Today is the birthday of Francis Straub (September 7, 1877-?). He was the eldest son of Peter Straub, who founded the Straub Brewery in St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania in 1872. Francis was trained as a brewer and took over the duties of brewmaster at the family brewery after his father died in 1913. The brewery is still owned and operated today by the Straub family.
Francis, usually known as Frank, with his wife and family in the early 1900s.
The Straub family had been brewing a local beer for generations. As expected Peter learned a trade important to the brewing art. He became a Cooper, a craftsman who makes wooden barrels. Peter aspired to be a brewer and at the age of 19 in 1869 immigrated to the United States for a better and more prosperous life. Upon his arrival in the United States he found employment at the Eberhardt and Ober Brewing Company in Pennsylvania. Peter admired his employers’ pledge to forfeit $1,000 if any adulteration was found in their beer, and as he honed his brewing skills to a sharp edge, he adhered faithfully to this promise. Eventually he tired of city life and moved north to Brookville, where he perfected his brewing process while working in the Christ and Algeir Brewery.
Peter later moved to Benzinger (St. Marys), where he met and married Sabina Sorg of Benzinger. The couple settled in Benzinger and had ten children: Francis X., Joseph A., Anthony A., Anna M., Jacob M., Peter M. (who died at two years of age), Peter P., Gerald B., Mary C., and Alphons J.
Peter’s employment in Benzinger was with the Joseph Windfelder Brewery and he worked there until he purchased the Benzinger Spring Brewery (founded by Captain Charles C. Volk in 1855) from his father-in-law, Francis Xavier Sorg. It was then that Straub Beer and the Straub Brewery was born.
The Straub Family in 1904. Francis is in the second row, the fourth 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.
Francis (in the center) with his brothers Jacob and Peter.
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.
The Benzinger Spring Brewery in 1895.
And this account is by Erin L. Gavlock, from 2009, at the Pennsylvania Center for the Book at Penn State:
Straub owned and operated the Benzinger Spring Brewery until he died in 1912 and left the company to his son, Anthony. Anthony Straub changed the name of the brewery to “Peter Straub Sons’ Brewery,” the only alteration he would make to his father’s business. From there, Peter Straub’s beer would become a Pennsylvania legend.
The Bavarian Man, a long-time image of the Straub Brewery that recalls its German roots.
Fast-forward over a hundred years from Straub’s humble beginnings to today and one will find the Straub Brewing pledge remains unchanged. The company still serves only unadulterated beer to its customers, proclaiming to be “The Natural Choice.” “Our all grain beer is brewed from Pennsylvania Mountain Spring water and we don’t add any sugar, salt, or preservatives to our recipes,” brew master Tom Straub told St. Marys’ Daily Press. “You can say our beer is a fresher, healthier choice than many of the selections in the marketplace.” Although time and technology have forced a transformation in brewing techniques and standards, the taste, ingredients, and the location of Straub have remained constant. Still located in St. Marys, the brewery depends upon the same mountain water from the Laurel Run Reservoir to blend with all-natural ingredients of cornflakes (used to produce fermentable sugars), barley and hops. “Our brewing process is virtually unchanged since our great, great, grandfather, Peter Straub, perfected it in 1872,” Straub’s promises. The reason behind sticking to the fresh taste of the original recipe is simple: people like it. Through the century, Straub has grown a dedicated patronage in western Pennsylvania with its traditional flavor. “Our style of brewing has pretty much stayed the same over the years, but what is interesting is that our popularity has grown and the reputation of our hand-crafted beer has increased,” Straub CEO Bill Brock said. “It is nice to know that we are becoming increasingly popular not for something we’ve changed, but rather for something we’ve always done well.”
