Today is the birthday of George Muehlebach (April 24, 1833-December 22, 1905). He was born in Argau, Switzerland and emigrated to the U.S. when he was 26, in 1859, along with his family, consisting of four brothers and a sister. He first moved to Indiana, but a short time later settled in Kansas City, Missouri. There, in 1868, he and his brother John bought the Main Street Brewery, which had been founded in 1866. (Although at least one account claims John bought it himself, and George just worked there, and didn’t assume full control until much later.) It continued under the original name until 1903, when it became the George Muehlebach Brewing Co. When Muehlebach died, his son George E. took over the company and it remained in business until 1956, when Schlitz bought it, and operated it until 1973, when it closed for good.
George Muehlebach immigrated to Kansas City from Switzerland in 1859 by way of Lafayette, Indiana. In Kansas City, he founded The George Muehlebach Brewing Company, which became one of the most prominent businesses in Kansas City by the turn of the 20th century. The Swiss Cross was to be part of the logo for all their beers. In 1869, he bought the Main Street Brewery from George Hierbe at the northwest corner of 18th and Main Streets, which later became the site of the TWA Building. In 1880, he razed the original brewery and replaced it with a “Beer Castle” built in Romanesque style with a mansard-roofed tower.
The Muehlebach Beer Castle.
This more thorough biography of George Muehlebach, is a part of the article “A Beer Baron Is Born,” from KC History, at the Kansas City Public Library.
On April 24, 1833, George Muehlebach was born into a farming family in Argau, Switzerland. He went on to operate the Muehlebach Brewing Company; one of the most successful businesses in Kansas City by the early 20th century. Even after his death, the Muehlebach name lived on in Kansas City at the baseball field that eventually became Municipal Stadium and the luxurious Hotel Muehlebach.
At the age of 21, George Muehlebach, along with his three brothers and his sister, left Switzerland and moved to Lafayette, Indiana. The four brothers moved on to Westport, Missouri, where George started a saddle and harness business. He soon left Westport and delved into the overland freight business near Quindaro, Kansas and later searched for gold in Colorado. George finally found his calling, though, in 1869 when he and his brother, John, purchased the Main Street Brewery from George Hierb at 18th and Main Streets in Kansas City, Missouri.
The brewery was located on a sub-43 degree freshwater well that was a perfect source of water for a brewing operation. The Muehlebach brothers started with an annual production capacity of 3,000 barrels a year, but steadily expanded their operations to 3,932 barrels by 1879. Then John died in 1880, which left complete ownership of the brewery to George. He pressed forward and in the same year constructed a new Romanesque-style brick and stone building on the original site. Kansas Citians referred to the new building as the “Beer Castle” and relished the Pilsener beer for which the Muehlebach Brewing Company was known.
Between 1870 and the beginning of national Prohibition in 1920, the brewery held four different names, but remained in the Muehlebach family. By 1899, capacity had increased to 25,000 barrels annually, and the company deployed seven local delivery wagons. The company soon added a brewhouse, a stockhouse, and an engine house to support its operations. Fueled by local demand, even this capacity skyrocketed further to 50,000 barrels in 1907, 80,000 barrels in 1910, and 100,000 barrels in 1911. The Muehlebach brewery was by then the second largest in Kansas City, behind only the Kansas City Breweries Company.
This is his obituary from the 1906 Brewers Journal:
An aerial photograph of the brewery from 1940. It’s the building located center-left with the three smokestacks.
Today is the birthday of Max Hassel (April 24, 1900-April 12, 1933), who was nicknamed the “Beer Baron of Berks County,” which is where I grew up. That alone, get’s him a mention here, since he has quite the interesting, if short, history in the beer world. He was born in Lithuania, and at age 11 emigrated to the U.S. through New York with his family. By 1920, he was living in Reading, Pennsylvania, where he appears to have entered a life of crime, centering around beer and bootlegging. Here’s a short history, from Go Reading Berks, detailing several notorious local figures.
The Pioneer: Max Hassel (Reign: ~1923–1933)
Reading’s journey into organized crime began in earnest with the opportunities of Prohibition, and no one capitalized on it better than Max Hassel. While others, including a young Abe Minker, were small-time bootleggers, Hassel quickly elevated the game. By 1923, he had become a veritable “beer baron,” amassing a fortune by acquiring interests in breweries along the East Coast.
Hassel’s method was more business than brutality. Known as a “master briber” rather than a violent gangster, he used political corruption and well-paid lawyers to protect his vast enterprise. His influence was so profound that upon his murder by New York mobsters in 1933, an estimated ten thousand mourners flooded the streets of Reading for his funeral—a testament to the city’s complicated acceptance of its vice lords. Hassel’s death marked the end of Prohibition’s reign and created a power vacuum in the local underworld.
After he got started, he quickly focused on beer, which made him a millionaire by the time he was 25 years old. He was apparently trying to go legit after the repeal of Prohibition, and was in talks to buy the Harrison Brewery of Harrison, New Jersey. Unfortunately, he was unable to complete the deal when he was murdered, shot to death, just five days after the Cullen-Harrison Act took effect allowing the sale of 3.2 beer, on April 12, 1933. It is believed he was murdered by New York mobsters. According to one account, “his funeral [was] a massive event in Reading, with an estimated ten thousand mourners, indicating the city’s complex attitude toward its vice figures.” Curiously, he’s buried in cemetery in Shillington, the small town where I lived.
Several people and websites have written more extensive accounts of his career as a bootlegger. To read more about his exploits, check out these from the Berks History Center, by Edward A. Taggert, Brewery Aficionado, Hassel’s Find-a-Grave page, written by Tom Raub, and Go Reading Berks. These accounts also indicate he had links to between one and two dozen breweries in the area.
Today is Jeremy Cowan’s 57th birthday. Jeremy founded and owned Shmaltz Brewing, makers of He’Brew. Jeremy is a good friend and we’ve known one another since he first pitched He’Brew to me at BevMo many years ago (which is detailed in Jeremy’s memoir Craft Beer Bar Mitzvah). Jeremy used to split his time between San Francisco and New York, and so I would often see him at beer events somewhat frequently, but less so after he built a brick and mortar brewery in upstate New York. Although that’s now been sold, he’s also a co-owner of Alphabet City Brewing in New York, which keeps him busy, and I haven’t seen him in a while. More recently, he’s moved back to San Francisco, and I just saw him in Philadelphia a few days ago for CBC. Join me in wishing Jeremy a very happy birthday.
Jeremy at CBC in Philly this year at a “Class of ’96” event (breweries founded in 1996) at Barcade.
Jeremy and me at the Craft Brewers Conference in Minneapolis in 2022.
Jeremy, with City Beer Store owner Craig Wathen at their original location.
A few years ago at the Toronado for a He’Brew release party. From left: Alec Moss, recently retired from Half Moon Bay Brewing, Pete Slosberg, Jeremy, and Rodger Davis, when he was still with Drake’s Brewing.
Jeremy with Rich Norgrove, with Bear Republic, at GABF in 2006.
Me and Jeremy at the Bistro Double IPA Fest in 2009.
Jeremy shortly after he launched the Shmaltz beers, before all the grey hairs set in. (Thanks to the anonymous source that sent me this photo.)
Ron Silberstein, Rich Norgrove and Jeremy at the Toronado.
Jesse Cutler, Jeremy and two original He’Brew employees along with Zak at Admiral Malting (photo courtesy of Jeremy).
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. With Spring approaching, there are so many great examples that I’m going to post two a day for a few months.
Thursday’s ad is for Camden Bock Beer, which was published on April 23, 1939. This ad was for the Camden County Beverage Co. of Camden, New Jersey, which was originally founded in 1904. This ad ran in The Camden Courier-Post, of Camden, New Jersey.
Today is the birthday of Anton Schwartz (April 23, 1853-November 6, 1910). He was a German-American brewer who after college began working for breweries when he was only 17 and built a reputation as a great brewmaster. In 1903, he bought a brewery with two partners, brothers Simon E. and Max E. Bernheimer, and they opened the Bernheimer & Schwartz Pilsener Brewing Company.
German brewer, president of Bernheimer & Schwartz Pilsener Brewing Company located at Amsterdam Avenue and West 128th Street in Manhattan, New York County, New York during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, the heyday of German-American breweries in New York City.
Schwartz graduated from New York City College and soon therafter, in 1870, he was engaged by August Schmid and his Lion Brewery in Manhattan and by 1975 became its Superintendent. By 1903, after gaining a national reputation as a brewmaster, he purchased the John F. Betz Manhattan Brewery with brothers, Simon E. and Max E. Bernheimer. After their deaths, he became sole owner of the brewery.
Anton married Emma Kleiner, daughter of a Cincinnati brewer and sister of Princess Josephine del Drago (formerly Josephine Kleiner Schmid, widow of August Schmid), owner of the Lion Brewery of Manhattan.
Anton Schwartz died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at 7 a.m. that morning in the family’s third floor apartment located No. 2 West 86th Street in Manhattan (the Central Park View Apartments) over the death of his only son, Adolf, aged 24, who died of spinal meningitis six weeks earlier while he and his wife and daughter were on holiday in Germany. All three learned of his sudden illness and immediately set sail back to New York City, only to arrive less than 24 hours after his death. Adolph was the only son and was being groomed to take over the family brewing business. The death of Adolph threw Schwartz into a melancholia that manifested in his failure to attend to the brewery’s business and, near the end, reclusiveness.
The family is not without similar tragedy as ten years earlier, in 1900, Anton’s mother-in-law, Mary (Mrs. Meinrad) Kleiner, committed suicide by inhaling gas from her bedroom heater by removing the tubing and placing it in her mouth.
