 |
 |
A Brief History of Brewing in Southern Indiana
Also see
Evansville.
Aurora
| Great Crescent Brewery
Crescent Brewing Company
1873 - 1899
(photo courtesy
Bruce Mobley)
|
Thomas and James Gaff
built the T. & J.W. Gaff & Co. distillery in downtown Aurora on the
banks of Hogan Creek in 1843. It made bourbon, rye, and Thistle Dew
scotch whiskey. This location became the foot of Mechanic St.
The Gaffs seem to have owned The Aurora
Brewing and Malting Company before 1871 with an C.C. Kelsey, Ass't Sec'y
mentioned in a lawsuit to collect on a promissory note issued by the
company. It is probable AB&M went bankrupt.
|
"There is also a large distillery, which mashes from 1,000 to
1,200 bushels of corn daily. A mammoth brewery has recently been
erected at a cost of $150,000 dollars." Wiggins and Weaver's
Ohio River Directory for 1871-72
|
They started the Great Crescent Brewery
in 1873 and owned other businesses in town as well as owning several
steamboats that transported the distillery and brewery products. The
major brand was Aurora Lager Beer. Very popular, it was even exported to
Germany.
Thomas Gaff house, Hillforest
Mansion, as it looks now,
a National Historic Landmark.
|
"One of their steamboats, the Forest Queen, became headquarters
for Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman during the Siege of Vicksburg.
The steamboat, under the command of Capt. C. D. Conway of Aurora,
successfully ran the Vicksburg blockade, but was burned to the
water by Confederates in St. Louis, Missouri." - Destination
Indiana: Travels Through Hoosier History
|
The first fire company building, 1876,
was in Gaff's distillery building. The Thomas Gaff pumper was retired
around 1907 and scrapped during a WWII metal recycling drive.
The Thomas Gaff steam pumper
Charles Bauer, an immigrant from
Wurtemberg, Germany was the contractor who built the brewery and he was
a stockholder.
Herman Bartels, an immigrant from
Richtenberg, Prussia invested in Crescent in 1878 and sold his interest
in 1884. He then had interest in the J. Walker Brewery of Cincinnati
and, in 1887 moved to Syracuse, NY where he was a brewer at Haberle
Brewing Company. In 1893 he bought the Germania brewery and changed its
name to Bartels Brewing Company.
article
A fire at the brewery on October 25,
1881 caused $150,000 damage. It was insured for $43,500. (source: The
Chronicle vol XXIX - an Insurance journal in New York)
Charles F. Hopkins is listed as the
principle in 1887, presumably after the sale from Herman Bartels. C.L.
Howe was the President of the Aurora Distilling Co. at that time.
|
"Our distilleries are the best and our breweries can not be
beaten. So great is the demand of the Crescent Brewing Co., of
Aurora, that the Big Four R. R. has built a track from
Lawrenceburg, a distance of four miles, for its trade." -
Annual Report of the Indiana State Board of Agriculture, 1887
|
There was an explosion in the Crescent
Brewery in January, 1891 which killed two men (named Swift and
Pfeister). By this time the brewery was producing 80,000 bbls annually.
|
"It was reasonably certain that Thomas Gaff, pioneer distiller of
Aurora was the most outspoken supporter and financial contributor,
as the Aurora Number 1 was appropriately named "THOMAS GAFF" and a
brass nameplate was made and placed on the steam exhaust stack of
the engine. The THOMAS GAFF established a worlds steam engine
record of pumping continuously for seventy-two (72) straight hours
on the Crescent Brewery fire at the turn of the century." -
Aurora Volunteer Fire Department
|
The brewery assets seem to have been
sold in Cincinnati in April, 1899 to and English syndicate, Watneys.
|
"Sold at Cincinnati. By order of the London (England) trustees,
the Crescent brewery at Aurora, Ind. was sold for $50,000 which is
a sacrifice The buyer's name will not be known till the sale is
passed upon by the London trustees. This is one of the numerous
breweries bought by the English syndicate several years ago." -
Sandusky Star, April 12, 1899
|
Correspondence from Robin Bowers
(8/3/2006):
I am an archaeologist working in
Nevada. Just a few days ago, I found a small metal cap on a historic
mule trail. It is marked "Crescent Brewing Co. Aurora Ind" with a
crescent moon in the center. I'm not sure what the cap would have been
used for. It's made of thin sheet metal. My guess would be it was
either attached to a wooden barrel or to a bottle cork. I'm not sure.
Out here, it is more common for us to find old beer bottles and beer
paraphernalia from St. Louis and Milwaukee. I thought you'd be
interested to know that Indiana beer made it all the way out to
Nevada. The mining district I was working in was booming from about
1880 to 1915.
The cap definitely seemed to be the
sort of thing that would be attached to a wooden container of some
kind. It had metal flanges around its edge to attach it to something,
anyway.
The artifact is pretty intriguing
considering where I found it. The mule trail it was found on was used
for procuring wood for a nearby gold mine. Unless the wood cutters
were living in the forest for extended periods, there wouldn't be much
need to pack a lot of supplies in. But then again, wood cutters get
thirsty and whiskey and beer seem to be the libation of choice out
here in the 19th century. Historic maps of the area show the trail
extending to a place called "Francis Cabin" but I lost the trail at a
spring head and couldn't verify this. It's possible that the trail was
used to get supplies out to the cabin or that the wood cutters used
the cabin as a sort of headquarters.
The Gaff's were involved in other
businesses including Nevada silver mines according to the Hillforest
Mansion web site.
They also owned a dry goods and groceries store and Tomas was the
President of the First National Bank. |
|
Great Crescent Brewery 2008 - Present |
 Microbrewer
in downtown Aurora in a storefront at 327 Second St.
Owners: Dan and Lani Valas
Brewmaster Dan Valas
Dan was homebrewer who is fulfilling a
dream of making a living from his hobby. Sales are through local liquor
stores and restaurants as well as over the counter at the brewery. |
| Others |
Also see other
Dearborn County breweries (below).
