Historic Beer Birthday: George F. Klotter Jr.

August 25, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Today is the birthday of George F. Klotter Jr. (August 25, 1835-1900?) His father, along with partner Johann G. Sohn, established the Hamilton Brewery in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1846. Klotter Sr. left that brewery, while Sohn continued alone, and Klotter started another brewery, the George Klotter Brewery in 1866 The following year George Jr., and his brother Louis, joined the brewery, and it was renamed the George Klotter and Sons Brewery, which it remained until 1888.

It 1888, it was renamed the Bellevue Brewery until finally closing in 1919.

Historic Beer Birthday: Christian Diehl

August 21, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Today is the birthday of Christian Diehl (August 21, 1842-1928). He was born in Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany and moved to the U.S. when he was 28, in 1870, settling in Defiance, Ohio. There, Jacob Karst and Joseph Bauer hired Diehl to be the brewmaster for their Defiance Brewery, which Karst had founded in 1867. The next year, Diehl bought out Karst and the brewery became known as the Bauer & Christian Diehl Brewery. Shortly after Bauer died, and in 1885 it became the Christian Diehl Brewery and later the Christ. Diehl Brewing Co., with Diehl as sole owner. The brewery reopened after prohibition and remained in business for another twenty years, closing for good in 1955.

Here’s a portion of an article about Diehl, by Carl Miller, entitled What A Diehl! from the Defiance Crescent News.

The Legacy Begins
On October 21, 1870, a twenty-eight-year-old Christian Diehl arrived in Defiance to take a position as brewmaster at the local brewery. He had learned the art of brewing beer in his hometown of Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany before emigrating to America in 1861. European-trained brewers like Christian found employment easily in mid-nineteenth century America due to the hundreds of small breweries operating throughout the east and midwest.
The young Christian Diehl took full advantage of the demand enjoyed by his profession, traveling from state to state exploring his newly adopted country. Before coming to Ohio, he worked in breweries in New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Missouri. Just prior to his arrival in Defiance, he had been employed by a Toledo brewer.
The brewery which lured Christian Diehl to Defiance was established in 1867 by German immigrant Jacob Karst. Known simply as the “Defiance Brewery,” the works was situated on North Clinton street just near the Maumee River. In 1869, local saloonkeeper Joseph Bauer purchased an interest in the brewery, and it was the firm of Karst and Bauer which hired Christian as brewmaster in 1870. By the following year, Christian had accumulated resources enough to buy Karst’s share in the brewery, and the partnership of Bauer and Diehl was established. Aside from a brief participation in the business by Bauer’s son, the brewery operated basically unchanged until the passing away of Joseph Bauer in 1883. Christian, who had apparently achieved a certain degree of financial success with the brewery by this time, purchased Bauer’s interest from his family in 1885.
The Next Generation
In 1896, three of Christian’s sons — Christian Jr., John C., and Albert F. Diehl — were initiated into the brewery’s management. The young men had virtually grown up inside the brewery and each was already well acquainted with the business. Christian Jr., in fact, had shown such an early “adaptability for business” that he was put in charge of the firm’s books at age thirteen. John C. Diehl, having graduated from the American Brewing Academy in Chicago, took over his father’s post as Diehl brewmaster.
Although the elder Christian Diehl officially continued to fill the office of brewery president, he gradually relinquished control of the family business to his sons. After the turn of the century, Christian spent much of his time tending to the family farm just outside Defiance, where he died in 1928.
The young Diehls lead the brewery into what was perhaps the most prosperous period in its history. By 1899, the Diehl brewery employed 21 men and produced annually about 12,000 barrels of beer (32 gallons per barrel), a nearly five-fold increase over the brewery’s early days. And production continued to climb well into the new century.
The great majority of Diehl beer was consumed within Defiance County in the years before Prohibition. However, a small portion of the brewery’s product was shipped to outside markets. Proximity to the Maumee River provided easy transportation to, among other locations, Ft. Wayne and Toledo. The latter city was quite possibly the brewery’s largest market outside of Defiance. By 1911, sales of Diehl beer in Toledo had justified the construction of a brewery-owned distribution depot in that city. The brewery was said to have sent beer as far north as Grand Rapids before the onset of Prohibition.
Nevertheless, the Diehl brewery’s lifeblood was its local market. In fact, the brewery’s long-time feature brand of beer was named in honor of the city itself: Centennial Beer was introduced in 1894 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Fort Defiance. Early bottle labels for Centennial Beer depicted General Anthony Wayne engaged in the Battle of Fallen Timbers. Other early Diehl brands included Hofbrau and Diehlgold. All were advertised as being “Diehlicious.”

