Historic Beer Birthday: Henry C. Moffat

February 5, 2026 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

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:

Historic Beer Birthday: Henry Uihlein II

February 3, 2026 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

Today is the birthday of Henry Uihlein II (February 3, 1896-June 8, 1997). He was the grandson of Henry Uihlein, who for many years was the president of the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company early in the 20th century. Henry II was also a director of the family business for several decades until its sale in 1982.

This paid death notice was printed in the New York Times in 1997:

UIHLEIN-Henry II. Of Lake Placid, NY. Died June 8, 1997, at his winter home in Indian Wells, CA, at the age of 101. He is survived by his wife, Suzanne M. Uihlein, and by his nephews, Robert and August Rohe. Mr. Uihlein was preceded in death by his first wife, Mildred Anthony Uihlein, who died on July 9, 1990. He was a grandson of Henry Uihlein who was a longtime president of the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company early in this century, and was himself a director of the company for several decades until its sale in 1982 to the Stroh Brewing Company. Mr. Uihlein was born in New York City on February 3, 1896, and attended public and private schools there. A promising collegiate career was cut short by tuberculosis and resulted in his spending several years in Lake Placid, NY, where he was restored to health by the altitude and climate. He married Mildred Anthony of South Orange, NJ, on June 10, 1927, and after an extended European honeymoon, they settled in Montclair, NJ, where he founded a real estate corporation. Summers were spent in Lake Placid. In 1933, the Uihleins moved to New York City where Mr. Uihlein attended to his father’s affairs until he died in 1939. In 1941, the Uihleins made Lake Placid their permanent residence, purchasing farm land from the Lake Placid Club which became known as Heaven Hill Farm. Over the succeeding decades, Mr. Uihlein developed a blue ribbon pure-breed Jersey cattle herd, a prize maple syrup operation, and a first class seed potato farm. Stock from his Jersey herd consistently took top prizes at American Jersey Club Shows. Several years ago, the Jersey herd was donated to the Miner Institute of Chazy, NY, where they continue breeding under the Heaven Hill name. Also several years ago, the maple syrup and potato operations were donated to the College of Agriculture of Cornell University under which auspices they continue to be operated as demonstration and research facilities (and in the case of the potato operation, as a disease-free source of seed potatos.) In addition to his interests in fishing, hunting, stamp collecting, and skeet shooting, Mr. Uihlein supported the sport of speed skating in Lake Placid by sponsoring a number of contestants and events, thus contributing to to Lake Placid’s reputation as a winter sports resort. He was an official timer at the 1932 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid and an active supporter of the 1980 Winter Olympics for which he was made an honorary member. In 1983, he was named to the Lake Placid Hall of Fame. Henry Uihlein also liked classic automobiles and undertook the restoration of 2 1939 DeLage automobiles. These automobiles, one a coupe and the other a convertible, are one of a kind and were the stars of the French Pavillion at the 1939 World’s Fair. More recently, they have taken top honors at the Concourse D’Legance at Pebble Beach, CA, and other national competitions. Mr. Uihlein has also been actively involved in philanthropy. In addition to funding the Cornell College of Agriculture gifts noted above, he played a major role in the creation of the Uihlein Mercy Center, a geriatric hospital and home located not far from Heaven Hill Farm in Lake Placid. He also has an administration building named after him at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Palm Desert and has served as an honorary Trustee of the Center. He has also actively supported the work of the Mayo Clinic. He will be missed by his many relatives, friends and all those whose lives he touched during his many years. Services will be held on Saturday, June 14th at 11:00 a.m. at the Uihlein Mercy Center Chapel in Lake Placid, interment to follow at North Elba Cemetery, Lake Placid, NY. Memorials may be made to Cornell University College of Agriculture, Uihlein Mercy Center, Lake Placid, NY, Eisenhower Medical Center, Palm Desert, CA, and the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. For information, call the Clark Funeral Home in Lake Placid, NY.

This biography was written in 1982, when Uihlein was inducted into The Potato Association of America:

Henry Uihlein II, born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on February 3, 1896, is a member of the family that owned and operated the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company for over 100 years.
Soon after Henry was born, his family moved to New York City, where his father continued the family tradition of engaging in the brewery business. He attended public schools and then the Horace Mann Preparatory School in New York City, a part of Teachers College, which was affiliated with Columbia University. As a youth he was active in athletics, participating in baseball, ice hockey and track.
Henry aspired to a career in medicine and with that in mind enrolled at Cornell University. However, misfortune struck. He became seriously ill with tuberculosis and his father was advised that it was unlikely that Henry would live more than six months. So in 1916, in an effort to regain his health, Henry went to Lake Placid, New York, which was famous for its health sanatoria. There he gradually regained his health and as soon as he was able, resumed his interest in amateur athletics. He focused his energies and support behind speed skating, bringing national and international meets to the tiny Adirondack village. His efforts to promote winter sports in Lake Placid continued through the ’20′s, in spite of being involved in a very serious auto accident. Mr. Uihlein played a significant role in bringing the winter Olympics to Lake Placid in 1932.
In 1927, Mr. Uihlein married Mildred Anthony, whom he had met two years earlier at the Lake Placid Club. They recently celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary. After a number of years actively engaged in business in New York City, the Uihleins returned to Lake Placid in 1940, bought Heaven Hill Farm and directed their energies toward farming. Their first Jersey cattle were acquired in 1942, the beginning of a champion show herd which eventually numbered 250 head. Their sire, Brownys Masterman Jester, bred at Heaven Hill Farm, set an unprecedented record by winning five Grand Championships at the National Jersey Show. Seven head of their cattle achieved “Hall of Fame” records. Their love of Jersey cattle continues today and Heaven Hill enjoys an international reputation for their premier breeding stock.
Concurrently with the development of their Jersey herd, the Uihtein’s entered the seed potato business in order to help the war effort. Their annual production eventually reached 30,000 bushels of top quality certified seed. In 1961 Cornell University approached the Uihleins seeking to lease or purchase their Tableland Farm to establish an official seed potato farm for New York State. The Uihleins countered with an extraordinary offer–they had decided to give Cornell approximately 300 acres of prime potato land. This, along with subsequent gifts of land, became known as the Uihlein Farm of Cornell University.
In 1975 Cornell again approached Mr. Uihlein seeking his support for building a laboratory and greenhouse on the Cornell-Uihlein Farm for the specific purpose of producing pathogen-free potato seed stocks by meristem and shoot tip culture. Having always maintained a keen interest in all aspects of the research program and the production of disease-free seed stocks, Mr. Uihlein very generously agreed to fund this facility. Ground was broken in 1977; the Henry Uihlein II Laboratory was dedicated in June of 1979. Maple syrup production on Heaven Hill was an annual affair since the 1940′s, Heaven Hill having many thousands of mature sugar maples. In 1964 Henry Uihlein conceived the idea of starting a demonstration and research project under the direction of Cornell’s Department of Natural Resources for the production of maple syrup. In addition to funding the construction of the sugar house, equipment and deeding 165 acres of maple forest to Cornell, he has continued to subsidize this project.
The Uihlein’s, in a further demonstration of community spirit, donated 35 acres of land and partial funding for a $4,500,000 nursing home for the aged and chronically ill. This facility, known as the Uihlein Mercy Center, is widely known for its beauty and excellent care. Among his many other activities and interests, Mr. Uihlein served as a Director of the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Co. for 32 years, then as Director Emeritus and Lifetime Honorary Director. He has also served as Director of the Jos. Schlitz Foundation and as a trustee and president of the Lake Placid Educational Foundation. Mr. Uihlein was honored by the American Jersey Cattle Club in 1968 and was designated “Master Breeder of the Year.” He was on the Lake Placid Olympic Organizing Committee for the 1980 Winter Olympics and has been active in numerous other organizations.
Very few individuals outside the research community have contributed so much to support the development of a basic aspect of the potato industry. Mr. Uihlein’s contributions of land and buildings have made possible a foundation seed farm of unique quality. For over twenty years, scientists, farmers, and consumers in New York State and beyond have benefitted from his personal interest in and active support for research to produce disease-free potatoes.
For his vision and enthusiasm, his high level of interest and unstinting generosity to seed potato research, it is most appropriate that we honor Mr. Henry Uihlein II with an Honorary Life Membership in The Potato Association of America.

And thanks to his contribution of bringing the Olympics to Lake Placid, he was inducted into the Lack Placid Hall of Fame.

Beer In Ads #5190: It’s Here! Really Brewed Bock

February 2, 2026 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

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.

Monday’s ad is for Utica Club or U.C. Bock Beer, which was published on February 2, 1950. This one was for Matt Brewing Co., which was located in Utica, New York and was founded by Charles Bierbauer in 1853. Brewmaster F.X. Matt eventually bought the brewery around 1888, and today the fourth generation of the Matt family still runs the brewery. This ad ran in The Plain Speaker , of Hazleton, Pennsylvania.

Historic Beer Birthday: George Hauck

January 31, 2026 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

george-hauck
Today is the birthday of George Hauck (January 31, 1832-April 20, 1912). He was born in Germany, but came to America when he was 18, in 1850, and after working in several breweries, in 1863. settled in Kingston, New York. In 1864, he and a partner, George Dressell, founded a brewery, initially known as the Geo. Dressell & Co. Brewery. Twenty years later, Dressell passed away, and Hauck became the sole proprietor, changing the name to the George Hauck Brewery. In 190s, his sons joined him in the business, and it became known as the Geo. Hauck & Sons Brewing Co., before it closed due to prohibition in 1916. It was re-opened by a few different business entities after repeal in 1933, but none proved sustainable and it closed for good in 1938.

In “The History of Ulster County, New York,” there’s an entry on Hauck:

hauckbuggy-1900
George Hauck and a young child in a horse and buggy, around 1900.

Here’s his obituary from Find-a-Grave:

George Hauck, president of the George Haurk and Sons Brewing Company, died on Saturday evening at his home on Wurts street, aged 80 years. He had been in failing health for some time. Mr. Hauck was born in Germany In 1832, a son of Adam Hauck. His father was a brewer by occupation. Coming to this country in 1849 be became associated with hib father In the latter’s brewery at the corner of Broome and Wooster streets in New York. Two years later they moved to Sheriff street where the brewery was continued. The son went to Cincinnati in 1852 and made a study of brewing. Four years later he returned to New York and entered the employ of Kress & Schaffer. He next went with the Lyon brewery and remained until it was destroyed by fire. From that time until 1861 Mr. Hauck entered the. employ of William Bertsche, who had a brewery where the Hoffman brewery now stands at Hone and Spring streets. Three years later Mr. Hauck and George Dressel formed a partnership and began brewing on the site of the present brewery at the corner of Wurts and McEntee streets. From the death of Mr. Dressel in 1884 until 1890 Mr. Hauck continued the business alone. The company was incorporated in that year. In 1867 Mr. Hauck married Miss Barbara Welker of Worms, Germany. Five children were born to then: John Hauck, Adam Hauck, Minnie Hauck, wife of Prof. C. W. Louis Stiehl of Oklahoma City; Louise Hauck, wife of John B. Kearney Mr. Hauck was a member of United German Lodge, No. 303. I. O. O. F., Franklin Lodge, No. 37, Knights of Pythias, the First German Sick and Aid Society and the Rondout Social Mannerchor. In politics Mr. Hauck was a staunch Democrat. The funeral will be held on Wednesday afternoon at 2 o’clock at his late residence, 115 Wurts street. Interment in Montrepose cemetery.

The Hauck Brewery.

This is short history of the brewery, from Thierry’s breweriana website:

George Hauck was born in 1832 in Germany. His father, Adam Hauck, was a brewer. George Hauck came to the United Sates as a young man in 1849. He went to work in his fathers brewery in New York City. In 1852 Hauck went to Cincinnati to contiue his brewing studies, only to return to New York 4 years later. Upon his return to New York City he went to work for Kress & Schaffer. He then went to work for Lyon Brewery until it was destroyed by fire. In 1861 Hauck went to work for William Bertsche in Rondout NY. Bertsche had a brewery on the corner of Hone and Spring Streets, later the Jacob Hoffmann Brewery would be located there. By 1864 Hauck and George Dressel formed a partnership and began brewing on the Corner of Wurts and McEntees Streets. The brewery was called Geo. Dressel and Co. Lager Beer Brewery. They were soon producing 5,000 barrels of beer a year. Hauck and Dressel ran the brewery until Dressel died in 1884. That same year that the main brick brewery building was built near the corners of Wurts St and McEntee St. The bottling plant was near the corner of Hone St and McEntee St. The bottling plant had been built earlier into a hillside with a cave at the rear of the building for cooling and storage of the beer that they produced.
The cave had resulted from an unusual partnership between a brewer and a baker. William Bertsche and his partner, Martin Uhle, had dug out the cave as a result of a business venture in October of 1856. Bertsche and Uhle had entered into a contract with Abraham Crispell to construct a “tunnel” on Crispell’s property on Holmes St (now known as McEntee St). Accordind to the contract, said “tunnel” was only be used for the purpose of storing Lager Bier”. Bertsche and Uhle would pay a yearly fee of $15.00 for the privilage of storing beer in the newly constructed cave. Records showed that the fee of $15.00 was paid to Crispell for the years of 1857, 1858 and 1859.
Later, Martin Uhle, who had been a baker, became a saloon owner and sold Bertshce’s beer and the cave that they had dug together would become the property of Geroge Hauck, Bertsche’s former employee.
Hauck then ran the brewery alone until 1890, the year the brewery was incorporated as the George Hauck Brewing Company.
George’s sons, Adam and John, became company officers.
In 1892 the Brewery was producing it’s signature “Red Monogram” beer. There even was a “Red Monogram” baseball team sponsored by the Hauck Brewing Company. In 1908, advertisements appeared in the local directory for Hauck’s “Rock Cellar Brew”. It was named after the cave that the held the bottling plant. By 1912, the brewery was turning out approximately 35,000 barrels of beer a year.
On April 20th 1912, the founder, George Hauck, died at his home after a long illness. His son, Adam Hauck, assumed the Presidency upon his father’s death. John, became the Vice-President.
In 1918, prior to the passage of the 18th Amendment, better known as Prohibition, the brewery was remodeled for the manufacture of peanut oil production. It was marketed as “Salanut”, “Refined Virgin Peanut Oil”. The brewery was now known as the Hauck Food Products Corporation. On December 9th 1920, John Hauck, 62 years of age, died at his home after a long illness. In early 1922, the Hauck Food Products Corporation was sold to Bankers Underwriters Syndicate of New York. John Kearney, Adam Hauck’s brother in-law, remained Vice-President while Adam and Mary had no part in the operation of the peanut oil factory.
In 1924, a “Near Beer” license was obtained and the production of “Near Beer” lasted four years, until 1928. Revenue Agents found the beer was over the alcohol content allowed and the “Near Beer” license was revoked.
Plagued by taxes and competition, the brewery never re-opened after the repeal of prohibition in 1933. A city directory in 1934 showed the Frank Brady Brewery as the new owner. Frank Brady continued to brew “Red Monogram” beer during his brief ownership. City directories 1935-1939 listed the Peter Doelger Brewing Corp as being located at that address. Finally in 1940 the Staton Brewery Inc was listed as a “Wholesale Beverage” distributor. Shortly afterwards, the building laid empty and became a city owned property. An oil company attempted to purchase the site, but public opposition to a zoning change stopped the sale. The Hauck buildings were demolished around 1942.

george-hauck-brewery-1930

There was also a John Hauck Brewery in Ohio, but as far as I can tell they are not related. Also, George’s brother did start his own brewery in New Jersey, which was known as the Peter Hauck Brewery.

bradytruck

Beer Birthday: Shane McNamara

January 28, 2026 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

Today is the 37th birthday of Shane McNamara, who is a Master Cicerone and the Global Director, Innovation Quality & Beyond Beer for Anheuser-Busch InBev. He’s been with ABI for seven years, and before that he was with the Chartered Institute of Brewers and Distillers (CIBD) and before that brewed at CRATE Brewery in London. He’s originally from Australia, but lives in New York. I believe I first met Shane when Emily Sauter introduced us in Minneapolis during CBC, but we’ve run into each other multiple time since then. Join me in wishing Shane a very happy birthday.

Me and Shane at the BA warehouse for GABG judging.

Me, Emily Sauter, Shane and Max Finnance at CBC in 2023.