The choice to protect and maintain the brewing customs has kept Straub a small, family owned brewery. “We’ve always thought small. We’re more about quality than quantity,” Dan Straub, former CEO, told Fredericksburg, Virginia’s Free-Lance Star. Until June 2009, Straub Beer was only distributed in glass bottles throughout Pennsylvania and Ohio. Now Straub is being brewed and distributed in aluminum cans in Rochester, New York at the High Falls Brewery. The recipe and method have not changed in the new setting and are under the careful watch of brew master Tom Straub. Despite the recent company growth, Straub still only produces about 45,000 barrels of beer per year. “We are unique; we are much larger than a micro brewery yet far, far smaller than some of the leading national brands,” said Bill Brock. In the middle ground, the brewery has managed to survive beer tycoons, economic depression, and cultural trends—a tough maneuver for a company exporting from Pennsylvania’s least populated region. “I believe the brewery has survived because of the fact that it is family owned; it is steeped in tradition and we have an absolute passion for making beer and our products,” said Brock. “From my perspective, the company and our traditions are a huge legacy and there is a clear obligation to continue these traditions.” Keeping to the family legacy has allowed Straub to persevere through the years to become the second oldest brewery in Pennsylvania after Yuengling.
Staying small and faithful to the company’s founding principles has enabled Straub to keep traditions that other larger breweries have been forced to abandon. The returnable bottle, an eco-friendly service that allows customers to send glass bottles back to the brewery for recycling, is still offered at Straub. “We stayed with the returnable bottles first of all, and I think this is really important, because we have a really strong customer base and they like the returnables,” Bill Brock said during a 2009 radio broadcast. “Over the years we maintained it while other breweries slowly fazed them out.” For Straub, a successful regional brewery, shipping bottles back to the factory is feasible, where it would create more pollution for national brands to do the same. In the future, Straub hopes to go greener and offer more returnables to customers. “We’d love for it to grow,” Brock said. “We think it is the right thing to do and if we can blend the right thing to do with making our customers happy that’s almost a perfect world.”
The family in the early 1900s. Anthony is the third from the left in the front row.
Another Peter Straub tradition kept to make customers happy is the Eternal Tap, an oasis for Elk County beer drinkers. The Eternal Tap, established long before any of the brewery’s current chief operators were born, is a “thank you” gesture for patrons, daily providing two mugs of complimentary, fresh cold beer to anyone of legal drinking age. “The roots of it go as far back as the brewery itself and I am sure that my great, great, grandfather, his workers and their friends would spend time at the end of the week enjoying a few pints of freshly brewed beer,” Brock said. According to Bloomington, Illinois’ Pantagraph, the Eternal Tap sprang up shortly after Peter Straub received the Benzinger Spring Brewery from his father-in-law as a way to draw beer enthusiasts to the taste of Straub. Since the marketing gimmick started in 1872, the Eternal Tap has not been turned off, giving free beer to customers in good times and bad.
Although Straub has been in operation for more than a century since its founder’s death, if Peter Straub were able to return to his brewery today, he might feel as if he still ran it. The original recipe, the customer appreciation, and the environmental concerns he founded his business upon are still principal brewing laws at Straub today. For the descendants of Peter Straub, keeping the tradition was second nature. “For me, being President/CEO, my job is to be faithful to the traditions and it is really not that difficult,” Brock said. “I have one of the best jobs in the world and I have been given the opportunity to continue an important tradition and legacy.”
Peter, in the middle, with his son Francis on the left, and Jacob on the right.
Today is the birthday of Henry Fink (September 7, 1835-January 10, 1898). He was born in Hesse-Cassel, Germany, but settled in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In 1862, along with a business partner, Christian Boyer, he bought the Barnitz Brewery (which had been founded around 1854), changing the name to Fink & Boyer, although it was also known as the Keystone Brewery. Later on, it was called the Henry Fink Brewery, then Henry Fink’s Sons and finally Fink Brewing Co., before prohibition shut it down. It reopened briefly in 1933, but closed for good the following year.
According to Otto’s Pub & Brewery:
The Barnitz brewery was started on Forster Street in Harrisburg in 1854, becoming the Fink & Boyer brewery eight years later. The brewery was producing about 4,000 barrels of ale and porter per year. In 1875 Henry Fink became sole proprietor, and in 1881 he built a large modern plant with a capacity of 20,000 barrels of lager beer, ale, and porter annually which he called Fink’s Keystone Brewery. The brewery survived Prohibition and introduced Purple Ribbon Pilsner, Wurzburger Lager, and Derby Ale, but went out of business the following year. Ironically, the building was sold to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and today the building which was subsequently built on the site houses the PLCB.