The Big Drought
By about 1910, it had become apparent that prohibitionist groups such as the Anti-Saloon League and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union were rapidly gaining ground in their quest to abolish the manufacture of alcoholic beverages. The Diehl brothers, having fostered significant growth and expansion of the brewery throughout the early years of the century, were now charged with guiding the family business through what promised to be uncertain times ahead.
The Diehls felt it prudent to begin investigating alternative fields of business in the event that the brewing industry suffered a fatal blow. The milk condensing business emerged as a promising option due to the surrounding farmland, the lack of local competition, and the compatibility of the brewing equipment. Christian Jr. traveled to Wisconsin to observe state-of-the-art condensories in operation and returned with a glowing account of the condition of the industry.
The Prohibition crusade, in the meantime, had reached its peak. A 1918 statewide referendum left Ohio completely dry beginning in May of 1919. And, shortly thereafter, ratification of the 18th Amendment marked the beginning of National Prohibition. Brewers nationwide scrambled to find new areas of business in hopes of being among the lucky few who survived.
Although the Diehls’ plans to enter the milk condensing business had not fully materialized by the time Prohibition came, the proposed venture had attracted a significant amount of local interest. By 1922, several investors with experience in milk condensing had been recruited, and the Defiance Dairy Products Company was soon in full operation in a portion of the old brewery. The Crescent News called the opening of the condensory “a milestone in the commercial life of Defiance.” Indeed, the milk condensory — still owned and operated by the Diehl family — is today one of the city’s largest enterprises.
Incidentally, the brewery was kept in operation well into Prohibition, making “near beer,” a de-alcoholized version of real beer. The bottling works remained active as well, packaging a wide variety of soft drinks.

And this history of the brewery is from “100 Years of Brewing:”

Centennial-Beer-Tip-Trays-3-6-inches-The-Christ-Diehl-Brewing-Co--Post-Prohibition

Historic Beer Birthday: John Hauck

August 20, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Today is the birthday of John Hauck (August 20, 1829-June 4, 1896). He was born in Bavaria, but came to the U.S. as a young man. He “worked for his uncle, Cincinnati brewer George M. Herancourt, before starting his own brewery in 1863, the John Hauck Brewery

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

Brewer. A native of Germany, he was born in Rhenish, Bavaria and came to America when with his family when he was a child. After leaving school, Hauck found employment in a brewery with his uncle, Mr. Herancourt. Hauck returned to Europe for a few years before returning to the United States and worked for another uncle, Mr. Billiad, in a brewery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He moved to Cincinnati, Ohio and established a brewery of his own, the Dayton Street Brewery, which became known for its “Golden Eagle” brand. Hauck’s brewery was extremely successful and he rose to prominence as one of Cincinnati’s famous brewers. His business was later renamed as the John Hauck Beer Bottling Company in 1863 and produced thousands of barrels by the end of the 19th century. Hauck went into business with Conrad Windisch from 1863 to 1870. He was also president of the Western German National Bank in Cincinnati. John’s son, Louis Hauck, became president of the company in 1893. Hauck died in Newport, Kentucky in 1896 when he was 66 years old. His residence on Dayton Street later became a museum.

Hauck’s uncle, George Herancourt, owned the Cincinnati Red Stockings baseball team in 1884 and 1885, but declared bankruptcy in 1885. Hauck “took over as principal owner of the team. He delegated to his son, Louis, the day-to-day management of the club.”

Here’s a short history of Hauck’s brewery from the Heritage Village Museum“

Cincinnati has been the home to many breweries throughout its history, one of those being the John Hauck Brewing Company. John Hauck was born in Germany in 1829 and moved to America when he was a child. After completing school and returning to Europe for a few years, Hauck came back to America and worked for his uncle in a Philadelphia brewery. He eventually moved to Cincinnati and began his own brewery with John Windisch in 1863, called the Dayton Street Brewery. The brewery was located on Dayton Street close to the Miami-Erie Canal, which they used to fill the steam boilers, providing power to the machinery. In the first year of business, the Dayton Street Brewery produced 10,000 barrels of beer. By 1881, they were producing 160,000 barrels of beer and had become Cincinnati’s second largest brewery. John Hauck bought out Windisch’s shares of the company and renamed it the John Hauck Brewing Company. By 1884, the brewery was covering the entire city block bounded by Central Avenue, Dayton Street, York Street and Kewitt Alley. Hauck’s brewery was highly successful and he rose to prominence as one of Cincinnati prominent brewers. Hauck was a big supporter of the community and supported Cincinnati institutions, such as the Cincinnati Zoological Society. Hauck was also president of the Western German National Bank in Cincinnati. Louis Hauck, John’s son, took control of the brewing company in 1893. John Hauck died in Newport, Kentucky in 1896. The Hauck residence on Dayton Street remains and is owned by the Cincinnati Preservation Association.