The 1868 Business Directory for Indiana
lists a brewery owned by M. Siementel on Third Street. It also mentions
F. and J. W. Gaff's distillery. (sic)
W.P. Squibb and Co. were a distiller on
2nd St near Main in 1871. |
Bloomington
|
Bloomington Brewing Company
1994 - Present |
 Brewpub. Attached to Lennie's gourmet pizza
which opened in 1989.Brewers:
Russ Levitt, Floyd Rosenbaum |
|
Upland Brewing
Company 1998 - Present
|
 Brewpub. Opened April
22, 1998. Owned by Marc Sattinger. Head Brewer Ed Hermann was
instrumental in making Upland the largest brewery in Indiana by 2004
(about 3,000 barrels per year).
Sold to Douglas Dayhoff in 2006. |
Columbus
| Seeling |
The The Register of
United States Breweries 1876-1976 lists an Eliz. Seeling has having
a small brewery of less than 50 bbl capacity. It closed around 1875. |
| August Schreiber
Prior to 1868 - ~1885 |
The 1868 Business
Directory for Indiana lists a brewery owned by August Schreiber in
Columbus near the corner of Jackson St. and the Madison and Indianapolis
RR. It made up to 1000 bbls per
year. |
|
Power House Brewing
Company 2007 -
Present |
 Two partners, Doug Memering and Jon Myers
bought the Columbus Bar in downtown Columbus. Jon, an avid homebrewer
set up a 20 gallon brewery in the front bay window and got a federal
brewing license in 2007. They serve one or two of their own beers along
with a large selection of craft beers. |
Jasper
| Hochgesang
Habig Brewery
1870 - 1916 |
The Register of United
States Breweries 1876-1976 lists one brewery in Jasper which was
owned by Cecilia Hochgesang until about 1885 when it was sold to Habig &
Eckstein. This brewery had a capacity of 2,000 bbls and was renamed
Excelsior Brewery in 1889 when Anton Habig became the sole owner. It
closed in 1916. 
|
"Habig Brewery, Jasper, c. 1905. Edward A Hochgesang, the local
brick manufacturer and masonry contractor, purchased an existing
brewery soon after the end of the Civil War. From October of 1860
to November of the following year, Hochgesang built a new brick
brewery building on the lot bounded by Eleventh and Twelfth
Streets and Main and Jackson Streets. In 1884, after Mr.
Hochgesang's death, his widow, the former Cecilia Habig, sold the
business to her brother, Anton Habig, and his brother-in-law and
partner, Martin Eckstein. The brewery was known as the Excelsior
Brewery during this time period, and the fine-quality beer it
produced was labeled 'Jasper Common Draft Beer." In the decades
that followed, the business was passed down to Anton's son, Frank.
Later, the Jasper Public Library was constructed on the site
(Photograph courtesy of the Habig family" -
Jasper and Huntingburg by Ron Flick
and Jane Ammeson, 2005
|
The block between Main and Jackson and
11th and 12th streets was generally known as the Brewery Lot. This was
bought in the 1920s by the American Legion to become a public park. |
| Other info |
Jasper was first settled
in 1830. In 1849 it had 14 stores and groceries, one brewery, one
distillery, 3 lawyers, and a population of 5600.
During service in the Civil War, Arbagast
R. Volmer of Jasper died of diarrhea on Nov 21, 1862. Records list his
occupation as "Brewer".
Queen City Sallon c. 1915.
Note Anheuser-Busch beer being delivered.
The Habig and Eckstein families also
owned the Queen City Saloon across Main Street from the brewery. This
building, after many owners and remodelings, still stands as Snap's
Steakhouse.
The Schnitzelbank Restaurant in Jasper
was built in 1908 by Michael Hochgesang and his brother-in-law, James
Bates. The building standing now is a product of a 1971 complete
reconstruction. |
Jeffersonville
Also see New Albany
| City Brewing Co. (2)
1875 - 1899 |
 Henry Lang Jr. started
this brewery in 1875. Sold to J. Kirchgessner and Seng in 1880, it
became the City Brewing Co. in 1884 (some sources say 1893), 20+ years
after the original City Brewery became Paul Reising Brewing (above).
Located on the northwest corner of Graham
and Maple Streets in Jeffersonville. It had a maximum capacity of 3,000
bbls.
(photo courtesy
Bruce Mobley) |
Madison
| Jacob Salmon Brewery
1823 - before 1856 |
The Jacob Salmon Brewery
operated at the east edge of Madison during the 1830s (drawn below). It
was established in 1823 on the south side of the Lawrenceburg Road
"above Baltimore". Also known as the Old Salmon Brewery as Jacob was
known as "Ol' Man Salmon". 
|
| Greiner Brewery
Before 1856 - 1881
Madison Brewing Co.
1881 - 1918 |
 The Greiner family brewery occupied the site of
the Jacob Salmon Brewery (above) by 1856. It's brand name was Madison
XXX Ale which was reportedly distributed as far away as New Orleans.
brewery picture -
brewery picture -
brewery picture
The Madison City Directory of 1887
includes "Madison Brewing Co. Incorporated 1881. Capital stock $100,000.
John B. Ross, Pres., Charles A. Korbly, Sec., Thomas A. Pogue, Treas.,
A. C. Greiner, Supt."
Sometime before 1889 the Greiner
Brewery / Madison Brewing Company was re-located to 220-226 Park Ave.,
later changed to 928 Park Ave.
Madison XXX was distributed widely - as
far as New Orleans.
The Register of United States
Breweries 1876-1976 lists the M. Greiner & Sons brewery being
renamed before 1875 to John Greiner Brewery, then becoming the Madison
Brewing Co. in about 1885. MBC had a peak production capacity of 14,000
bbls.
In the late 1860s, Frank Fehr, an
immigrant from the Alsace region of France, worked for the Madison
Brewing Company. In 1872, Fehr opened a brewery in Louisville which
became City Brewery in 1876. By 1901 it was Louisville's biggest brewery
and the company lasted until 1964.
more info
|
"We Beg to Announce That The Jacob Metzger Co. Will act as our
distributors in Indianapolis and vicinity for our Famous Madison
XXX Ale. Beginning With Tomorrow Same may be obtained by calling
them on either Number or calling at 30-32 E. Maryland, their place
of business. DELIVERY FREE OF CHARGE The Madison Brewing Co.