Harrisburg’s Fink brewery was one of many brewers that capitalized on Pennsylvania’s German or “Pennsylvania Dutch” heritage with this “ Schnitzelbank Song” that surely inspired many tavern-goers to break into song. Made like a sampler to teach youngsters the alphabet, it presented Pennsylvania German culture in a novel way. Many Pennsylvania brewers issued similar posters.
In “Notes and Queries: Historical, Biographical and Genealogical Relating Chiefly to Interior Pennsylvania,” edited by William Henry Engle, published in 1898, has the obituary of Henry Fink:
Today is the birthday of Joseph Haefner (September 3, 1848-January 10, 1916). He was born in near Bamberg, Germany. When he was 24, in 1872, he came to America, working in several breweries for fourteen years, before buying out Lawrence Knapp’s Empire Steam Brewery in 1886. He renamed it the Joseph Haefner Brewery, although it was also known as the Empire Brewery, and it’s best-known brand was Tivoli Beer. It reopened after prohibition as Haefner Brewing Co. and remained in business until 1946, when it became the Lancaster Brewing Co. for another three years, closing for good in 1949.
This biography is from the “Biographical Annals of Lancaster Co., Pa.,” published in 1903 by J. H. Beers & Co.:
JOSEPH HAEFNER, proprietor of the Empire Brewery, one of the largest enterprises of the kind in Lancaster, is a native of Germany, born in Ganstadt bei Bamberg, Sept. 3, 1848, son of John B. and Barbara (Stall) Haefner.
John B. Haefner, father of Joseph Haefner, was also a native of Germany, and for twenty years conducted a brewery in his native country, doing a large business and performing the duties of a prominent citizen. His death took place in 1899, when he was aged seventy-eight years. His wife died in 1893, at the age of seventy-two years. Both were worthy members of the Catholic Church. Mr. and Mrs. Haefner had the following children: John B. (deceased) also followed the brewing business; Peter resides in Germany and follows the butcher business; Joseph is mentioned below; Lizzie married Gottleib Smith, a farmer in Montgomery county, Pa.; Anna married William Kurtz, who conducts a hotel in Lancaster; Lena married Lawrence Rateline, a farmer in Germany.
Joseph Haefner learned his trade in Germany with his father, with whom he remained until he was sixteen years of age, then securing work in other breweries, where he continued until coming to America, in 1872. For two years he was employed in Rupert’s brewery, in New York, going then to Union Hill, N. J., where he remained one year. Coming to Lancaster, he served one year in Henry Frank’s brewery, and then went to Reading, where his knowledge of the business secured him a good position with Fred. Lauer, with whom he remained six years. Mr. Haefner then went to Pottsville, and in partnership with Peter Lauer and Lawrence Smith operated the Archard brewery for two years, and then for about five years was in Philadelphia. In 1886 Mr. Haefner returned to Lancaster and bought of Florence Knapp his present plant, which he has enlarged to thrice its original dimensions, and has more than trebled its producing capacity. This immense plant covers at present a half acre of ground and gives employment to twenty men. It is fitted with all modern improvements and is the only brewery in the locality which manufactures its own ice. This business was established in 1868 by Lawrence Knapp, and since Mr. Haefner became its proprietor has grown in importance until it ranks with the leading industries of the city.
Mr. Haefner is independent in politics. He takes a deep interest in everything looking to the advancement of the community, and votes for those whom he deems will best carry out his ideas. Fraternally he belongs to the B. P. 0. E. and the Brewers’ Association. In person Mr. Haefner exemplifies the best class of prosperous German- American citizens. Genial, pleasant, liberal in his benefactions and charitable to the poor, he has many in Lancaster who delight to call him friend. He has won his way to success through his own efforts, and well deserves the good fortune which has attended him.
In 1874, in Lancaster, Mr. Haefner was united in marriage to Margaret Fisher, daughter of Raphael Fisher, who operated a hotel in Lancaster for a number of years. He died in 1893, at the age of seventy-four years, and his wife died in 1884. They were members of the Catholic Church, and were interred in the Catholic cemetery. The following named children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Haefner: Mary, who died at the age of four years; Miss Elizabeth, at home; and Anna, Joseph, Catherine, Lauer and Margaret. Mr. Haefner built his present fine home, opposite his place of business, in 1890.
