Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Historic Beer Birthday: George K. Schmidt

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Today is the birthday of George K. Schmidt (December 18, 1869-January 1, 1939). He was the son of Kasper George Schmidt, who founded the K.G. Schmidt Brewery. He and his father also founded a bank and he opened a branch brewery in Logansport, Indiana.

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Here’s a short biography from Find-a-Grave:

President of Chicago’s Prudential State Savings Bank, Vice-President of Chicago’s Board of Local Improvements, member of Chicago’s Board of Assessors, City Controller of Chicago.

Ran for Mayor of Chicago as the Republican candidate in 1931 against encumbent Mayor “Big Bill” Thompson.

Owned the K G Brewery in Chicago, and the K G Brewery in Logansport, IN which operated until 1951.

County Assessor and City Council Member for Logansport, IN.

A noted outdoorsman whose now famous, pristine duck decoy hunting rig produced by Charles Perdew, the Mason Decoy Factory and Robert Elliston is highly sought after by collectors.

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The brewery Schmidt built in Indiana.

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Beer Birthday: Randy Mosher

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Today is the 73rd birthday of Randy Mosher, longtime homebrewer, author, brewery consultant and graphic designer. Randy’s had his own consulting business since the early 1990s, Randy Mosher Consulting and Design, and has been an instructor at the Siebel Institute since 2003. He’s also a partner in 5 Rabbit Cerveceria and Forbidden Root. He’s also the author of Tasting Beer, Beer for All Seasons, and several more books on beer and homebrewing. Join me in wishing Randy a very happy birthday.

Randy with Sean Paxton at CBC in Chicago in 2010.
Garret Oliver and Randy.
Me and Randy at CBC in Minnesota a couple of years ago.
Randy, Fal Allen, and me riding the escalator at CBC.

Historic Beer Birthday: Peter Eulberg

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Today is the birthday of Peter Eulberg (November 30, 1859-June 22, 1932). He was the son of Caspar Eulberg, who owned the Casper Eulberg & Sons Brewery, in Galena, Illinois, having purchased it in 1885 (when it was the  Math. Meller Brewery). Peter was one of the sons in the name, along with his brother Adam. He was born in Wisconsin, but moved with his family when his father bought the brewery in Illinois.

Here’s a short obituary of Eulberg from the Grant County Herald, July 6, 1932.

Beer Birthday: Wil Turner

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Today is the 58th birthday of Wil Turner, brewer at Open Outcry Brewing, in Chicago. He’s also a former brewer at Revolution Brewing and Goose Island Brewery, but Wil’s originally from California — or at least that’s where I first met him — but moved to Chicago to brew at the Clybourn Goose Island brewpub, eventually moving to the production side. Since the sale of Goose Island, Wil moved back over to brewpub brewing at Revolution and more recently moved to brew at Open Outcry. Wil’s a great brewer, of course, and a terrific person for the industry, always a fun guy to drink with. Join me in wishing Wil a very happy birthday.

Wil, me and Greg Hall at GABF in 2006.
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Tom Nickel with Wil at the Brewer’s Reception at Wynkoop during GABF in 2009.
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On the floor at GABF in 2007 with Andrew Mason (on left), Matt’s assistant when he was still at Flossmoor Station, and Wil.
Wil, also at the 2006 GABF, sadly empty.

Historic Beer Birthday: William A. Birk

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Today is the birthday of William A. Birk (November 11, 1861-June 11, 1916). William was the son of Jacob Birk, who co-founded Chicago’s Wacker & Birk Brewing Co. When Jacob retired, he bought the Corper & Nocklin Brewery for his sons, renaming it the Birk Bros. Brewing Co. William and his brother Edward ran the brewery through Prohibition, and it successfully reopened after repeal, and continued until 1950.