INDIANA" - Display ad in the Indianapolis Star, Sunday, Nov 27,
1910
|
|
"MADISON XXX Ale Refreshes the Tired and Weary Satisfying after a
tiresome journey or shopping tour. No other beverage contributes
the same mild, refreshing qualities for the fagged (?) and laded
(?). Truly a welcome drink. Prompt city delivery. Fehrenbach, Bose
Clements 122 S. Pennsylvania St. Telephone 407. (Brewery
Bottling.) Madison Brewing Company Madison, INDIANA" -
Indianapolis Star, Friday, Nov 3, 1916
|
With Prohibition, the Madison Brewing
Co. went bankrupt and disappeared on Feb 2, 1918. |
| Union Brewery
1862 - 1901 |
Peter Weber, an Alsatian
immigrant, inherited his father, Adam Weber's, brewery at Main and Vine
(602 W. Main) before 1875. He rebuilt it in grand style in 1876 (below). 
This fine structure was used by the
Hampton Cracker Co.
and other businesses until a fire destroyed it in 1939.
Peak production was about 4,000 bbls.
Weber lived next door at 608 W. Main.
Peter later became a partner in Weber
and Schillinger brewery in Louisville and bought it outright in 1891,
renaming it Phoenix Brewing Company. His son, Charles A. Weber was
president from 1892 until its closing in 1901. |
| Various
Pre-prohibition breweries in Madison |
The first brewery in the
Madison area is said to be McQuiston's Malt House located at the east
end of 4th St. A Scheik Brewery
is said to have opened in 1841. It was on Jefferson, north of Fourth St.
It closed shortly after and the building became a canning factory.
The Madison City Guide of 1860 lists:
- Appel's Brewery, George Appel,
prop., located on Walnut between 4th and 5th Streets.
- Madison Brewery, AKA Bleser & Co.,
Wm F.B. & Charles Geisbauer, located on Main between 4th and 5th
Streets.
The 1868 Business Directory for Indiana
lists:
- Greiner & Son east of the city.
- Madison Brewery, Belser & Co.
proprietors.
- Walnut Brewery, John Butz, prop. on
Walnut
- P. Weber's brewery at the corner of
Vine and Main.
Wiggins and Weaver's Ohio River
Directory for 1871-72 lists:
- Appel, George & Son, West End
Brewery, Third and Depot
- Greiner, M. & Sons, brewery,
Lawrenceburg road, nr Fulton
The Register of United States
Breweries 1876-1976 lists:
- Belser & Co. - closed before 1875 -
production 3,865 bbls
- Elizabeth Butz - closed before 1875.
|
New Albany
Also see Jeffersonville
|
Bottomley and Ainslie 1840 - 1841
City Brewery
1842 - 1861
Paul Reising Brewing
1861 - 1913
Southern Indiana Brewing Co.
1913 - 1915 |
Hew Ainslie, an immigrant
from Liverpool joined the New Harmony community in 1825 and when New
Harmony folded went to Cincinnati where he opened a brewery. Later he
opened a brewery in Louisville that was destroyed in the flood of 1832.
He worked after that at the Nuttall brewery in Louisville and opened the
Bottomley and Ainslie brewery in New Albany in 1840 which was destroyed
by fire shortly thereafter. He was listed in the city directory as a
maltster in 1841 and then dropped out of brewing. By 1842 he was working
in a foundry. The brewery was
rebuilt and operated as the City Brewery by Joseph & George Kealchle
(1848), John Yaeger (1856), Bath & Rickle (1859), David Bath (1860)
Paul Reising, an immigrant from
Bavaria, came to New York in 1854. By 1857 he had moved to New Albany
and bought the Metcalfe Brewery. (see below)
In 1861 he sold the Metcalfe Brewery
and bought the City Brewery in New Albany at 4th and Spring Streets
(where a Holiday Inn Express now sits). At that time the building was
only 1200 sq ft with a capacity of 1500 barrels.
The Floyd County Gazetteer of 1868
lists the "City Brewery, P. Reising, proprietor, is one of the oldest
and largest firms in this line in the city, having been established over
twelve years, and at present location eight years. The building is
115x50, two stories high, and complete in all respects. There is also, a
beer cellar 40x18, with ice house above; malt cellar 40x50, and three
other cellars of capacious size. The mash tubs, etc., are run by an
eight-horse power machine. P. R. employs five men, and has capacity to
manufacture thirty barrels beer per day."
|
"JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind., About 2 o'clock morning a gang of 10
toughs, who had been carousing on the commons all night, invaded
the city brewery and demanded more beer. Andrew Bauer, the night
watchman, refused, and was assaulted by the gang. Charles Mayer,
foreman. came to the watchman's assistance and a severe fight
ensued in which Mayer was fatally injured. Several men have been
arrested and warrants are out for a dozen more. Mayer's skull was
crushed." - Daily Advocate (Newark, OH) - Tuesday, June 20,
1893
|
|
"New Albany's brewing heritage was fully intact at century's end,
and the city's residents still regarded the availability of
freshly brewed local beer as a social and cultural norm. Two
independent breweries, producing lager styles and the indigenous
Louisville-area ale called Kommon, thrived in New Albany in 1900.
Another had closed only two years before. A handful of smaller
brewing operations were recognized, including "saloon" breweries
(known as "brewpubs" today). Another moderate-sized brewery
operated in Jeffersonville, while across the river in Louisville,
there were as many as 20 breweries in operation at various times
during the years prior to World War I. - Roger Baylor, New
Albanian Brewery
|
The Paul Reising Brewing Company was
formed in 1873 and by 1891 the capacity was up to 12,000 bbl. They made
lager and common beer.
In about 1912 the brewery was sold to
John Meyers who resold it to Michael Schrick for $34,000. The name was
changed to Southern Indiana Brewing Company. In 1913 H.L. Meinhardt
became the president. They had 30 employees by that time.
It is said that some bad beer was
distributed in 1914 which led to a financial decline and bankruptcy in
1915.
