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Historic Beer Birthday: George F. Wiessner

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Today is the birthday of George F. Wiessner (May 10, 1860-July 6, 1925). He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and was the son of John Frederick Wiessner, who founded the John F. Wiessner Brewery of Baltimore, Maryland in 1863, renaming it the John F. Wiessner & Sons Brewing Co. after George and his brother John Friedrich Wiessner Jr. joined he business in 1888, which it remained until closed by prohibition in 1920. It did reopen afterwards, but George Wiessner passed away at age 65 in 1925. George was Secretary and Treasurer of the business until his brother died in 1906, and after that he became president for the rest of his time in the family business.

The Brewery after 1906.

Here’s his obituary from the Baltimore Sun in 1925:

And here’s another obituary from the Evening Sun:

And below are some ads and labels from the brewery:

From the Baltimore Sun, 1908.
Wiessner’s Bock Beer
From Christmastime, 1909.

Historic Beer Birthday: John Friedrich Wiessner Jr.

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Today is the birthday of John Friedrich Wiessner Jr. (April 5, 1859-September 21, 1906). He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and learned the brewing trade there, before moving to New York to work at the George Ringler Brewery for a time. In the 1880s, he returned to Baltimore to work at his father’s brewery, first known as the John F. Wiessner Brewery, and after junior and his brother joined him in the business in 1888, it was renamed the John F. Wiessner & Sons Brewing Co., which it remained until closed by prohibition in 1920. It reopened after repeal in 1933 as the American Brewery until closing for good in 1973.

And this obituary is from the American Brewers Journal:

Baltimore History Bits has a short history of the brewery, and cartoonist from California, Chendi Xu, created a short comic about the history of Wiessner’s brewery, although she claims he went to Bavaria to learn brewing and came back from there rather than New York. There’s also a pdf online with a history of the brewery from a breweriana perspective by David Hagberg.

Beer Birthday: Hugh Sisson

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Today is the 71st birthday of Hugh Sisson (March 11, 1954- ). He founded Heavy Seas Brewing in Baltimore, Maryland in January of 1995, though officially its name is the Clipper City Brewing Co. But he’d been dabbling in beer long before that, starting with running Maryland’s only craft beer bar in 1982 with his father. In 1986, he helped get his state’s laws changed to allow brewpubs, and opened Sisson’s Brewpub. Wanting to focus more on the beer, het left the brewpub behind and started Clipper City, rebranding it in 2010 as Heavy Seas, since those were his most popular beers. I’ve only run into Hugh a few times over the years, but first visited Clipper City in 1998, when GABF On the Road was in town. Join me in wishing High a very happy birthday.

Dressed up for their 20th anniversary.

Beer In Ads #4893: National Bock Beer Fight

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Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. Bock, of course, 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.

Tuesday’s ad is depicts a goat fight, apparently to the death, as the victor head butts the other goat over the ledge of a cliff. Standing behind and watching this epic battle are personifications of the major nations of the time, all with mugs of Bock beer in their hands. The Library of Congress mentions a connection to the F. Klemm Brewery of Baltimore, Maryland, although it’s fairly subtle and not all obvious. In the bottom right-hand corner is the following text, quite tiny: “Published by F. Klemm, No. 429 Central Ave., Baltimore, MD.” The chromolithograph was created in 1878. The lithographer was A. Hoen & Co., of 75 Second St., in Baltimore, Maryland. “A. Hoen & Co. was a Baltimore, Maryland-based lithography firm founded by Edward Weber in the 1840s as E. Weber & Company. When August Hoen took it over following Weber’s death, he changed the name and built the company into one of the most prominent in the industry at the time.”

Beer In Ads #4868: 1876 Bock

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Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. Bock, of course, 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.

Saturday’s ad for “Bock” was created for the F. Klemm Brewery of Baltimore, Maryland. In 1876 This lithograph was created in 1876. The lithographer was A. Hoen & Co., of 75 Second St., in Baltimore, Maryland. “A. Hoen & Co. was a Baltimore, Maryland-based lithography firm founded by Edward Weber in the 1840s as E. Weber & Company. When August Hoen took it over following Weber’s death, he changed the name and built the company into one of the most prominent in the industry at the time.”

Beer In Ads #4864: Geo. Baurenschmidt’s Bock

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Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. Bock, of course, 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 for “Bock” depicts a goat driving a beer wagon drawn by four goats. The wagon is filled with wooden kegs, but they appear to have young kids breaking out of them, as if they were chicks hatching from eggs. Maybe that’s how Bock beer is made? The poster was for the Geo. Bauerschmidt Brewing Co. of Baltimore, Maryland, which at this time was also known as the Greenwood Park Brewery. The lithograph was created in 1870. The lithographer was A. Hoen & Co., of 75 Second St., in Baltimore, Maryland. “A. Hoen & Co. was a Baltimore, Maryland-based lithography firm founded by Edward Weber in the 1840s as E. Weber & Company. When August Hoen took it over following Weber’s death, he changed the name and built the company into one of the most prominent in the industry at the time.”

Beer In Ads #4857: Sample Card No. 1 The Felix Klemm Bock

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Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. Bock, of course, 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 for “Bock” was created for the F. Klemm Brewery of Baltimore, Maryland. In 1880, they had two posters created for them, called “No. 1” and “No. 2.” This chromolithograph was created in 1882 and is entitled “Sample Card No. 1 of the Felix Klemm Bock.” The lithographer was A. Hoen & Co., of 75 Second St., in Baltimore, Maryland. “A. Hoen & Co. was a Baltimore, Maryland-based lithography firm founded by Edward Weber in the 1840s as E. Weber & Company. When August Hoen took it over following Weber’s death, he changed the name and built the company into one of the most prominent in the industry at the time.”

Beer In Ads #4856: Sample Card No. 1 Of The F. Klemm’s Illuminated Bock

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Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. Bock, of course, 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 for “Bock” was created for the F. Klemm Brewery of Baltimore, Maryland. In 1880, they had two posters created for them, called “No. 1” and “No. 2.” This chromolithograph was created in 1881 and is entitled “Sample Card No. 1 of the F. Klemm Illuminated Bock.” The lithographer was A. Hoen & Co., of 75 Second St., in Baltimore, Maryland. “A. Hoen & Co. was a Baltimore, Maryland-based lithography firm founded by Edward Weber in the 1840s as E. Weber & Company. When August Hoen took it over following Weber’s death, he changed the name and built the company into one of the most prominent in the industry at the time.”

Beer Birthday: Henry “Zadie” Benesch

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union-craft

Today would have been the 105th birthday of Henry “Zadie” Benesch. Unfortunately, he passed away a few days shy of his 101st birthday on January 11, 2021. Until then, the centenarian was believed to be the oldest living person working for a brewery, where he helped out at his grandson’s brewery in Baltimore, Maryland, Union Craft Brewery. Thanks to Gregg Wiggins and Tom Cizauskas for alerting me to this story. You can read more about Zadie in an interview of him from a few years before when he turned 99 from the Washington City Paper. Here is what Yours For Good Fermentables had to say:

Happy 100th birthday to America’s (and the world’s?) oldest brewery worker: Henry ‘Zadie’ Benesch. A World War II veteran, Mr. Benesch works at Union Craft Brewing in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

On Jan. 19, 2020, Henry will celebrate his 100th birthday. He isn’t sure what’s kept him alive for a full century. ‘I can’t answer that, but I say I drank from the fountain of youth when I was 17 and I smoked cigars when I was 22 and I’m still smoking cigars and drinking bourbon.’ “

“His badass-ness just rubs off on all of us,” said Union Craft Brewing co-founder Kevin Blodger. His fellow co-founder, Adam Benesch, is one of Henry’s 16 grandchildren.

Sounds like a fascinating person with a lot of stories to tell. The brewery has declared January 19th as “Zay Day” and thrown a big birthday bash at the brewery. Join me in drinking a toast to Zadie with a beer, a cigar, or bourbon.

Zadie

In his obituary on Baltimore Jewish Living they reprinted Zadie’s 11 Life Lessons, and I think they bear repeating and taking to heart.

  1. You can never have too many hats.
  2. Vegetables are always optional.
  3. Exercise will kill you.
  4. Travel often and see the world.
  5. Coffee, bourbon, Blackwing Lager and cigars are the four basic life necessities.
  6. Show up and work hard.
  7. Treat everyone you meet with kindness and compassion.
  8. Don’t take life so seriously.
  9. Stay humble.
  10. Keep it simple.
  11. Appreciate what you have.
Zadie-Orioles

Beer In Ads #4855: F. Klemm’s Bock No. 1

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Last year I decided to concentrate on Bock ads. Bock, of course, 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.

Saturday’s ad for “Bock” was created for the F. Klemm Brewery of Baltimore, Maryland. In tiny letters on the bottom right of the poster, it reads: “No. 1.” You can see No. 2 from yesterday here. The lithograph was created in 1880. The lithographer was A. Hoen & Co., of 75 Second St., in Baltimore, Maryland. “A. Hoen & Co. was a Baltimore, Maryland-based lithography firm founded by Edward Weber in the 1840s as E. Weber & Company. When August Hoen took it over following Weber’s death, he changed the name and built the company into one of the most prominent in the industry at the time.”