Historic Beer Birthday: William Tunis Ryerson

January 27, 2026 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

Today is the birthday of William Tunis Ryerson (January 27, 1829-December 28, 1891). He was born in New York, and his father was a senior partner in the Ryerson and Brown Transfer Co. The Ryersons came to America in 1646, so I suspect he didn’t struggle financially too much. When he was 44 year old, in 1873, he joined the New York City brewery Yuengling & Co. on 213 Front & 4th Avenue as an investor and controlling partner. But he left just four years later to help form the New York Cab Company, which consolidated the existing taxi service in the city. Meanwhile, Yuengling closed the New York brewery in 1882. Ryerson passed away in late 1891, age 62.

Historic Beer Birthday: George Bechtel

January 19, 2026 By Jay Brooks

bechtel
Today is the birthday of George Bechtel (January 19, 1841-July 16, 1889). He was born in Germany, but moved to the U.S. with his parents at just six-months-old. His father was John Bechtel, who founded a brewery on Staten Island, New York, in 1853. It was initially was known as the John Bechtel Brewery, but in 1865, he sold the brewery to his son, George Bechtel, who renamed it the George Bechtel Brewery. George Bechtel continued to operate it until it closed for good in 1907.

This brief biography is from “Staten Island Brewery Barons” by Patricia M. Salmon, published in 2016:

George Bechtel was the owner and operator of the Bechtel Brewery on Staten Island. He was born in Germany and immigrated to New York with his family when he was six years old and by the age of 18 he was working in the brewery started by his father John Bechtel in Stapleton as a brewery worker. He purchased all of his father’s interests in the brewery in 1870 and by 1874 the main building was named George Bechtel’s Brewery.
By 1882, brewers at Bechtel Brewery produced about 80,000 barrels per year, which reached up to 150,000 barrels annually by the turn of the century. The business was valued at three quarter million dollars. For many years the Bechtel Brewery was the most significant business on Staten Island.
George married the former Eva Schoen, whose family has the mausoleum next to the Bechtel mausoleum, in 1865. They had four daughters, Anna, Carrie, Louise, Agnes and two sons, John and George Jr. Their six-year-old son John died in 1875.
George suffered from severe heart problems for at least two months before his death at the age of 48.

This account is from “100 Years of Brewing,” published in 1903. The second part of the article is about John Moffat:

george-bechtel-brewery

This early history of the brewery is from “History of Richmond County, from its discovery to the present time,” by Richard Mather Bayles, published in 1887:

Bechtel’s Brewery, perhaps the largest of these, was located at Stapleton, where it was founded by John Bechtel, in 1853. In 1865 he sold the concern to his son, George Bechtel, the present proprietor. The capital invested here amounts to well nigh half a million dollars. In 1865 the revenue tax of this brewery was $10,000, and ten years later it had increased to $60,000. It employs about fifty hands.
George Bechtel, was born in Germany in 1840. He came with his parents to America at the age of six months, and in 1851 entered the grammar school of ColumbiaCollege. After finishing his course at that institution he began an apprenticeship in the brewery which his father had established at Stapleton in 1853. From 1860 to 1865 he occupied the position of superintendent of the establishment, and while engaged in that capacity he established the first ice-house in the East. In 1865 he rented the property from his father, and in 1870 purchased his entire interest, becoming the sole proprietor.
The original building proving too small for his rapidly increasing business, Mr. Bechtel concluded to tear it down and in its place he built the present elegant structure, special attention being given to its equipment. So energetically was the work of erection pushed that in ten weeks after the first stone was laid brewing had recommenced. The continued increase of his business is due to the high quality of excellence which he maintains in all his productions. Mr. Bechtel has been foremost in all public and benevolent matters. During the riots in 1861 he sheltered large numbers of these homeless people in the woods and sent them nourishment daily till the trouble had subsided, a circumstance which the colored people on Staten Island have never forgotten and for which they have been ever grateful.
Mr. Bechtel’s benevolent qualities show themselves on all occasions, and many poor families on Staten Island have been the recipients of his charity. It is said of him that he is ever ready to help where it is needed. In 1879 the Japanese embassy, together with the secretary of state and several other gentlemen, paid a visit to Mr. Bechtel’ s brewery. As a result they ordered one hundred thousand bottles of beer to be sent to Japan. On their return they sent him several very flattering letters and a pair of costly vases as a token of their esteem.

