Historic Beer Birthday: John F. Betz Jr.

September 1, 2025 By Jay Brooks Leave a Comment

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:

John-F.-Betz-Sons-Brewery — 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:

Betz-Brewery-pa — 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.

Beer Birthday: Jennie Hatton Baver

August 12, 2025 By Jay Brooks

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.

Everyone wanted their picture taken with the Hammer, and Jennie was only too happy to oblige — Jennie wielding the Hammer of Glory during this last year’s Philly Beer Week.

Jennie Hatton and the Reverend — 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 w/tots & a dog at North Lanes Lounge — Jennie with some of the best tater tots ever, at North Lanes Lounge in Philly.

Historic Beer Birthday: Henry Hess

August 1, 2025 By Jay Brooks

henry-hess
Today is the birthday of Henry Hess (August 1, 1859-July 25, 1909). Hess was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and in 1901 bought the Germania Brewing Co. in Philadelphia, which has originally been founded in 1875 by Philip J. Laubner, and it was known then as the Philip J. Laubner Brewery. Hess renamed the Henry Hess Brewing Co. and remained opened until it closed in 1911, presumably due to his death two years before. He appears to have been involved in another location that was also called the Henry Hess Brewing Co. from 1909-1912. Before 1909, it was known as the Consumer’s Brewing Co. and afterwards was known as the Premier Brewing Co., which closed in 1920 due to prohibition. In 1933, it re-opened as Trainer Brewing and in 1937 became known as the Otto Erlanger Brewing Co. until 1951, when it closed for good.

Here is an obituary of Hess from the “Brewers Journal, Volume 34 for the Year 1909:”

And this is about his brewery from the book “1000 Years of Brewing:”

Beer Birthday: Tom Peters

July 30, 2025 By Jay Brooks

My good friend Tom Peters, one of the owners of Monk’s Cafe and Belgian Beer Emporium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, turns 72 today. His enthusiasm for and promotion of Belgian beer has few equals. A couple of years ago, I was privileged to travel through France and Belgium with Tom, which was amazing. And he threw perhaps the best late night parties of anyone I’ve ever known during GABF during its golden age. Plus, he flew out for my 60th birthday party at Russian River Brewery. Join me in wishing Tom a very happy birthday.

Me and Tom after the Great Lambic Summit at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology & Anthropology during Philly Beer Week in 2010.

Tom and me at my 60th birthday party at Russian River Brewing.

DSCN7175 — In Belgium, with a perfectly poured Orval, with Daniel Neuner, William Reed and Justin Low.

after-mill-din-1 — Tom Peters with Dave Keene, owners of the best two Belgian beer bars on both coasts.

gabf06-sat-05 — Tom Peters, with Rob Tod from Allagash in Portland, Maine, at GABF.

monks-candinner-6 — Shaun O’Sullivan from 21st Amendment, Fergie Carey, co-owner of Monk’s, Lucy Saunders, the beer cook, and Tom Peters.

DSCN8031 — Also in Belgium, with a Fanta and Frites sandwich.

Beer Birthday: Fergus Carey

July 23, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Today is the 62nd birthday of Fergus Carey, better known simply as Fergie. Fergie owns Fergie’s Pub in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is co-owner of Monk’s Cafe with Tom Peters and was also a partner in the old Nodding Head Brewery. Fergie’s always a fun person to have around and he’s as kind as soul as ever I’ve met in the beer world. Join me in wishing Fergie a very happy birthday.

Curt Decker, Tom Peters, and Fergus at the Brewers Reception Wednesday night before GABF in 2002.

tdalldorf-03 — Fergie huddling up with Tom Dalldorf and his Monk’s Cafe partner Tom Peters at 2st Amendment in San Francisco.

Tom Peters, Frank Boon, Jean Van Roy, Fergie Carey and Armand Debelder — Tom Peters, Frank Boon, Jean Van Roy, Fergie and Armand Debelder at a Lambic Beer Dinner last month at Mon’s Cafe during Philly Beer Week.

Historic Beer Birthday: Peter Adolph Schemm

July 20, 2025 By Jay Brooks

peter-schemm
Today is the birthday of Peter Adolph Schemm (July 20, 1852-June 6, 1909). He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Peter Schemm, who founded the Peter Schemm Brewery. When Peter A. began working at his father’s brewery, it was renamed the Peter Schemm & Son Brewery, or the Peter Schemm & Son Lager Brewery.

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

Was a ‘Gentleman’ and had taken over the brewery of his father- Peter Schemm Brewery in Philadelphia. He was also an extensive collector of paintings and was a lover of books.