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Here’s William’s obituary from the American Brewers’ Review from the year after he died:

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Here’s some biographical info from “Historical Review of Chicago and Cook County and Selected Biography,” by A.N. Waterman:

Birk, his father having been born in Germany and being in early manhood a harnessmaker. He came to Chicago in 1854, prospered in trade and business, and for many years conducted a hotel on West Lake street. In 1881 he became associated with Fred Wacker & Son, then engaged in the malting business, and in the following year became associated with the firm in brewing operations under the firm name of the Wacker & Birk Brewing Company. In 1891 the business was sold to the English corporation, the Chicago Breweries, Limited, and Jacob Birk and his two sons, William A. and Edward J., incorporated the Birk Brothers’ Brewing Company. Since the founding of the company, at that time, William A. has been president and Edward J. Birk, secretary and treasurer. The basis of the complete and extensive plant was the Corper & Nockin brewery, purchased in 1891, and since remodeled and enlarged. The elder Birk retired from his connection with the business in 1895.

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And here’s another account, from the “History of Cook County, Illinois,” published in 1909:

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Birk Brothers Brewing Company delivery wagon on Belmont Avenue, around 1895.
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Historic Beer Birthday: Harry Shlaudeman

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Today is the birthday of Harry Shlaudeman (November 11, 1865-19??). His father Henry Shlaudeman founded what would become the Decatur Brewing Co., in Decatur, Illinois. It reopened after prohibition in 1934 under the name Macon County Beverage Co., but closed for good the same year.

Harry attended the University of Illinois, and received a B.S. in Architecture. After college he worked in the family brewery, as secretary and treasurer, and he was also president of the Citizens National Bank. Later in life, he left for California, settling in Pasadena, where he lived out his days.

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Surprisingly, I was unable to turn up even one photograph of him, and very little even of the brewery his father, and then he and his brother, owned. The City of Decatur and Macon County, subtitled “A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement,” includes a biography of Henry Shlaudeman, which also mentioned Harry and his brother Frank:

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He father also held two patents related to brewing. One was for an Improvement in safety-valves for fermented-liquor casks from 1878 and the other for a Refrigerator-building for fermenting and storing beer.

decatur-brewing-kegsThe keg line at the Decatur Brewing Co.

Beer Birthday: Greg Hall

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Today is the 60th birthday — The Big 6-O — of Greg Hall, former brewmaster at Goose Island Brewing. Goose Island, of course, made some incredible beers. Founded by Greg’s father John Hall in 1988, Greg became brewmaster a few years later and has been setting high standards ever since, though he left after the family business was acquired by ABI. His new venture is Virtue Cider. Join me in wishing Greg a very happy birthday.

Wil Turner, also with Goose Island, me and Greg at the 2006 GABF.
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Greg with Alex Puchner, head of brewing operations for BJs.
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Greg with the owners of Monk’s Kettle in San Francisco.
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Greg pulling a proper pint of English brewed Honkers Ale at the Crosse Keys in London (this last photo purloined from Facebook).

Beer In Ads #5062: Atlas Bock Beer

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Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. 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.

Monday’s ad is for Atlas Bock Beer, which was published on August 25, 1933. This one was for, I think, the Atlas Brewing Co. (or Atlas Beverage Co.) of Chicago, Illinois, which was originally founded in 1891 as the Bohemian Brewing Co. of Chicago, but was renamed Atlas in 1896. This ad ran in The Daily Argus Leader, of Sioux Falls, North Dakota. I love that the name of the restaurant was “The Eat Shoppe.”

Beer In Ads #5053: Stiegl Golden Bock Beer

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Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. 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 Stiegl Golden Bock Beer, which was published on August 14, 1982. This one is for the Stiegl Brauerei of Salzburg, Austria, which was originally founded in 1492. This ad for the imported beer ran in The Chicago Tribune, of Chicago, Illinois.

Beer In Ads #5049: Get Your Quarts From LaCorte’s

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Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. 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.

Sunday’s ad is for Fox De Luxe Bock Beer, which was published on August 10, 1951, though strictly speaking it was for a liquor store called LaCorte’s Park-In Liquors, located at 552-56 State Line St., in Calumet City, Illinois. [I checked, it appears to be the site of a Wendy’s today.] The ad was actually advertising a variety of alcohol, some twelve different products, but I cut them all out except the one bock beer and its neighbor. The bock is from the Peter Fox Brewing Co. of Chicago, Illinois, which was originally founded in 1896 as the Hoffman Bros. This ad ran in The Hammond Times, an afternoon paper serving Hammond, Whiting, and East Chicago, Indiana, though now is headquartered in Munster, and it just a few miles (less than 4) from the liquor store.