Historic Beer Birthday: Johann Casper Bruckmann

August 17, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Today is the birthday of Johann (“John”) Casper Bruckmann (August 17, 1829-August 12, 1887). He was born in “Berka von der Hainich, Wartburgkreis, Thuringia, Germany.” the son of Hartmann Bru(e)ckmann and Christina Maria Braun.

In 1856, with his brother, Frederick Bruckmann, he founded the Cumminsville Brewery, of Cincinnati, Ohio, which was also known as the Frederick Bruckmann Brewery, but by 1872 was called the John C. Bruckmann Brewing Co., although still also known as the Cumminsville Brewery.

Beer In Ads #5039: Bockbierfest

July 30, 2025 By Jay Brooks

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.

Wednesday’s ad is not for an actual beer, but instead is something Bock related. As we move increasingly past the typical bock beer season, the number of unique ads are becoming harder to find, and today only this odd little gem stood out. This ad is for films being shown in Cleveland, Ohio, and presumably the various theaters have a single owner since the one ad has listings for eight different theaters in different locations. The ad was published on July 30, 1931 in The Plain Dealer, of Cleveland, Ohio. The one that stood out was the Alhambra Theatre, which was located at 10403 Euclid Ave. This ad ran on a Thursday and was promoting a new film imported from Germany entitled “Bockbierfest,” released the previous year in Europe. Bockbierfest was about to debut in three days, on Saturday. The ad refers to the novie as a “Rollicking, Hilarious Comedy of the annual Bock Beer Festival.”

Here’s a close up of the listing from the Alhambra:

Bockbierfest was not a film I’d ever heard of before, so I did a little googling to see what I could find. Several websites give the following synopsis:

Underwear manufacturer Livius Heintze is a vehement anti-alcoholic and thus is very much against the marriage of his daughter Hedwig to the brewery owner Raumert. Heintze’s second, illegitimate daughter Emmi also wants to give her father a heart attack by marrying the hops merchant Seidl.

From what I can gather it was only shown in German and the only copy I could find for sale online had no subtitles or dubbing available. It starred Carl Boese, Ludwig Stössel, Margarete Kupfer and Margot Landa, none of whom I was familar with.

The website SIMKL also gives some information about the film:

Bock Beer Fest (1930) – A German Comedy Classic
Released in 1930, Bock Beer Fest is a German comedy film directed by Carl Boese. This early talkie is a light-hearted, entertaining movie that showcases the director’s skill in blending humor and wit.
The film follows the story of a group of friends who try to outdo each other in a series of comedic misadventures. With its witty dialogue and physical comedy, Bock Beer Fest is a hilarious portrayal of friendships and the chaos that ensues when they get together.
What makes this film stand out is its historical significance. As one of the earliest German talkies, Bock Beer Fest showcases the early days of sound in cinema. The film’s direction and cinematography are noteworthy, highlighting Boese’s expertise in capturing the essence of the era.
Interesting Facts:
Bock Beer Fest was one of the first German films to use synchronized sound, making it a milestone in the country’s cinematic history.
The film’s title, “Bockbierfest,” refers to a traditional German beer festival, which is a central theme throughout the movie.

Trude Brionne played “Emmi – ihre Tochter”

And Margot Landa starred as “Hedwig – beider Tochter”

You can also watch it in German, in two parts, on YouTube. Here are links for Part 1 and Part 2.

Historic Beer Birthday: Louis Hudepohl

July 20, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Today is the birthday of Louis Hudepohl (July 20, 1842-April 27, 1902). Originally born as Ludwig Hudepohl II, he and partner George H. Kotte bought the Buckeye Brewery of Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1885, calling it the Kotte & Hudepohl Brewery, though it was later known as the Hudepohl Brewing Company in in 1885. “Hudepohl was the son of Bavarian immigrants and had worked in the surgical tool business before starting his brewery. Hudepohl combined with the Schoenling Brewing Company in 1986.”