"H.L. Meinhardt built this summer home
in Silver Hills while he was president of the Paul Reising Brewery,
located at West Fourth and Spring Streets. . . This postcard is from
about 1910" - New Albany In Vintage Postcards, D Barksdale & Robyn
Sekula, 2005
|
"Mr. Paul Reising, West End brewer, will issue his second edition
of "Bock Beer" tomorrow. His customers will be supplied with the
beverage in a prompt manner, as Mr. Reising is a prompt and
reliable business man. Some people drink sassafras tea in the
spring of the year; others use sage catnip and such, and others
sassaparilla. That is their privilege. Another class prefer Bock
Beer and it is their privilege to do so. This is a free country.
Drive on old Bock." - New Albany Ledger-Standard, April 29,
1881
|
Also see Southern Indiana Ice &
Beverage Company, below. |
| Metcalfe Brewery
1847 - 1861
Main Street Brewery
1861 - 1889
Indiana Brewing Company
1889 - 1895
Pank-Weinmann Brewing Company
1895 - 1899 |
Started by Joseph
Metcalfe in 1847. Sold to William Grainger who sold it to Paul Reising
(see above) in 1857. The Floyd
County Gazetteer of 1868 lists the "Main Street Brewery, Martin Kalen,
proprietor, has been in operation eighteen years, and has been owned and
managed by the present proprietor for six years. The building is 40x60,
two stories high, and has two capacious cellars 30x35, together with all
the necessary tubs, vats, etc., is run by horse-power, employs five men,
and has a capacity of three hundred barrels per month."
Reising sold it to Martin Kaelin in
1861 who renamed it Main Street Brewery. He sold it to Louis Schmidt in
1882. Sold to Hornung and Atkins in 1883, it transfered to sole
proprietor Jacob Hornung in 1886.
In 1889 it was renamed the Indiana
Brewing Co. and, in 1895, the Pank-Weinmann Brewing Company.
Located on the west side of 18th St
between Main and Stone
The Register of United States
Breweries 1876-1976 lists:
Owned by Barbary Buchheit. Capacity
5,00 bbls.
Sold to Jacob Hornung in about 1885
Sold to Indiana Brewing Company in 1890. Capacity 3,000 bbls.
Sols to Pank-Weinmann Brewing Co. in 1895. Capacity 4,000 bbls.
Closed in 1898
|
| Market Street Brewery
1856 - 1884
Julius Gebhard & Co. Enterprise Brewery
1884 - 1886
New Albany Brewing Co.
1886 - 1888
National Brewery
1888 - 1890 |
Established by Peter
Buchheit at 10th and Market Streets behind his home. The house burned
down in the 1990s. The brewery eventually covered nearly the entire
block between Market and Spring Streets on the west side of 10th.
Peter Buchheit was born Jean Pierre
Buchheit in Schweyen, Lorraine, France.
The Floyd County Gazetteer of 1868
lists the Market Street Brewery "Peter Buchheit, proprietor, has been
established about twelve years, and occupies three buildings—30x60,
30x60, 18x60—all three stories high, has all the latest improvements in
tubs, vats, etc., and uses steam, employs four hands, and has capacity
for brewing three hundred barrels per month."
|
"This morning at 6 ½ o’clock, the alarm of fire was sounded and it
was discovered that the extensive brewery of Peter Buchheit was on
fire.
When the alarm
was given the three engines, the Sanderson, Jefferson and
Washington, were prompt in action, and did efficient work in
subduing the flames, which required three quarters of an hour. The
cause of the fire is not known.
The citizens
gathered from all quarters and rendered timely assistance. The
building contained two thousand bushels of malt and a quantity of
barley. The basement was filled with beer, which will be damaged
by becoming heated. The malt, which was consumed, is valued at
$2,500, barley valued at $1,000." - New Albany Ledger Standard,
Sept 22, 1875 |
|
"His beer is known and greedily guzzled in New Albany and far
beyond her confines. This gentleman has met with considerable
misfortune by the destruction of his establishment in 1875 by
fire. Being a man of great nerve he at once set about and rebuilt,
and today has a larger and better brewery than ever. It is built
mostly of brick, with iron roofs, and the arrangements and
conveniences are better than formerly.
The brewery is
complete in every department, and has capacity of making ten
thousand barrels of beer annually. Last year Mr. B sold nearly
4,000 barrels, and paid the Government $1 each for the privilege.
The best material is used for the manufacture of the beverage, the
best barely, California hops, &c. A very convenient elevator is
arranged in the main building, and grain and other articles are
speedily and safely hoisted and lowered from and to the different
floors and cellars.
Mr. B has
expended a large sum of money and may be considered among the
large manufacturers in the city. The large and deep cellars
connected with this brewery are stored with lager made during the
cold weather and it will be kept cool during the summer months by
being completely surrounded by ice. The ice house at the brewery
contains about 609 tons, and another on the Jeff railroad above
the city contains fully 1,000 tons." - New Albany Ledger
Standard, Feb 21, 1877 |
|
"The New Albany Brewing Company do business on East Tenth, between
Market and Spring streets, and it is one of the busiest places in
the city. In the reorganization of this Company, Messers. Charles
Burger, and Herman Kirhhoff, of Cincinnati, are added to the firm.
Mr. Burger is a gentleman of considerable wealth and becomes
president of the company. Mr. Kirhhoff assumes the responsible
position of Secretary and Treasurer. Mr. Julius Gebhard, one of
the most experienced brewers in the Western Country, takes the
position of Superintendent. It is not necessary to state that
under this efficient management the New Albany Brewing Company
will enjoy a liberal patronage and justly rank among the leading
breweries of Southern Indiana. Mr. Frank Gebhard, a young man of
genial social disposition, continues the new firm and his many
good traits of character will add to the already growing and
prosperous business of the company….
During the past
few days the business of this firm has increased wonderfully, and
the superior quality of beer turned out it gradually gaining them
an extensive shipping trade. Their sales embrace the city and
extend all over Southern Indiana. A large and improved
refrigerator has been placed in the cellars and many other needed
improvements have been made, which combine to afford them the
necessary facilities to compete with the leading breweries in this
section the country.
