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A Brief History of Brewing in South Bend, Indiana

Muessel

Muessel Brothers

Muessel Brewing Company

1852 - 1918
1933 - 1936

 Founded by Christopher Muessel at 1408 Elwood Ave. His family had immigrated to the U.S. from Arzberg, Germany, that year.

At one time it was located at the corner of Vistula Ave. and St. Joseph St. Moved in 1865 to Portage Ave. because of a spring to supply water.

Became Muessel Bros. in 1874 and M.&W. Muessel in 1891. They settled on the name Muessel Brewing Company in 1893.

Henry Muessel was the general manager when he, his 15 year old son William, and his chauffeur were shot and killed in December 30, 1915 during a robbery at the brewery office. Walter Muessel was the president of the company at that time. His son, Robert, was 18 at that time and in the office when the robbery occurred but the robbers tied and gagged him instead of shooting him.

In 1905 the brewery founded a housing addition, Muessel's Grove, near the Kankakee portage north of the brewery.

In 1913 they started a professional football team for advertising purposes and hired Knute Rockne, then a college senior at Notre Dame, to organize and coach the team. He was paid $10 to $25 per game. In their first year they were undefeated with a tie against the South Bend Century Club.

For the 1914 season, Muessel added the 1913 Indiana Champion "Huebners" and renamed it "Silver Edge". Rockne coached both teams and was an assistant coach at ND.


"After finishing practice at Notre Dame, Rockne would hop into his little Overland to conduct practice sessions with both teams. - - - Rockne took on Notre Dame sophomore sensation, halfback Stan Cofall, as an assistant and both of them alternated between the two squads, teaching whatever Rock had planned for that particular session. Rockne signed a memorandum to the effect that he would receive $300 for the season and his assistant would get $100. An additional $50 expense money for each made the entire deal worth $500." - Professional Football Researchers Association

Brands included Nine Star Lager and Silver Edge.

Muessel closed during Prohibition and the facilities were sold to Drewrys of Canada Oct 1, 1936. (see below)

South Bend Brewing Association

South Bend Brewing Association

South Bend Beverage & Ice Company

1900 - 1949

 Formed by a consortium of local tavern owners. Produced Hoosier and Tiger brands.

Was called the South Bend Beverage & Ice Company during and after prohibition. Made Hoosier Cream soda during prohibition.

The plant was located at 1636 Lincolnway West. It occupied 22 acres. A four-story building was built in 1903 and a brick bottling house was added in 1910. It is now on the National Register of Historical Places.

(photo courtesy Bruce Mobley)

Drewrys

Drewrys Brewery

1936 - 1972


Katz shirt courtesy Yesterbeer

 Drewrys was originally Drewry's Lake of the Woods Brewery in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It was formed in 1877 by Edward Lancaster Drewry when he bought the Redwood Brewery (formed 1851) of which he was the manager.

After prohibition, they started brewing Drewrys in the United States at the Sterling brewery in Evansville. They sent the first case of U.S.-brewed beer to President Franklin Roosevelt.


"First Case of Drewrys Ale Goes to Roosevelt
One Carload Shipped to Lima Today

President Roosevelt is to get first case of Drewrys Canadian Ale to be brewed in the United States. This is not done merely by way of advertising. Drewrys is the first Canadian Ale to be produced in America and it it fitting that the President who made this possible should be recognized by this feature.

The story back of this gesture may be interesting even to the President himself. Over six months before Mr. Roosevelt was elected, Mr. M. J. Black, the President of Drewrys Ltd. of Canada and representative of various English interests abroad, came down to the States with his mind decided that Roosevelt would be elected and that the sale of malt beverages would be permitted again, and backed his judgment with his company's capital.

It soon became evident, however, that an American company was necessary to operate on American soil. Therefore the Drewrys Limited. U. S. A., was formed and enfranchised and fully financed within itself. And this American Company after a most careful survey of the brewing facilities of America, formed its affiliation with The Sterling Brewers of Evansville, Indiana, whose long record of cleanly, careful, wholesome brewing measured up well to the Canadian standard of Drewry quality. Evansville immediately put in its fermenters and aging tanks. The Drewry Ale brewed according to the Canadian standards, where, also according to the Canadian standards, it has been aging and mellowing in since. It Is now ready at long last.

One carload will arrive here for you tomorrow. Their distribution to your various good dealers will follow immediately and by the day after tomorrow it ought to be ready for you. The Lima Beverage Co. No. Main St. Main 2171 Distributor DREWRYS ALE SINCE 1877" - Lima (Ohio) News, Aug 15, 1933

They bought the Muessel Brewing Company in 1936 and closed the Canadian operations in 1940.

Alfred Epstein, Carleton Smith, and Elias Epps were on the boards of both Pfeiffer Brewing Co. in Detroit and Drewrys. They were convicted of fraud in 1943 for selling brewing materials and supplies at excessive prices to these two companies and all three were fined and given jail sentences.

Slogan: Less Filling, More Satisfying.

Just after WWII, Drewrys issued horoscope cans more info. Another series from Drewrys featured sports scenes.

Owned a branch - Atlas Brewing Company in Chicago, which they bought in the 1951. Atlas disappeared in 1962.

In 1962 they bought Piels brewery of New York.

Drewrys Draft was a popular bottled version in the 1960s. They also marketed Drewrys Bock and a root beer named Drewrys Mountie.

Other brands included Friars Ale, 20 Grand Cream Ale, Old Dutch, Great Lakes, Redtop, and Dorf Bohemian Lager.

Legend says they stopped using the Mountie image after the RCMP complained about it.

They joined Associated Brewing of Michigan in 1963 which then sold to G. Heileman on Aug 1, 1972. Heileman closed the doors of Drewrys in November, 1972. There were 350 employees of Drewrys at that time. Production went to back to Evansville Brewing in 1988 and then to Pittsburgh Brewing Company.

Brands included All American, Atlas Prager, Bull Dog, Champagne Velvet, Cold Brau, Dorf, Drewrys Extra Dry, Eastern, Edelweiss, F&G Supreme, Friars Club, G.E.S, Gold Coast, Golden Stein, Great Lakes, Heritage, Home, K&J, Katz, Leisy's, Nine Star, Pfeiffer, Prager, Prost, Red Top, Regal, Salzburg, SGA, Silver Edge, Skol, Trophy, Twenty Grand, 9-0-5, and Volks Brau. Most were contract-brews for other defunct breweries in the Associated and G. Heileman portfolio. 9-0-5 was made specifically for a St. Louis liquor store chain. Some of these were also made at the Sterling/Associated/Heileman plant in Evansville.

The plant is still standing on 16 acres, mostly empty, and several renovation plans have been put forth to make it a light manufacturing center.


Dewrys brewery in South Bend


The Drewry's plant in 2002


Drewry's brewery in Winnipeg

Others

NINE G Brewing Company

2005 - 2007

 This microbrewery on west Sample St. was opened by two National Guard aviators and named for the maximum force an F-16 fighter jet can impart on the human body.

They stopped brewing in early 2007.

Copyright 2004, 2007, Bob Ostrander