Bechtel-brewery-1897

Historic Beer Birthday: John Stanton

January 16, 2026 By Jay Brooks

Today is the birthday of John Stanton (January 16, 1832-April 23, 1917). He was born in Ireland, County Cork, but came to American as a teen. In 1866, Stanton and a partner, James Daley bought the Abraham Nash Brewery of Troy, New York, which had been founded in 1817. They renamed it the Daley & Stanton Brewery, but a few years later, in 1880, Stanton bought out Daley, renaming it the John Stanton Brewery, which remained its name until closed by prohibition. After prohibition was repealed, it reopened as The Stanton Brewery Inc., and it stayed in business until 1950, when it closed for good.

Here’s his obituary from the American Brewers’ Review from 1917:

And Stanton is mentioned briefly in Upper Hudson Valley Beer, by Craig Gravina and Alan McLeod:

Stanton-Giant-Draught-Pale-Ale-Labels-Stanton-Brewery

Beer In Ads #5172: Join The Bock Beer Festival!

January 15, 2026 By Jay Brooks

Thursday’s ad is for Valley Forge Bock Beer, which was published on January 15, 1953. This ad was for the Valley Forge Brewing Co., which also the name of a brand sold by the C. Schmidt & Sons Brewing Co. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which was originally founded in 1859 by Robert Courtenay. This ad ran in The Newsday Nassau Edition , of Long Island, New York.

Historic Beer Birthday: Frank Ibert

January 15, 2026 By Jay Brooks

Today is the birthday of Frank Ibert (January 15, 1859-January 15, 1911). He was born in Brooklyn, New York. His first brewery, founded in 1880, was the Joseph Eppig & Frank Ibert Brewery in Brooklyn. The following year, he left the brewery to his partner, allowing himself to be bought out, and founded his own brewery nearby, which he called the Frank Ebert Brewery. It opened in 1891, but was closed by prohibition in 1914. Some accounts suggest it may have opened earlier, and it does make sense that he wouldn’t have waited ten years to open another brewery.

Ibert-brewery-c-1898-1900 — The Frank Ibert Brewery circa 1898-1900, although another source says it’s from 1902.

This account, from Ancestry.com accompanies one version of the photo above:

Evergreen Avenue, Linden Street and Grove Street Frank IBERT Brewing Company formed in the late 1880s. The brick building that housed the Brewery itself, would be to the left of the horses. Valentine HOFMANN was the proprietor of the HOFMANN Cafe, as seen to the right of the horses, behind the people in the photo. (Valentine HOFMANN, Frank IBERT and their children.) Frank IBERT and Valentine HOFMANN were brother-in-laws. There was a passage way between the Brewery and the Cafe. The IBERT’S who was the brewmeister’s home was at 404 Evergreen Ave, right above the HOFMANN Cafe. They lived for a time on the upper floor and the HOFMANN family below. With the death of Frank IBERT in 1920s, the Brewery was sold to a son-in-law of HOFMANNS’, Frank WINTERRATH. (He married Valentine’s oldest daughter Margaret in 1907 in St. Barbara’s RC Church) WINTERRATH tried to make a go of the Cafe changing the name to “Linden Gardens.” With prohibition around the corner it did not stay in business for long, even after a go at as a speakeasy. The building was destroyed by fire in the late 1950s, leaving an empty lot where the Cafe & home once.
The brewery c. 1924.

Here’s his obituary from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle:

A foam scraper for Ibert’s P.O.B.— “Pride of Brooklyn.”

And here’s a short account from a Hofmann family genealogy site:

Valentine went into the liquor business and became the co-owner with his brother-in-law Frank IBERT.(Margaretha’s sister, Mary Grammich married Frank Ibert). The Frank IBERT Brewing Company and HOFMANN Cafe. It was located on the corner of Evergreen,Linden and Grove, in Brooklyn. The top 2 floors were apartments. After Prohibition went into effect the brewery no longer produced beer but it did continue in the food end, becoming “The Linden Gardens” The building remained in the family until the 1950’s when it was destroyed by fire.

In 1902, Frank also patented a beer cooler.