The New Albany
Brewing Company is brewing now a superior lager beer for which on
imported hops and the best quality barely malt is used. There is a
large and increasing demand in New Albany and the surrounding
country towns for such a fine quality beer." - New Albany Daily
Ledger, Aug 7, 1886 |
|
"The Indiana Brewing Company is making many improvements to its
property on East Main Street, above Vincennes. Several additions
to the building have been made and the company has contracted for
500,000 bricks for the erection of the other buildings this fall.
The company purchased the Buchheit brewery material sometime ago
and is transferring it to their present large plant. Mr. Gustav
Weinmann is the energetic and enterprising general manager of this
extensive brewery." - New Albany Ledger, Aug 23, 1890
|
It sounds like it was a big company in
1890 but several sources say that is the year it closed.
more info part 1,
part 2,
part 3
Thanks go to Ted Fulmore of New Albany for all this info. |
| Spring Brewery
1865 - 1902
Engel and Nadorff Bros
1902-1907 |
Opened in 1865 by Andrew
Sohn. Located on Upper Vincennes between Locust and Chartres. Inherited
by Louisa Sohn in 1874. Made about 440 bbls annually.
Frank Nadorff acquired it in 1877 and
Threcy Nadorff inherited it in 1884. She evidently sold some interest to
Peter Engel in 1891 and the brewery became Engel and Nadorff Bros in
1902 before closing in 1907. Maximum capacity was 3,000 bbls.
The Nadorff family still owns the
Anheuser Busch distributorship in the area. |
| Others |
The Register of United
States Breweries 1876-1976 lists a brewery owned by Gerhard Brown
with a 3,000 bbls capacity. This brewery was sold in 1889 to Andrew
Schlosser (see State Street Brewery, below). He closed it in 1892. |
| State Street Brewery
1888 - 1918 |
Opened by Terstegge & Co.
on the west side of State St. opposite Green. Peak production was less
than 500 bbls. annually. Owned by
Frederick S. Risoff (1890-1893), Bochardt & Edward Birk (1893-1898),
Edward Birk (1898-1899), Andrew Schlosser (1899), Veit Nirmaler
(1899-1914), and finally named the State Street Brewery in 1914 or 1915. |
| Southern Indiana Ice &
Beverage Company 1915 - 1927
Southern Indiana Ice Company
1927 - 1933
Southern Indiana Ice & Beverage Company
1933 - 1935 |
 Michael Schrick bought the bankrupt Paul Reising Brewing
Company property in 1915 and renamed it the Southern Indiana Ice &
Beverage Company.In 1923
prohibition agents closed the plant after their cereal beverage, Hop-O
was found to contain several percent alcohol.
In 1927 it was bought by Ernest Boone,
becoming the Southern Indiana Ice Company.
After prohibition they made Ackerman's
beer, named after the brewmaster, Philip Ackerman.
(There was a Senn & Ackermann's Brewery
in Louisville in 1890).
Brands included Amsterdamer Bock,
Ackermans, Great Eagle, Royal Munich, Vienna Select, Old Rip, Imperial
Double Stout, India Pale Ale, and Daniel Boone.
|
"Indiana Brewer Indicted
He Is Accused of Trying to Bribe Federal Prohibition Agent
Louisville, Ky.
March 16. - Indictments charging bribery were returned by a
Federal Grand Jury here today against Michael Schrick, former
President of the Southern Indiana Brewing Company, and J.H. Booth,
both of New Albany, Ind. They are alleged to have attempted to
bribe J.L. Asher, Federal prohibition agent, with money and
commissions amounting to $100,000 a year to get assistance of that
official in transporting illegal beer to Louisville from New
Albany. They were released on bond.
Federal agents
who said they were concealed in a closet, told the Grand Jury the
two men were trapped in Asher's room in a hotel here in January
while Schrick and Booth were in the act of paying Asher the first
installment of $2,000." - New York Times, Mar 17, 1922 |
|
"Indianapolis, Jan 3 - Judge Albert B Anderson today promised a
rigid investigation of alleged promises of immunity from criminal
action to high officials of the prohibition division at Washington
to Michael Schrick, a brewery owner of New Albany, Indiana. Roy A
Haynes, director prohibition enforcement said Mr. Andrews, chief
of the bureau of litigation at the department, and John Owen,
former campaign, manager of Senator James U Watson and alleged
go-between, were named by Schrick today." - Marion (Ohio) Daily
Star, Jan 3, 1924
|
The brewery, unable to make a profit in
a competitive city, closed on November 15, 1935. |
|
New Albanian Brewing Company
2002 - Present |
 Brewpub
attached to Sportstime Pizza (1987), an ex-Noble Roman's, and Rich O's
Public House (1990). Founded by Roger and Amy Baylor
Uses the brewing system from Silver Creek
Brewing Company / Tucker Brewing Company (below). The first brewer,
Michael Borchers also brewed at Silver Creek Brewing Co.
more info |
Salem
| Tucker Brewing Company
1996 - 1999
|
 Owner: Todd Tucker.
Brewer: Donald Russell.Their
most popular beers included Smoked Porter, Brown Ale, IPA, and
Blackberry Wheat.
Sold to Silver Creek Brewing Co. in
1999. |
Sellersburg
| Silver Creek Brewing
Company 1999 - 2001
|
 Jeff Compton and Michael Borchers
bought Tucker Brewing Company (above) in 1999. Moved Tucker's equipment
and continued to use the Tucker brand name.
Silver Creek bought the Oldenberg Brewery
in Ft. Mitchell, KY, in Sept 1999 after it declared bankruptcy. It
continued the operations at Oldenberg until April, 2000.
When closed, sold equipment to New
Albanian Brewing Company where Borchers became the brewer. |
Vincennes
| ???? |
The Gallant Fourteenth:
The Story of an Indiana Civil War Regiment by Nancy Niblack Baxter
(1980) says there was a brewery in Vincennes in 1861. |
| Ebner's Eagle Brewery
1850s - 1878
Hack & Simon, Eagle Brewery
1878 - 1918 |
 John Ebner, born in Alsace, France,
built the first brewery in Vincennes about 1860. He sold it in 1878. His
son John continued working at the Eagle Brewery until his death in 1889.
Owned by Eugene Hack and Anton Simon (an
immigrant from Alsace, France (now Germany)), prominent residents of
Vincennes by the early 1900s.
By 1909 the company was known as Hack
Simon Brewery. It did not restart brewing after prohibition.
A newspaper article in 1909 lists the
Hack Simon Brewing Company as being located in Loogootee.
The Eagle Brewery, before it's close at
the onset of Prohibition, covered two city blocks and had "nearly a
hundred men" in its employ. Capacity was "in excess of 24,000 barrels".
The Vincennes/Knox County Preservation
Foundation has raised $250,000 for the renovation of the office of the
Eagle Brewery, now owned by Vincennes University VU had wanted to
tear down the building, built in 1885, for parking. University
president, John Gregg, has supported the restoration of the building,
which is on the National Register of Historic Places.
(photo courtesy
Bruce Mobley) |
| There were
also the Murphy Distilling Company and the Old Vincennes Distillery Co.
before Prohibition. |
Whitehall (near Spencer)
| Goodfellows Brewing
Company 2000 - 2001 |
 This
country brewery was owned by Todd Reeves and Dale Drummond. Their
bottle-conditioned beer was distributed in Bloomington. They did open a
brewpub/tasting room on the premises for a while.
It's possible Goodfellows never had a
federal license to brew beer.
more
info |
Others
|
Dearborn County |
There was a Zix brewery
near New Alsace in the 1830s until 1893. Joseph Zix (born 1825),
emigrated from Baden-Baden Germany in 1830 with his father, Charles Zix
(born 1799). Charles'
genealogy lists him as a brewer and Joseph's
genealogy also lists him as a brewmeister. Joseph died 1895
in New Alsace. The Register of
United States Breweries 1876-1976 lists the owner as being Michael
Zix who sold it to George Zix in 1889. Production was under 500 bbls per
year.
Also, an Anton Zix was with the
Wellston Brewing & Ice Co. in Wellston, OH, and became the brewmaster of
the Crockery City Brewery in PA in the 1910s. We have no hard evidence
that these two are related but Anton Zix may have been George A. Zix,
son of Joseph Zix, who's
genealogy also lists him as a "Brew Meister"
In 1833, Balthasar Hammerle moved his
family to Dover in Dearborn County and bought 50 acres of land for $50.
|
"His occupation was tailoring, but this proved to be unprofitable,
so he built a brewery -- the first in Indiana. He managed this
business until 1856, when he turned over the business to his son."
- History of Marion County, Ohio and Representative Citizens,
J. Wilbur Jacoby, 1907
|
 John B. Garnier, an
immigrant from France, began a malting and brewing business in
Lawrenceburgh (later to drop the "h") in 1840. In 1857 he bought the
rival Frederick Kosmos Brewery and in 1866 he enlarged the entire
operation by building a new brewery with his brother August at 3rd and
Shipping Streets.
|
"The late Mr. Garnier, immediately after his arrival in
Lawrenceburg, started a malt house, which he conducted with
admirable success until the 'fifties, when he erected a brewery,
the product of which found an extensive sale in Lawrenceburg, as
well as in the villages near at hand and towns more remote. His
previous handling of malt had well qualified him for the selection
of material used in brewing, and from the start his product was
recognized as being far superior to the ordinary beverage turned
out by breweries of greater pretensions, and even of metropolitan
celebrity. In this business he acquired a competency, although he
continued to actively superintend the details of his brewing
process until his lamented decease, which occurred at Lawrenceburg
March 7, 1897." - History of the Catholic church in Indiana -
1898
|
 The
brewery was taken over by Garnier's son-in-law, Victor Oberting (right),
in 1896. It closed officially in 1916. The maximum capacity was 8,000
bbls.
Obertling was also chief of the fire
department and was a State Representative for Dearborn County.
|
"Lawrenceburg - Revenue collector poured into the Ohio river 470
barrels of beer seized at the Garnier Brewery here under the
prohibition law." - The Fort Wayne News and Sentinel, Mon Oct
21, 1918
|
The Lawrenceburg Workforce Development
Center is on the grounds of an old brewery - one of the oldest and best
known landmarks in the area.
"About 1845 (John Beckenholdt, an immigrant from Germany) built
the Beckenholdt Brewery in Newtown, and for many years did quite
an extensive brewing business in that city. He died in 1860." -
History of Dearborn and Ohio Counties, Indiana - 1885. |
Newtown no longer exists.
The Register of United
States Breweries 1876-1976 lists a brewery owned by Anton Ritze in
Lawrenceburg with a capacity of less than 500 bbls. This closed about
1885.
The Register of United
States Breweries 1876-1976 lists a brewery owned by L. Bischoff in
St. Leon that closed about 1885. It's capacity was less than 500 bbls.
George Kocher, a German immigrant,
started a brewery in 1882 in Harrison OH or West Harrison, IN. His son,
Anthony Kocher, worked with him in that brewery.
Jacob Schneider, an immigrant from
Bavaria, was a brewer in Harrison 1886 and had a brewery between Hill
and Water Streets. It's not know if that was at the same brewery.
The Register of United States
Breweries 1876-1976 lists a brewery in New Alsace owned by Martin
Meyer. No opening date given but it closed in 1898. Maximum capacity was
1,000 bbls.
From the ancestry.org web site: Martin
Meyer, Born 1833, Dubuque, IA, Brewer Owner - New Alsace Brewery, New
Alsace, Darborn County, Indiana. Died 1897.
Also see the Crescent Brewing Company,
Aurora at the top of this page. |
| DuBois County |
"John G.F. and K. Hoffman, who were natives of Germany and who
immigrated to the United States in 1848, and finally settled in
Harbison Township, Dubois Co., Ind. Here they were married and
made their home. (John) was engaged in store keeping and the
brewery business, and at last in farming. His death occurred
August 26, 1883." - History of Pike and DuBois, Indiana - 1885. |
"John B Krodel was born (near Haysville) October 24, 1848. He is
at present engaged in the brewing business and farming. His large
brewery was erected near Haysville in 1871. He has been quite
successful in that occupation, but at the present time devotes
most of his time and attention to farming, in which he has
succeeded well. He is a good farmer and an honest business man." -
History of Pike and DuBois, Indiana - 1885. |
John's wife, Barbara, continued the
brewery for four years after John died in 1892. It never made more than
500 bbls in any year.
The Register of United States
Breweries 1876-1976 lists a brewery in Haysville owned by John
Neukam that closed in 1890.
The Huntingburg Brewing Company was
located at 1st and Main Streets. in Huntingburg. It closed in 1903.
This picture taken circa 1895.
The Register of United States
Breweries 1876-1976 lists three breweries in Huntingburg in addition
to the Huntingburg Brewing Co.
1) Menkhaus, Fritch & Co. - renamed in
1897 to Moenkhaus & Seubold - capacity 3,000 bbls - closed at
prohibition
2) Joseph Schubler - closed before 1875
3) J. F. Strickfaden & Co. - closed
before 1875
|
"The Huntingburg Brewing Company, Huntingburg, c. 1895. The
brewing company first opened in 1894 at First and Main Streets
under the ownership of Andreas and Henry Fritch and Charles and
Henry Moenkhaus. Two year laser, Charles Moenkhaus, who also owned
the St. George Hotel, was the sole owner. The brewery's specialty
was common or cream beer, which was two percent alcohol. Though
the brewery hit hard times during Prohibition, according to
Christine Prior, executive director of the Huntingburg Chamber of
Commerce, moonshiners flourished, producing 'Dubois Dew' " -
Jasper and Huntingburg by
Ron Flick and Jane Ammeson, 2005
|
The Register of United States
Breweries 1876-1976 lists four breweries in the town of Ferdinand:
1) John Dickman - closed in 1891 -
capacity less then 500 bbl
2) Henry B. Ruhkamp Jr. - became
Elizabeth Ruhkamp about 1885 - closed in 1892 - capacity as high as 1500
bbl.
3) Stallmann & Hang - became Stallmann,
Kunkler & Hang in 1892 - became Stallmann & Hang in 1895 - became
Ferdinand Brewing Co in 1895 - closed in 1916 - capacity as high as
3,000 bbl.
The book referenced says Hang, but a
genealogical site lists a John Haug who owned a brewery in Ferdinand.
His son Jacob Haug married Magdalene Stallman (one n).
4) Herman Wilbers - closed before 1875
- capacity 335 bbl
|
"During prohibition we made thousands of barrel shaped beer steins
for Blatz and Sterling for promoting the sale of their malt
extract which was used in the making of "home brew". They gave a
mug with each purchase. This business of course ended with
prohibiition, as did our 1 gal. jug business with the local
bootleggers who would come to our plant and haul them away by the
truck load and carload. We never asked any questions, just took
their money." The History of the UHL Pottery Company,
O.I. Lett, Huntingburgh.
|
|
| Franklin County |
The 1882 Atlas of
Landowners lists three breweries in Franklin County; one in Brookville,
one in Ray township, and one in Highland township owned by J. Busald. |
| Gibson County |
The 1868 Business
Directory for Indiana lists a brewery owned by Anton Rutenfranz in
Princeton. |
| Jackson County |
The Register of United
States Breweries 1876-1976 lists two breweries in Seymour, both closing
about 1885. Both with a capacity of 1,000 bbls. One owned by Martin
Dammrich and the other owned by J. D. Kaufmann. |
| Jennings County |
Michael Gooding owned a
brewery in Vernon in 1860. We don't know opening and closing dates. The
only references to it seem to be a false alarm due to a "burning out the
flue" in February, 1860 and reference in the Jennings Co. Historical
Society notes of "In the 1800's . . . Michael Gooding owned the
brewery". The 1868 Business
Directory for Indiana lists a brewery owned by Brunett & Nassay near the
Madison & Indianapolis Railroad in North Vernon.
The Register of United States
Breweries 1876-1976 lists a brewery in North Vernon owned by John
Schierling closed about 1885. This brewery had a capacity of less than
500 bbls.
There is, or was, a town of
Brewersville about 5 miles north of North Vernon. Now it's an
unincorporated horseshoe of houses at CR 680N and N. Base Rd. There are
no records available of a brewery in the near vicinity. |
| Martin County |
A newspaper article in
1909 lists the Hack Simon Brewing Company as being located in Loogootee.
It was located in Vincennes (above) and possibly opened a satellite
operation. |
| Perry County |
Saint Meinrad Archabbey
near Saint Meinrad had a brewery in 1860. Located in front of the abbey
property on what is now Brewery St. The story is told that the first
brew was so bad it was fed to the hogs. They leased it out in 1861.
Wendel Hofmann learned the brewing
business in Darmstadt, Germany, and moved to Tell City in 1842 where he
owned a brewery until 1868. He bought the Turner's Hall in 1870.
William Heck, Sr, an immigrant from
Nassau, Germany, sold his share of the store he and his brother Jacob
owned in Cannelton and opened a brewery in 1865. W & J Heck was at the
corner of Washington and Sixth streets.
Jacob Huber is listed as owning a
brewery in Cannelton from at least 1868 through at least 1885. Huber &
Co. was at the corner of Fifth and Mason.
It made about 500 bbls of beer
annually. Jacob Huber was born in 1835 in Dillsdorf, near Zurich,
Switzerland.
Tell City was founded in 1858 and had,
according to one report, two breweries within the the first year.
|
"Frederick Voelke, proprietor of Tell City Brewery, is a native of
Cassel, Germany, born August 30, 1832. He is the eldest child in a
family of three daughters and two sons born to Frederick and
Christine (Gebhardt) Voelke. The father, who was a brewer,
followed the business in his native country until 1848, when he
came to the United States, and worked in the glass works at
Pittsburgh two years. In 1850 he came to Troy, Ind., and engaged
in the brewery business, which he followed until his retirement in
1856. Frederick received a good literary and musical education in
Prussia. He came to America with his parents, and traveled through
the various States of the south and west, playing for theatrical
companies, until 1856. In that year he took charge of this
father's brewery at Troy (see below), and in 1861 built the
establishment which he has since conducted at Tell City. August
12, 1856, he was joined in marriage with Nancy A. Taylor, by whom
he is the father of ten children, Amelia (wife of John Herrman),
Ella (wife of Nicholas Greathouse), Frederick W. (deceased),
Claudine, Esther, Henrietta (deceased), Frederick, Hetty, Maud and
Hessie. In politics he was formerly a Republican, but now
affiliates with the Democratic party. During the war he was a
captain of the Home Guards." - History of Warrick, Spencer and
Perry Counties, Indiana - Troy Township & Tell City" by Goodspeed
Bros. & Co., 1885
|
August Krogman, and immigrant from
Holstein, Germany, worked in a brewery in Davenport, IA, and opened a
"manufacture of Bourbon, whiskey, and apple and peach brandies" in Tell
City in 1866. This enterprise lasted until at least 1885.
August's son, William Krogman,
married Claudine Voelke, daughter of .
There was another brewery in the town
of Tell City in 1872. It was established by Charles Becker, the founder
of the city, in 1858. It passed to Gustavus Huthsteiner in 1894.
Thereafter it was known as the Tell City Brewing Company. Maximum
capacity, 6,000 bbls. Closed at the onset of prohibition.
|
"The pioneer breweries early opened by Reis and Endebruck and by
Peter Schreck were not long in existence, but the business
established in 1858 by Charles Becker and Alois Beuter has gone on
as the Tell City Brewery up to the present Beuter withdrawing
after one year's partnership.
Common beer was
brewed at first, but since the erection, in 1870, of a three-story
brick building at a cost of $3,000, the product has been lager
beer of a quality not inferior to the Milwaukee or St. Louis
article, whose widespread sale has done its part in adding to the
fame of Tell City." - Perry County by Tomas James De la
Hunt, 1916 |
The Tell City Brewery brewer, Joseph
Lienhart, died in 1894.
A panel of the flood wall mural in Tell
City pictures the "Tell City Brewery (Circa 1889)" Tell City was settled
by the Swiss Colonization Society and was named after the William Tell
legend.
A brewery was run by Frederick Voelke
from at least 1856 until at least 1861. His son, Frederick Jr., ran the
brewery but left to form the Tell City Brewery (above).
The Register of United States
Breweries 1876-1976 lists the early history of the Troy Model
Brewing Co.
- Heinze & Thaeny.
- Became John Thaeny about 1875.
Capacity 1,000 bbls.
- Sold to John S. Winterath around
1885
- Sold to Jacob Kunkler in 1895.
- Becomes Troy Model Brewing about
1905. Closed in 1914.
Troy Model Brewery was started in May,
1906 with $40,000 of capital stock. It had 9 employees. It is listed in
1909 records as producing Beer, pop and seltzer. By that time it had 15
employees.
Troy also had distilleries run by John
M. Howard and Jacob Clemens. We haven't seen any more information than
that. |
| Pike County |
The 1868 Business
Directory for Indiana lists a brewery owned by John Misenhelter on
Vincennes Road near Petersburg (population 800 at that time).
The Register of United States Breweries
1876-1976 lists this as owned by John Mersenhetter. Production of 60
bbls per year make this a very small operation. It closed sometime
before 1875.
Misenhelter is probably the correct
name. |
| Posey County |
There was a brewery and 2
distilleries as part of the Rappite colony in New Harmony in the 1820s.
It was at the intersection of Brewery and North Streets; catty-corner
was a distillery. The Yellow Tavern was located at the northwest corner
of Tavern and Main Streets.
|
"In their numerous industries, the ingenious Harmonists availed
themselves of various sources of power. Most singular and
spectacular - indeed, almost unique in that region in their day -
were the steam engine that operated their cotton mill and, later,
their threshing machine. . . From our modern point of view, more
unusual than either of these sources of power was a large dog that
walked a treadwheel on a platform twelve feet above the floor of
the brewery, pumping water for the brew. Big as this dog was, he
must have been spelled by another like him from time to time, for
the Harmonist brewery produced five hundred gallons a day.-
"The Angel and the Serpent" by William E. Wilson by IU Press,
1984.
|
Freidrich Kuhlenschmidt had a brewery
in Mt. Vernon for a short time in the 1840s.
info
William Hofmann, an immigrant from
Kaiserlauten, Rhinepfalz, settled in Posey County in 1850 and, with
Philip Speck owned a brewery in Parker's Settlement around the 1860s.
Hofmann died in 1876.
The 1868 Business Directory for Indiana
lists 2 breweries in Mount Vernon
- City Brewery, Appel & Son props. on
the corner of Water and Main Streets. It's not known whether this is
the same family as the one in Madison.
- Another owned by Ziegler and
Riekert.
|
| Ripley County |
The 1868 Business
Directory for Indiana lists a Batesville Brewery owned by John Zuber in
Batesville. There may also have
been a Henry Wachsman Brewery.
The Register of United States
Breweries 1876-1976 lists a brewery in the town of Osgood owned by
John Wagner. This closed before 1875. It's maximum production was 220
bbls per annum.
The Register of United States
Breweries 1876-1976 lists a brewery in the town of Napolean owned by
Nicholas Morbach. This was a small brewery, capable of less than 500
bbls annually. It closed about 1885.
The Register of United States
Breweries 1876-1976 lists a brewery in the town of Sunman owned by
P. Schneider. This was a small brewery, capable of less than 500 bbls
annually. It closed about 1885. |
| Spencer County |
The 1868 Business
Directory for Indiana lists a Rockport Brewery in Rockport. |
| Warrick County |
The 1868 Business
Directory for Indiana lists an Eagle Brewery in Newburgh owned by
Charles Brizius & Co. It was at the corner of Drury & Gray.
The brewery opened in 1865 and closed
in 1881 when they turned the plant into a flour mill. This was a small
brewery, capable of less than 500 bbls annually. |
Copyright 2004, 2006, Bob
Ostrander
|
 |
|