And this is from the “American Brewers’ Review,” for 1916:
Today is the birthday of John F. Betz Jr. (September 1, 1856-April 8, 1910). He was born in Pennsylvania, the son of John F. Betz, who in 1867 bought what was the Robert Hare & J. Warren Porter Brewery when it opened in 1775, but was the William Gaul Brewery when Betz acquited it, but Betz changed it to the John F. Betz Brewery. When John Jr. joined his father in the business in 1880, they changed the name to the John F. Betz & Son Brewery. The brewery survived prohibition, but closed for good in 1939.
Here’s his obituary from the American Brewers’ Review:
The Betz brewery in Philadelphia.
This much longer account is from “Philadelphia and Popular Philadelphians,” published in 1891. It’s mostly about Junior’s father, but he is mentioned in the course of the article:
The Philadelphia brewery.
I’m not sure if this was a newspaper advertisement or some very favorable coverage, but this was a page from The Times—Philadelphia on May 28, 1893. But in the right-hand corner is where I discovered the only image of John F. Betz Jr. that I could find.
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 Graupner Bock Beer, which was published on August 28, 1933. This one was for the Robert H. Graupner Brewery of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, which was originally founded in 1875 as Koenig & Bro. and was also often called the Centennial Brewery, though Graupner was usually in the name after 1893. They also mention two of the other beers, Graupner’s X-Tra Fine Beer and Silver Stock Lager. But what’s most curious about the ad is that most of it is taken up by the telling of one of the many origin stories of bock beer. This ad ran in The Harrisburg Telegraph, also of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Today is Carolyn Smagalski’s birthday. Carolyn’s a beer writer from Pennsylvania — not sure what it is about Pennsylvania and beer writing — who writes for BellaOnline. Her nickname is the Beer Fox and she does a terrific job spreading the gospel of great beer. Join me in wishing Carolyn a very happy birthday.
Carolyn with Michael Jackson at GABF in 2006.
Don Russell, Carolyn and Curt Decker, from Nodding Head.
Don Feinberg with Carolyn.
Ralph Olson, from HopUnion, the Alpha King and Carolyn.
NOTE: Previous three photos purloined from Facebook.
Me and Carolyn at GABF in 2006. [photo by Bryan Kolesar]
A big group of brewers and beer writers in Philadelphia during CBC.
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.
Tuesday’s ad is for Hornung’s White Bock Beer, which was published on August 19, 1937. This one was for the Jacob Hornung Brewing Co. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which was originally founded in 1885. This ad ran in The Ephrata Review, of Ephrata, Pennsylvania.
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 Extra Malt Wine or Bock Beer, or more generally for Geo. F. Sprenger’s Extra Bottled Malt Beverages, which was published on August 18, 1879. This one is for the Sprenger Brewery of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which was originally founded in 1850. This ad ran in The Lancaster Daily Intelligencer, also of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Today is the 54th birthday of Jennie Hatton, now Jennie Hatton Baver, who did P.R. for Philly Beer Week and several craft breweries in the tri-state area for a number of years. She cut her teeth working for Tom Peters at Monk’s Cafe. Jennie and her business partner Claire Pelino are responsible for many, many beer books being published as literary agents to a number of beer writers, including yours truly. Also, Jennie is one of my favorite people in the industry and she’s so much fun to be around that people refer to her as “The Wonderful Jennie Hatton.” Also, few people love tater tots like I do, and she’s one of them. That’s enough for me. More recently, she’s been the Marketing Director for Dogfish Head. Join me in wishing Jennie a very happy birthday.
Jennie and me on the floor at GABF in 2008.
Jennie wielding the Hammer of Glory during this last year’s Philly Beer Week.
Jennie and the Reverend Kirk T. Berlenbach, Rector of Saint Timothy’s Episcopal Church, at the Sam, Tomme & Old Beer event at Nodding Head Brewing during Philly Beer Week.
Jennie with some of the best tater tots ever, at North Lanes Lounge in Philly.
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 Hornung’s White Bock Beer, which was published on August 7, 1936. This one was for the Jacob Hornung Brewing Co. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which was originally founded in 1885. This ad ran in The Evening Sun, of Hanover, Pennsylvania.