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The Peter Schemm & Son Brewery located at North 25th Street near Poplar in Philadelphia.

In a biography about his father, Peter Schemm, from the Peter Schemm and Fredericka Rosina Schill Family Group, Peter A. is mentioned toward the end:

In 1885, Peter A. Schemm, Peter’s only son, joined the business, and the elder Peter gradually relinquished active management. His eyesight was beginning to fail, but even so, he maintained his daily practice of visiting the brewery two or three times every day, stroll up to Massholder’s saloon, a few doors above the brewery and sit with three or four old friends, and every day took his own carriage and driver (rather than using the carriage of his family) to meet with an old friend and stop by the brewery to be sure the beer was not too cold and had been properly drawn. In 1895, the contracting firm of Philip Halbach was engaged to add a large stock house to the Peter Schemm & Son brewery at a cost of $30,000.

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Peter A. Schemm (standing up behind the table).

peter-schemm-lager-brewery-1887

Historic Beer Birthday: Harry A. Poth

July 11, 2025 By Jay Brooks

poths
Today is the birthday of Harry A. Poth (July 11, 1881-November 16, 1931). He was born in Pennsylvania, and attended the William Penn Charter School until 1898, after which he graduated from the Pennsylvania Military Academy in 1902. He then attended the Wallerstein Brewing Institution, becoming a brewer at the Fred A. Poth Brewery, which by 1875 was the largest brewery in the U.S., and which his grandfather, Frederick August Poth founded in 1870. It was incorporated in 1893, when his sons were working with him, including Harry’s father Frederick A. Poth, and it was renamed the F. A. Poth & Sons Brewery. Harry, of course, was one of the “Sons” in the name. His younger brother, Frederick J. Poth, seems to have focused on the management side of the business, while Harry was the brewer. It reopened after prohibition briefly as the Poth Brewing Co. Inc., but closed for good three years later, in 1936.

f-a-poth-brewery-postcard
The Poth brewery, from an illustration done in the early 1890s.

I couldn’t find any photographs of him, which isn’t too surprising given I couldn’t find any of his father and only one of his brother, Frederick J. Poth. Sadly, I could find almost nothing else about him, either.

poth-brewerytown

pothredbellbrewery1900
The Poth & Sons Brewery around 1900.

Poths-Cream-Ale-Labels-Poth-Brewing-1936

poth-buttons

Historic Beer Birthday: John Gardiner

July 11, 2025 By Jay Brooks

Today is the birthday of John Gardiner (July 11, 1825-July 5, 1903). Gardiner was born in upstate New York, in Albany, where he learned brewing from his father. He moved to Philadelphia when he was 24, in 1849, and worked for Massey’s Brewery before buying the James Smyth Brewery in 1874, renaming it John Gardiner & Co. Brewery. In 1883, Gardiner renamed it again, this time the Continental Brewing Co., which remained its name until it closed at the start of prohibition in 1920.

He appears to have married an Anna E. Snyder, and not Caroline Schmidt (as I’d earlier believed). According to one commenting relative, it was Gardiner’s son, John Jr., who in 1866, married one of brewery owner Christian Schmidt’s daughters, Caroline, and according to a history of Schmidt’s Brewery, he began working for his father-in-law’s brewery at that time. But it’s unclear if there is any relationship to Gardiner’s purchase of the Continental Brewery. Unfortunately, Find-a-Grave’s listing for both John Gardiner and Anna do not list a son named John Francis Gardiner Jr., but instead a John L. Gardiner Jr., a daughter, Mary, and another son, George.

Here’s how Gardiner and his family are mentioned in the history of Schmidt’s Brewery:

For generations the name of Gardiner had been well known in brewing circles. The family owned the Continental Brewing Co. in Philadelphia. John Gardiner married a daughter of Christian Schmidt. John Gardiner Jr., and Edward A. Gardiner, sons of John Gardiner, joined Schmidt’s to add new luster, in, respectively, sales and finance., to the family management team.
During the entire period of relegalization- including the peak year of 1955- and through to 1958, John Gardiner Jr., a grandson of the founder, was sales and advertising manager for the brewery. Mr. Gardiner, now a vice president, saw sales rise under his management from 106,000 in 1934 to almost 2 million in 1955.
Edward A. Gardiner, his brother, now chairman of the board, was responsible for the financial arrangements which made possible the various expansions of the brewery in the 1930’s, 40’s and early 50’s. It was Mr. Gardiner’s raising of the funds to accommodate the expansion of the company in 1947 and 1948 which kept the brewery abreast of modern changes and in a position to meet the difficult competitive challenge of the postwar years.

He’s an obituary from Gardiner from Find-a-Grave: