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A Brief History of Brewing in Northern Indiana

Also see Fort Wayne and South Bend.

Argos

Argos Brewery

~1873~


"The Argos Brewery is for sale. Eidson and Osborn are endeavoring to purchase it. They mean business." - Rochester Union Spy, March 6, 1873

Columbia City

Eagle

???? - 1879


Walter-Raupfer Brewing Company

1879 - before 1917

(photo courtesy
Bruce Mobley)


"Benjamin Raupfer was born in Baden, Germany, November 3, 1838, was reared and received a good education in his native town. His father, Peter Raupfer, died in 1851, and that fall our subject went to Switzerland and engaged in teaming and selling silks and other goods, continuing thereat until 1865, when he embarked at Havre de Grace on the English ship "Belonia," bound for New York.

After a stormy voyage of twenty-two days, he arrived in safety at his destination and soon after cause to Columbia City, and took charge of an engine, which he ran for three years. He then opened a saloon, which he managed until 1879, when, in partnership with Fred Walter, he purchased the "Eagle" beer brewery, which the new firm enlarged and remodeled, and converted into one of the finest in the country, giving it a capacity of 6,000 barrels per annum, and the product is pronounced to be the best in Northern Indiana.

In 1869, November 9, he married Mary Myers, who has borne him two children, Joseph and William, and the family are highly respected. - "History of Whitley and Noble Counties, Indiana" Written by Weston A. Goodspeed and Charles Blanchard, published in 1882.

They bottled beer in amber and green quart bottles and in 12oz electric blue bottles.


"The brewery property of Messrs. Raupfer and Walter, on the banks of Blue River, is probably one of the most extensive of its kind in Northern Indiana. It is now in the very best of shape, ably managed and is turning out kegs of foaming beer that is said by the followers of Gambrinus to be of the very best quality." - History of Whitley and Noble Counties, Indiana, Weston A. Goodspeed and Charles Blanchard, 1882

Anton Meyer joined the company in 1890.

George Olueckert (Glueckert?) was the head brewer for many years during the 1910s.


"Jacob Portman, junk and feed dealer of this city, has for a private consideration. purchased the buildings of the Walter-Raupfer brewery, which closed down some time ago. The realty included in the deal, and the buildings six in number, are the brewery building which will be converted into cold storage, with its several miles of pipes: the ice plant, which will be refitted to manufacture ice for the public: the bottling works, which will be dismantled to make room for a coal yard: a malt house, barn an the office buildings. The buildings and realty were owned by the heirs of the late Benjamin Raupfer of this city and the heirs of the late Anton Meyer who now reside in Fort Wayne." - Fort Wayne News, April 5, 1917

Crown Point

Crown Brewing Company

Previous to 1876 - After 1910


(photo courtesy
Bruce Mobley)

We've found no concrete information, but it seems to have been started after the Civil War at what is now Pratt & Goldsboro Rds. There is a record of it being in business about 1876.

They made an near beer called Tang during prohibition with the motto "The Most Palatable Cereal Beverage on the Market. With a Taste and Flavor That Satisfies."

They had problems with run-off into a local ditch and some say this is why they closed.

August Koehle worked at Crown in 1876 and "eventually became foreman of the plant." He left in 1880 to open a saloon in Crown Point.


"Crown Point, Ind - A beer war is on in this city between the Peter Hand brewery, of Chicago, the Valentine Blatz company, of Milwaukee, and the Crown Brewing company, of this city, owned by L. Sonnenschein Co of Chicago. Beer is a barrel, cheaper than the regular price. The Crown brewery people will give away their beer if forced to it by the opposition." - The Fort Wayne Sentinel, Aug 24, 1895

The Northwest Indiana Photo Gallery has more clues: "The Crown Brewing Company, incorporated in 1895, brewed and bottled beer at their location on West Goldsborough in Crown Point for 15 years. They moved to Hammond in 1910 partly due to an environmental problem caused by draining the hops into Beaver Dam Ditch. Part of the building is still standing."


(Photo courtesy of Margaret Stanley)

Huntington

Huntington Brewery

???? - 1900?

Evidently owned by Carl Lang. The brewery burned on October 18, 1900 and was not rebuilt. At that time it was "one of the oldest breweries in the state" according to the Fort Wayne Sentinel.

There is some evidence that there was a Huntington Brewery in Goblesville about 7 miles north of Huntington.

(photo courtesy Bruce Mobley)

Hoch & Knipp

Huntington Brewery

1901 - 1918

Founded by German immigrant Hoch who moved from the family brewery (Duluth Brewing and Malting Company) in Duluth, MN.

Another brother had founded Gierow & Hoch Brewery in Chilton, WI, in 1893.

The partner was William P. Knipp

After closing the brewery for a time in 1908 when the county went "dry", they reformed in Fort Wayne for a period and re-opened the Huntington brewing facility in 1911. Lager was shipped to Fort Wayne for "storage".


"According to an article in the Huntington News-Democrat evening, the Commercial club of this city has been seeking for some time to the Huntington Brewing Company to move to this city. This, denied by officials of the brewery who state that the question is the first thing they had regarding the project. The News-Democrat, after springing this declaration, goes on to say that Messrs. Hoch and Kneipp (sic), owners of the establishment, do not care to move from Huntington, despite the fact that that place is dry. Instead of moving, it is declared that they have purchased land west of this city Wabash railroad, where they will erect an immense modern cold storage plant. The plan is for the brewing company to manufacture its beer in Huntington and then ship it to the cold storage plant here. From this place it will be sent out to the different places where the customers live." - Fort Wayne News, Feb 12, 1910


"BREWERY MEN SENTENCED
Escape Jail Sentences, However, and Pay Fines

HUNTINGTON, Ind June 12  - Hoch and William P. Knipp, proprietors of the Huntington Brewery, today were sentenced to thirty days in jail each for illegal sale of liquor, though Judge S E Cook suspended the sentence on their showing that they employed a number of men about their plant who would be thrown out of employment if they were deprived of their liberty." - Indianapolis Star, June 13, 1911

During prohibition, the brewery was converted to the making of caffeine, tannin, soaps, and chemicals.

(photo courtesy Bruce Mobley)

Yerman & Eisele There was a Yerman & Eisele that sold bottled beer. Don't know when except it was pre-prohibition.

Kendallville

Name unknown

1867 - at least 1882


"Albert Christian F. Wichmann, superintendent of brewery, came to America in 1849, with his parents, from Prussia, his native country. They located in Cincinnati, where our subject leaned the cabinet-maker's trade. After working at it there two and a half years, he came to Fort Wayne, where he pursued his calling about the same length of time. After a short period in Logansport, Ind., he returned to Fort Wayne and remained until January, 1864, when he came to Kendallville, engaging in the furniture trade until 1867. For several years, subsequent to this period, he worked at different things - principally book-keeping.

In 1877, he bought one-half interest in the brewery with William Seifert, which they conducted until the death of Seifert in September 1879, when Mr. Wichmann became the sole owner, and which he has conducted up to the present time, being now, by a subsequent change in proprietorship, manager for the owner, Henry C. Paul, of Fort Wayne. This brewery was built in 1867, by Louis Schwartzkopf and Geo. Aichele, subsequently becoming the property of Francis J. Beek, Seifert and Heinike, and the parties mentioned above." - Counties of LaGrange and Noble, Indiana, Historical and Biographical Illustrated, F.A. Battey & Co., publishers, 1882.

A. C. F. Wichmann is pictured above with his wife, Elizabeth. They had 9 children, all living to maturity. Son Hermann Wilhelm Theodor Wichmann worked at the brewery.

Name unknown

East Lake Brewing Co.

Early 1900s

Joseph Becker had a brewery was on the west side of Bixler Lake and one stone wall of the building reportedly still stands, possibly in the city park. They cut ice from the lake.

Evidently, this business was sold and morphed into a beer distributor:


"KENDALLVILLE, Ind., May - East Lake Brewing company, the distributing agency for the Berghoff Brewing company, of Fort Wayne, has operations. two weeks ago. Net Drake notified his customers in this city that he would be unable to furnish them with the Berghoff beer on account of the other firms making such inroads on the Berghoff business that it was no longer profitable for him to handle it, and that they would have to get It direct. Joseph Becker, the former owner of the company, has served notice on Mr. Drake of the intention of foreclosing the same. The Berghoff company also holds a mortgage on the property but It Is not known what they will do in the matter." - Fort Wayne Journal Gazette - May 3, 1908

Kokomo

Half Moon Restaurant & Brewery

2007 - Present

A brewpub started by a native of Kokomo on the extreme south side of the City, along US31. The brewer is John Templet.

La Porte

Nicholas Bader Brewery

Crystal Spring Brewery

Guenther and Zwereck

1856 - 1918

First known as Nicholas Bader Brewery. Sold to Puissant & Dick in 1884. Then bought by John W. Russert in 1887.

The 1890 La Porte city directory lists Crystal Spring Brewery located at the southwest corner of Lake & Tyler. John W. Russert, proprietor.

Became the Guenther Bros., Crystal Spring Brewery aka Guenther Bros. Brewing Co. in 1896. Zerweck must have joined the firm as it was renamed Guenther and & Zerweck in 1911.

The Indiana Gold name was used by Evansville Brewing on their Sainsbury line of beers. There is no evidence that this is a continuation of the G & Z name.

Brick Road Brewery

Back Road Brewery

1996 - Present

Originally named the Brick Road Brewery but changed due to trademark problems.

Owner and Head Brewer: Charles Krcilek
Motto: Take a Back Road home

  

A brewery existed in La Porte before 1831 north of the courthouse in an area called "Ten Mile Strip". The town's streets weren't laid out until 1833.

C. Noll bottled Schlitz beer in La Porte around the turn of the century.

E. Lindstrom bottled Blatz beer in La Porte around the turn of the century.

(photos courtesy Bruce Mobley)

Logansport

K.G. Schmidt Brewing

1935 - 1950?

This was a division of the K.G. Schmidt Brewing Company of Chicago.

It was located at 412-426 High Street.

This division went bankrupt around 1950. The ensuing court case involved Schlitz Brewing  and wasn't settled until after 1978.

Also see The Syndicates of Chicago

Columbia Brewing Company

~1912~


"WON HER CASE ONLY TO DIE
"

"Mrs. Bertha Kelp, wife of John G. Kelp, head of the Columbia Brewing Co., died suddenly Friday morning about 3:45 o’clock at her home 623 Miami avenue, Logansport, aged 51 years. The news of her death came as a great shock to many people, as they did not know she was ill. Mrs. Kelp had been ailing for some time, but she was not forced to her bed until Monday. She had been suffering with typhoid fever and death was the result of a sudden change for the worse, which is peculiar of the disease.

"- - - at Winamac Thursday at midnight when she was given judgment against the Chicago & Erie Railroad Company for personal injuries sustained in the auto smash-up near Rochester, Aug. 12, 1910. The ink on the court docket was only dry about three and one-half hours when Mrs. Kelp passed away. - - - She was awarded a verdict of $5,000, but the attorneys for the railroad company asked for a new trial. Thursday the arguments were made and the presiding judge overruled the motion, signing the docket at the close, which was midnight Thursday." - Rochester Sentinel, Saturday, March 16, 1912.

(photo courtesy Bruce Mobley)

City Brewery "John Mutsch..." City Brewery, Logansport.

Michigan City

Kimball

1840s?

According to Carter H. Manny Jr, his great-great grandfather, Christian F. Kimball, had a small brewery at the foot of 7th St on the north side of Michigan St. This was possibly in the 1840s. His older sons operated the brewery.
P.H. Zorn Brewing Company

1871 - 1935

Dunes Brewery

1935 - 1938


(photo courtesy Bruce Mobley)

Philip Zorn, an immigrant from Wuerzburg, Bavaria, was the manager of the Busch & Brandt Brewery, Chicago, in the 1850s. He moved to Michigan city and established his own brewery in 1871 and it passed to his son, Robert Zorn, who's house is open to the public at 225 E. 9th St. The brewery was on Michigan Blvd between 8th and 9th Streets. There was a spring-fed well in the building that supplied brewery water.

The building now occupied by Weidner's Tavern, on West 9th St. was once the stables.

Made about 15,000 bbls annually. Made soda pop during prohibition.

The Zorn Brewing Company morphed into the Dunes Brewery after Prohibition making Pilsenzorn, Grain State, and Golden Grain brands. This may have been influenced by a court action against the Zorn Brewing Company in Sept, 1935 on the charge of selling to unlicensed companies.

Duneland Brewhouse

1997 - 2004

Brewpub in an ex-Sambo's Restaurant building that became a Rock Lobster and then Duneland.

In 2004, the owners sold the building to Texas Corral and the brewing ended on October 3, 2004.

Shoreline Brewery & Restaurant

2005 - present

Brewpub in downtown Michigan City. Opened by Sam Strupeck, previously the brewer at Aberdeen in Valparaiso.

Mishawaka

A. Kamm Brewery

1870 - 1880


Kamm & Schellinger Brewing Company

1880 - 1918


Kamm's Brewery

1933 - 1951

Founded as a distillery by John Wagner in 1853 (some sources say 1839).

Purchased by German immigrant, Adolph Kamm, in 1870. Renamed when Kamm's brother-in-law, Nicholas Schellinger, joined him in 1880. Re-incorporated after prohibition.

The brewery complex had it's own maltings, cooperage, and charcoal production (for filtering). A 723ft deep well was drilled in 1906 but usable water was not found. Water continued to be obtained from the St. Joseph River.

The brewmaster around the turn of the century was a German immigrant named Frederick Trippel.

K&S's brands before Prohibition included Pilsner Light, Export Dark, Standard, Special, and Copper Full Bodied Beer. The motto was "Challenge the World".

During prohibition they made soft drinks and distilled water.

In 1927 the Schellinger family left the company.

Kamms is reputed to be the first in Indiana to brew after prohibition.

By 1950 it had a 300bbl brewing size with an annual capacity of 280,000 bbl. C. J. Kamm was the owner.

Closed in 1951 after a fire in 1950. The facility is still standing and is now a shopping center on the south bank of the St. Joseph River.

Post-Prohibition brands included Arrow, Export Dark, Premona, Bock, and Light.

more info - more info

Mishawaka Brewing Company

1992 - Present

Founded by Tom & Barbara Schmidt. Tom Schmidt ran for mayor of South Bend in 2003. Tom's son Rick is the brewer and his wife, Tami, is the manager.

Brewpub located in a 9000 sq. ft. ex-fitness center. The swimming pool was filled in.

Just Brew It

1997 - 2000

A brew on premises (BOP) where people could buy malt, hops, adjuncts, yeasts, and brew their beer in the store's equipment.

They also brewed specialty beers in small batches and provided custom labeling for weddings, anniversaries, etc.

In 1998 they moved to a larger location and opened a short-lived brewpub.

Owner: Jeff Nicholas.

Munster

Three Floyds Brewing Company

1996 - Present

Founded by Michael Floyd and his sons, Nick and Simon.

Opened in Hammond but moved to Munster in 2000. Started as a regional brewery and added an on-site pub in 2005.

Peru

Rettig

Rettig & Cole

Cole

Before 1877  to no later than 1905

Peru Brewery

By 1905 to prohibition


(photo courtesy
Bruce Mobley)

J.O. Cole was a gold prospector in California in the 1850's. He found enough to buy into the Rettig brewery and have a family fruit farm.

The firm of Rettig & Cole is referenced in official documents in August 4, 1877 as owners of land that through which a ditch would pass.


"Last Friday noon we made a little run over to Peru and returned in the evening. - - - On our drive we expected to take in Col. Sol. Hathaway, of Indianapolis, one of the rock-ribed (sic) Hoosier newspaper men, but after putting himself outside of one of Bob Pelkey’s ten pound dinners it was thought unsafe to subject him to a shaking up behind Kratzer’s careering steeds. From the water works we drove across the river to Omer Cole’s (formerly Rettig’s) mammoth brewery, where it is said the purest and best beer in Indiana is manufactured."  The Rochester Sentinel, February 7, 1879

Franklin J. Blair was killed in an explosion at Cole's Brewery on July 18, 1885.

George Rettig is listed as having "interests in brewery, pork packing & real estate" in 1888 according to the book "Here We Live Over the Last Fifty Years", Peru and Miami County, 1885-1935 by Patricia Jones Settle.

The Cole Brewery was unionized by 1891 but that union disbanded that year. An effort to re-form the union was attempted in 1901.

There is reference to J.O. Cole being the proprietor of Peru Brewery in 1905.

The Cole brewing operation ended with prohibition. By that time the family had a traveling circus and also continued the Cole Bros. Natural Spring Water using the same spring that supplied the brewery.

Cole Porter, born 1891, was given his his mother's maiden name (J.O. Cole's daughter).

Rochester

Eidleman?

Haslett

???? - 1870?


"Dissolution Notice is hereby given that the partnership heretofore existing between John B. Eidleman and Geo W. Haslett, in the brewery business in Rochester, has, by mutual consent, been dissolved.... Either member of the late firm are authorized to settle." Rochester Standard, Januarv 6, 1870

Possibly this is the same person involved in this story:


"John Adleman, the brewer, and one of his employees, were arrested Saturday for stealing meat from Jake Rannels and chickens from James Elliott." Rochester Union Spy , January 12, 1872

Rochester Brewery

1873? - 1876

Metzler Brewery

1876 - at least 1886

This brewery may have had a gap in operations sometime between 1877 and 1879.


"We have trustworthy information to the effect that the Rochester Brewery is now making a first-rate article of beer." Rochester Union Spy, Thursday, Julv 24, 1873


"John B. Metzger (sic), of Wabash, has bought the old brewery at this place and having refitted it throughout will begin brewing beer next week." - Rochester Sentinel, November 4, 1876.

Metzler was also a pharmacist in town.


"The Rochester Brewery is now supplying its several customers with what is pronounced good beer at less than city rates. By all of the home trade patronizing the Rochester Brewery it is estimated that at least $10,000 will be kept within the borders of Fulton county." - Rochester Sentinel, Saturday, January 13, 1877


"Mr. Metzler, proprietor of the north end brewery has secured a good lot of thick ice from Lake Manitau." - The Rochester Sentinel, January 11, 1879

Lake Manitau is in Rochester, IN.


"The Rochester Brewery is in operation again turning out some fine beer." The Rochester Sentinel, August 2, 1879

A story is told in the Rochester News-Sentinel about people stopping at the Metzler Brewery in 1886 (located in a triangular plot north of the Erie Railroad tracks and between them and Monticello road, west of Main Street).

There are also 3 distilleries listed in Rochester around 1900, George Harlan and Co., Metzler Brewery, and S. Wagoner & Co.

Valparaiso

Aberdeen Brewing Company

2000 - 2004

Brewpub. Opened May, 2000. Started by the Emig family of Lafayette Brewing Company. Purchased by Skip Bosak in 2002.

The lounge bar comes from a basement saloon in Hammond, Indiana and dates to the late 1800s.

The Aberdeen Brewing Company quit brewing in the summer of 2004. The brewing equipment went to the Mishawaka Brewery for a second plant in Elkhart.

The brewer, Sam Strupeck opened Shoreline Restaurant and Brewery in Michigan City in 2005.

Wabash

Rettig & Alber

Alber

Wabash Brewing Company

1865 - 1909


(photo courtesy Bruce Mobley)

Franz Anton Rettig, an immigrant from Neideringelheim or Hesse-Cassel, Germany formed a partnership with Wintz Stanley in 1853. At least part of this business was a brewing concern located on the Rettig homestead.

Rettig & Alber was founded by Franz Rettig and his brother-in-law, Phillipp (sic) Alber, an immigrant from Furstenhum, Lichtenstein.

Rettig was a brewer in Germany before emigrating and had previously been in a Wabash brewing business with Wintz Stanley. Alber had also been a brewer in Wabash with a smaller brewery.

This brewery reached 20,000 bbls annually. It was at 225 N. Cass St. and covered 2.5 acres. Rettig died in 1896 and Alber continued to run the brewery. Born in 1818, Alber was still active in the brewery in 1901 and died in 1906. Son, Jacob Alber continued the brewery after Phillip's death.

The building became the Wabash Packing Company. We could find no reference to a connection between Franz Rettig and George Rettig of Rettig & Cole in Peru.

In 1909 Albert Weber of Fort Wayne purchased the Wabash Brewing Company name and seemingly some facilities in order to sell beer in the dry Wabash County. At that time, beer produced in a dry county could be sold there if brought back into the county from a wet one. This plan was blocked by the Prosecutor in Wabash.


"GETS AROUND THE LAW
THE WABASH BREWERY SELLS THROUGH FORT WAYNE MAN.

People Wanting Home Beer Send Orders Here and Delivery is Then Made.

The recent decision of the supreme court, construing the Beardsley law as preventing Indiana breweries from retailing beer, hit the Wabash Brewery rather hard, but through a clever scheme, in which Albert Weber, of this city, acts as agent, the concern expects to still retain its large Wabash trade and not suffer at all as a consequence of this decision. Under the new plan Wabash parties are to give their orders to Mr. Weber, who is the proprietor of the Weber hotel here, and he, in turn, will deliver the goods in Wabash free of charge.

The plan has been broached to the Wabash customers of the company In the following advertisement Inserted in the newspapers there: Wabash Beer For Sale. Since the decision of the supreme court, holding that a brewery cannot sell to a customer, I am buying and will continue to buy beer of the manufacture of the Wabash Brewing company in bottles and cooperage. I am prepared to sell such beer at my licensed place of business at Fort Wayne to you if you should see fit to favor me with your orders which will have my attention. All goods will delivered to you In Wabash free of charge, for delivery. I Have employed Sam Snyder to solicit and collect for me In Wabash. Thanking you In advance for any favors, I beg to remain, Yours respectfully, ALBERT WEBER, Fort Wayne" - Fort Wayne News, Dec 21, 1909

Others

???? It's known that a series of illicit breweries were set up in northwest Indiana to provide beer for the Torrio and Capone organizations in Chicago during prohibition. Not much is known about locations or dates.
Auburn A defunct brewery building on north Main St in Auburn was converted to a weaving factory in 1865.

The 1868 Business Directory for Indiana lists a Bender & Co. brewery in Auburn.

Hammond


"The former Hammond Brewing located at 548 State Street, West Hammond, has been sold by the Puro Products Co. to Frank Rossello ..." - Lake County Times, Aug 30, 1923.

This was probably built in 1909 and owned by an Illinois corporation. The brewery was seized by the Federal authorities in June, 1921 for selling beer of over 4% alcoholic content.


There seems to have been a Great Lakes Brewing Company near Hammond in 1935 through 1938. This might have been a distribution house.


The Three Floyds Brewing Company of Munster was originally set up in Hammond in 1996 but moved in 2000.

Plymouth We've seen an amber bottle, purportedly from the 1890's, for sale on eBay that is embossed "Henry Stien, Plymouth IND".

The Hoham Mansion (pictured) on Ind 17 on the southwest edge of Plymouth has a cellar dug in 1857  in the yard under 9 feet of dirt. Down there are two rooms, each 70 by 20 feet with high vaulted roofs and dirt floors. Brick vats in these rooms were made for storage of a lager beer made in this private brewery. These rooms were also reportedly used as part of the Underground Railroad. (more info)

Warsaw According to YesterYear In Print about Warsaw of 1862-1863 "A fanning mill, a brewery, and two foundries were in Warsaw about this time."

Lang & Randels built a brewery in Warsaw in 1864.

William Augustine had an ice house on North Lake Street from 1865 to 1869 as well as a brewery.


The Warsaw Daily Times of October 19, 1901 says "That old church edifice after the Warners left his county and settled in Iowa became the frame-work for the first brewery and the only one that Warsaw ever had." This does not describe what church or where it was located.


The Old Jail Museum in Warsaw has a "blob-top" bottle of Athrope beer bottled in that town sometime around 1910.

Waterloo A defunct frame brewery building, north of the creek in Waterloo was moved across the street and converted into a house in 1882.
Elkhart County Waterford Mills, south of Goshen on the Elkhart River was first settled in 1833 as Waterford, Indiana. By 1843, the family of Cephas Hawks operated a swamill, woolen mill, a store, a tannery, an ashery, and a brewery. Filmmaker Howard Hawks is descended from this family.

In October, 1905, Frank Wickwire organized the Elkhart Brewing and Ice Company with the object of building a brewery in Elkhart.


The Mishawaka Brewery opened a brewing and bottling plant in Elkhart in 2006.

Lake County


"The Walker Burt Brewing Company are erecting their ice house and several sheds on Second Street next to the Michigan Central railroad tracks." - The Lake County Times - Fri, Dec 6, 1907

Copyright 2004, 2006, Bob Ostrander