Here’s an account from Queen City History:

Louis Hudepohl (born Ludwig Hudepohl II) had a business model that would raise a few eyebrows in modern state regulatory agencies. He had a combination real estate office and liquor store on Main Street. The real estate thing must not have worked out because his business was listed solely as a wholesale liquor store a few years later; but he definitely had a bright future in the alcoholic beverage industry. Along with his partner George Kotte, Hudepohl sold the liquor store on Main and bought a fledgling brewery on Buckeye Street (now East Clifton) in 1885. Born in Cincinnati by German immigrant parents, Hudepohl would become the first American-born member of Cincinnati’s great pre-Prohibition beer barons. Although Louis Hudepohl died in 1902, his family-run brewery also bridged another generational gap: The Hudepohl Brewing Company was only one of four Cincinnati breweries to survive Prohibition. As the last to still be brewing near beer, the Bruckmann Brewing Company was the only Cincinnati brewery poised to immediately return to production of real beer. Hudepohl, Foss-Schnieder, and Schaller also resumed operations within a few months, and under their pre-Prohibition names. Within a year, these breweries were followed by a series of others that breathed new life into pre-Prohibition breweries.

hudepohl-and-kotte

ludwig-hudepohl-and-mary

And another from Peared Creation:

Louis Hudepohl and his wife, Agnes, made their home in Cincinnati in 1838 after emigrating from Germany. Hudepohl met a business partner by the name of George H. Kotte and the two started a wholesale liquor store near Main and Ninth Street. In 1842 Louis had a son, Louis Hudepohl II, that would grow up to be a major player in Cincinnati brewing. He was initially trained in surgical tools but his lack of interest in the work prompted a move to his father’s liquor store at the age of 24.
Hudepohl II resumed partnership with Kotte, during which Hudepohl Sr. passed away in 1881. It was in 1885 that the new partners sold their store and bought the brewery on East McKinnon and 105/125 Clifton Avenues. The facility had a long history of brewering as it was used by Gottfried & Henry Koehler for 20 years, and then by Kaufmann Brewing Co. from 1883-1885. The duo encountered much success and raised production from 25,000 to 40,000 barrels in only their first year. By 1890 the brewery had more than 5 brands of beer and 100 employees. As the brands and barrels grew, the partners hired brewery architect Fredrick Wolf to design their expansion. Kotte’s death in 1899 prompted the renaming to Hudepohl Brewing Co. The same year, Louis introduced “Golden Jubilee” which became a craving among beer lovers across the region.
Of course the prohibition shut down brewery operations in 1919 but while many other breweries failed to adapt, the Hudepohl brand remained a constant in the market with their near beer and sodas. The near-beer was one half of 1 percent alcohol which they sold individually as well as mixed with a concoction of ginger ale which they called a Dutch Cocktail. After the Prohibition was lifted off, Hudepohl resumed his famous beer making. In fact he was one of the three brands including, Foss-Schneider and Schaller, who were able to reemerge after the prohibition. Following incessant demand for the Hudepohl brands the company purchased the Lackman Brewing Co. in order to increase production in 1934.
By the mid 1980s, Hudepohl was producing 100,000 barrels per year, making Hudepohl and beer synonymous in the tri-state area. Hudy Delight, introduced in 1978 became their star beer along with The Christian Moerlein Cincinnati Select Lager introduced in 1981. The beer, named after famous Cincinnati pre-prohibition brewer, had more flavor and a deep, rich golden color. Hudepohl manufactured 14 other beers including Hudepohl Bock, Hudepohl Beer, Chevy Ale, Old 85 Ale, Burger Light, Hudepohl Gold, and Hudepohl Oktoberfest to name a few. Hudepohl’s 100th anniversary was celebrated in 1985 when it was under the presidency of Bob Pohl. He was in need for an investor when Schoenling Brewing Company took over the business on the decline. The company operated as Hudepohl-Schoenling Brewing Company in the same Hudepohl facility until it was moved to Schoenling facility.

This biography appeared in the History of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio, published in 1894.

hudepohl-bio

louis-hudepohl-portrait-lg Louis Hudepohl later in life, enjoying life as a local celebrity.

