5, 1933, the brewery produced nonalcoholic near-beer. On July 19, 1940 they purchased the remaining common stock and outstanding bonds of the St. Marys Beverage Company.