Schwartz’s paternal grandfather was Gen. Anton Carl Schwartz, lieutenant in the German Army, who was born in Carlsruhe, Baden. He came to America in 1848 and lived in Springfield, Illinois and was a close friend of Abraham Lincoln. He traveled with Fremont on his expeditions through California, Nicaragua and Central America, suveying the first Nicaraguan Canal. He served as colonel in the Civil War, organizaing Gumbart’s Battery, Second Illinois Light Artillery. Hw was wounded in Shiloh and died a few years later of complications therefrom.
Surviving Anton Schwartz was his wife, Emma Kleiner Schwartz, and his daughter, Emma Josephine Schwartz Ruppert (Mrs. George Ehret Ruppert).
Curiously, the building where they built their brewery had originally been built by Yuengling Brewery in 1876. According to Wikipedia, “The Yuengling Brewery opened in this New York City location in 1876, when there was plenty of land to use in this part of Manhattan. The brewery included a stable with room for one hundred horses, a swimming pool, and large lofts for entertaining. David Yuengling’s Brewery enjoyed initial success, and an 1885 article in the New York Times gave the plant a rave review. It was not long, however, before Yuengling’s management decided to consolidate the company in Pennsylvania and sold the Manhattanville site to the Bernheimer & Schwartz Pilsener Brewing Company in 1903.” It fell into disuse during Prohibition, and by the 1940s the buildings used to store furs, and it became known as the Mink Building, the name it still goes by today.
Today is Christian Kazakoff’s 55th birthday. Until a few years ago, and for a long while, Christian was the head brewer at Iron Springs Pub & Brewery in Fairfax, California, and before that brewed at Triple Rock. He’s more recently helped open the Canyon Club Brewery in Moraga. I first got to know Christian when we shared a room for a week in London several years ago to attend the Old Ale Festival at the White Horse on Parson’s Green. Besides being a terrific person, he is also a stellar brewer. Join me in wishing Christian a very happy birthday.
During the photo shoot at Canyon Club for a newspaper article a couple of years ago.
Christian at Fuller’s in London, along with Shaun O’Sullivan from 21st Amendment Brewery and our tour guide Derek Prentice, during a trip to London a few years back.
Flying the flag in 2010 at the Celebrator Party at the end of the 2nd SF Beer Week.
In March, at the Fairfax Beerfest several years ago.
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. With Spring approaching, there are so many great examples that I’m going to post two a day for a few months.
Wednesday’s ad is for Terre Haute Bock Beer, which was published on April 22, 1899. This ad was for the Terre Haute Brewing Co., of Terre Haute, Indiana and was founded in 1855. This ad ran in The Vincennes Sun Commercial, of Vincennes, Indiana.
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. With Spring approaching, there are so many great examples that I’m going to post two a day for a few months.
Tuesday’s ad is for Consumers Bock Beer, which was published on April 21, 1916. This ad was for the Consumers Brewing Co., of Newark, Ohio and was founded in 1897. This ad ran in The Newark Advocate, of Newark, Ohio.
Today is the 66th birthday of Steve Parkes. Steve owns and runs the American Brewers Guild, which trains brewers. I’ve known Steve for a number of years now and he’s one of my favorite Brits in the industry. I had the pleasure of writing a profile of him for Beer Advocate magazine a few years ago, from which I learned the following. Steve studied brewing sciences at Heriot-Wyatt University in Edinburgh and worked at several small UK breweries before moving to Maryland to open British Brewing (later known as Oxford Brewing). He then moved to California and created Red Nectar for Humboldt Brewing, which is also where he caught the teaching bug. Eventually buying the ABG school in 1999, several years ago making the leap to running the school full-time. In 2009, Steve was awarded the Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Brewing by the Brewers Association at CBC in Boston. Steve said at the time. “It’s gratifying when someone notices what you’re been doing every day. It just feels tremendous, like standing on the shoulder of giants. The willingness to share is the best part of this industry. I love being part of a working community that thinks like that. It makes you a better person.” Join me in wishing Steve a very happy birthday.
Steve with Mitch Steele, Shaun O’Sullivan & me at the Grand Re-Opening of Iron Hill Brewery.
Pete Brown and Steve at the GBBF in 2009.
Steve at Cantillon in Brussels.
Enjoying a Rodenbach.
Words fail me. Happy birthday Steve. [Note: Last three Photos Purloined from Facebook.]
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. With Spring approaching, there are so many great examples that I’m going to post two a day for a few months.
Monday’s ad is for Bosch Brewing Bock Beer, which was published on April 20, 1935. This ad was for the Bosch Brewing Co., of Houghton, Michigan and was founded in 1857 by William Ault. This ad ran in The Escanaba Daily Press, of Escanaba, Michigan.