Sarah Stephens had this to say about Hudepohl in Cincinnati’s Brewing History:

hudepohl-bio-2

Golden-Jubilee-Labels-Hudepohl-Brewing-Company-Plant-1--Aka-of-Hudepohl-Brewing-Co

Hudepohl-Pure-Lager-Beer-Labels-Hudepohl-Brewing-Company-Plant-1--Aka-of-Hudepohl-Brewing-Co

Beer In Ads #5012: It’s A Sign Of Spring

June 30, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Monday’s ad is for Lisner Bock Beer, which was published on June 30, 1915. This one was for the Simon Linser Brewing Co. of Zanesville, Ohio, which was originally founded in 1846. This ad ran in the Times Recorder, also of Zanesville, Ohio.

Historic Beer Birthday: Louis J. Hauck

June 30, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Today is the birthday of Louis J. Hauck (June 30, 1866-April 30, 1942). His father, John Hauck, founded the John Hauck Brewing Co. in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1863. In 1879, Hauck bought out his partner and a few years later changed the name of the brewery. Louis became president in 1893, when his father retired. It continued as the John Hauck Brewery or the Dayton Street Brewery until prohibition. After it ended, it reopened as the Red Top Brewing Co. and continued until closing in 1956.

louis-hauck

Here’s a short history of the brewery Louis’ dad founded, from Emily Brickler at Cincinnati Historic Destinations:

John Hauck and John Ulrich Windisch teamed up to start their brewery back in 1863 located on Dayton Street near Central Avenue. They ended up purchasing five acres located close to the Miami-Erie Canal which the water was used to fill the steam boilers and provide the power for the machinery. Both guys at one point called their business the Dayton Street Brewery which was producing 10,000 barrels of beer in their first year. By 1877, they were producing 32,000 barrels and two years later he bought Windsch’s shares of the brewery.
In 1881, the brewery was producing 160,000 barrels of beer. By 1882 the brewery was officially the John Hauck Brewing Company. There was also a John Hauck Beer Bottling Company that was established that same year. John Hauck was against bottling his beer though saying that it changed the flavor of the beer but in order for him to do business with more distant markets he had to agree with the bottling of his beer. By 1884 the brewery was covering the block which was bounded by Central, Dayton, York Streets and Kewitt Alley. The only remaining building from this brewery is the bottling works which stands on Central Avenue bear Dayton Street. The Hauck and Windisch farm actually still stands as well located near Crescentville Road. Louis Hauck then had the original Hauck farm house replaced in 1904 with a mansion located at 12171 Mosteller Road.

dayton-st-brewery-2
The John Hauck Brewery, a.k.a. the Dayton Street Brewery.

A caricature of Louis J. Hauck done around 1903.

Historic Beer Birthday: Peter Weyand

June 29, 2025 By Jay Brooks

weyand-and-jung
Today is the birthday of Peter Weyand (June 29, 1821-July 17, 1875). Along with Daniel Jung, he founded the Western Brewery on Freeman and Bank Streets in Cincinnati, Ohio. I was unable to find any photos of Weyand, and very few of the brewery when it used his name, too, but then only appears to be for a few years, from 1854-1857 according to some sources.

weyand-and-jung

Here’s Weyand obituary from “Early Nineteenth-Century German Settlers in Ohio.”

When it was first opened in 1857, along with partner Peter Weyand, it was called the Western Brewery (some sources say 1854). In 1879, they added a third investor, and it became the Weyand, Jung & Heilman Brewery. It 1885, with Jung apparently sole owner, it is renamed the Jung Brewing Co., which it remained until 1908, when it went back to being the Western Brewery, before closing due to prohibition in 1919.

western-brewery

In 1879, Weyand and Jung partnered with Max Hellman and operated the brewery until 1885. In 1885, following the deaths of Peter Weyand and Daniel Jung, the brewery was renamed the Jung Brewing Company. The Jung Brewing Company operated from 1885 to 1890. In 1890, the brewery was sold and merged with Cincinnati Breweries Company.

Historic Beer Birthday: John Schneider

June 28, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Today is the birthday of John Schneider (June 28, 1849-?). I believe he was a son of Louis Schneider, who founded the Louis Schneider Brewery in Cincinnati, Ohio. After taking on a partner, Henry Foss, it later became known as the Foss-Schneider Brewing Co. It closed during prohibition, but reopened when it was repealed in 1933, though closed for good in 1939. While I was unable to find much information on John, it seems that he was elected second vice-president of the Brewers Association at their sixth convention in 1893.

Here’s a short history of the brewery, from “100 Years of Brewing:”

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