PRE-FIRE BREWERIES 1847-1871
Lill & Diversy’s Chicago Brewery
John A. Huck’s Brewery
Peter Schoenhofen Brewing Co.
Chicago Ale & Malt Co.
McAvoy Brewing Co.
J. J. Sands’ Brewery
Busch & Brand’s Brewery Co.
POST-FIRE BREWERIES 1872-1879
Conrad Seipp Brewing Co.
GOLDEN AGE BREWERIES 1880-1899
Gottfried Brewing Company
F. J. Dewe’s Brewery Co.
Wacker & Birk Brewing and Malting Co.
United States Brewing Company
Bohemian (Atlas) Brewing Company
Independent Brewing Association
PROHIBITION ERA 1920-1933
Prohibition Beer
End of Prohibition
PRE-FIRE BREWERIES INDUSTRY REPORT
Chicago Evening Post, May 25, 1867
The list of the returns made to the Assessor of Internal Revenue of Chicago by the brewers of ale, beer, porter, etc., of this city and vicinity, from the 1st of May, 1866, to the 1st of May, 1867, shows that malt liquors to the amount of $217,016 barrels have been brewed during the year, on which a tax of a dollar per barrel has been paid. Of this amount one half was manufactured by five firms; viz: Lill’s Brewing Company, Seipp & Lehman, J. A.
Huck, Sands’ Ale Manufacturing Company, and H. B. Miller & Son.
The following is a list of brewers manufacturing more than 2,000 barrels each:
Brewers, Barrels
Binz & Laparle, 5,334
Bemis, Wicker & Co., 5,817
Baierle, A., 2,410
Busch & Brand, Chicago, 12,922
Busch & Brand, Calumet, 5,733
Chicago Ale and Malt Company, 6,838
Doyle & Bro., 6,094
Downer & Bewis, 6,557
Downer & Bemis Brewing Company, 5,175
Fortune, P., , & Bro.,3,202
Fleming & Dobson., 3,230
Gottfried & Schoenhofen, 5,663
Hassold & Zorn, 2,120
Hass & Powell, 4,512
Huck, J. A., 24,257
Lills’ Brewing Company, 36,746
Miller, H. B., & Son, 16,092
Mueller & Bro., 4,383
Metz, Geo., 3,480
Rehm & Bartholomae, 3,095
Seipp & Lehman, 26,057
Saladin, Wm., 5,303
Sands’ Ale Manufacturing Company, 20,881
Schmidt, K. G., 4,101
Schmidt, Katz & Leverenz, 3,995
Woelffer, Charles, 4,243
Wacker, Charles, 2.385
The smallest amount reported is by Vedell & Co., who manufactured twenty-six barrels-just three gallons a day. Lills’s company, on the other hand, reports a brewage of more than one hundred barrels for every one of the 365 days.
The whole amount is equivalent to about nine millions of gallons. This gives a barrel of malt liquor to every man, woman, child and baby in the city, -about three-quarters of a pint, or a big drink, each day. As the women and children drink very littie, and as there are some men who do not touch malt liquors, probably this ocean of sack is imbibed by not more than sixty thousand citizens.
This would give them nearly half a gallon apiece every day, which, certainly, ought to satisfy them. Of course, no such amount is consumed here. Thousands of barrels are exported monthly, and Chicago ale and beer may be fouad not only in the interior of this and the adjoining States, but all along the Missouri and Mississippi, from Omaha and St. Paul to the Gulf of Mexico. The value of this manufacture must be about $1,500,000.
Susan Appel says
The photo you’ve listed as :Michael Brand Brewery Company, 2519 Eliston Avenue.” is actually the Brand Brewing Co., across the street from the Michael Brand brewery.
Will Kralovec says
Why no description of the Atlas Brewing Company (originally the Bohemian Brewing Company of Chicago), located on Blue Island Ave. in Chicago at the turn of the century? The brother of my great grandfather was one of the owning partners, John kralovec. This brewery and its three Bohemian partners have a rich history in Chicago and its Czech community, including helping make their long-time Czech friend Anton Cermak Mayor of Chicago in 1931. Excluding this brewery from your chronology seems a significant oversight!
If you want info on the brewery, let me know.
-Will Kralovec
Larry K Kraut says
Can anyone give me the history of The Cantwell & Ryan Eagle Brewery Co. Of Chicago from 1891- 1893 then Cantwell Eagle Brewery Co. From 1893- 1897?
Gary Flynn says
Do you have any images of the plant, collectibles, or labels from the Globe Brewing Co. (1904-1910) at 41st. Street & Union Ave.?
John Fortelka says
re: Will Kralovec
Will, if you are receiving notice of this post, please contact me. My GGF was John Kralovec. I’ve been compiling a family history of John and his kin. I’d love to hear from you and compare notes.
Will Kralovec says
John Fortelka, contact me at:
Will.Kralovec@gmail.com
(will.kralovec at gmail . com)
Diana Cook says
I’ve run across an old thick clear glass that has etching “Independent Brg. ASS’N A A Chicago Lager BEER” your write up extremely helpful, think it’s from Halstead St. & helps me put a date to it.
Thanks
Steve Lakosky says
Any info/photos on the Northwestern (North Western) Brewing Company?
Dan Boyke says
Will and John please get a hold of me. John Kralovec was my 3x great grandfather. His son Otto and his wife Henrietta where my Grandmothers Grandparents… Please email me at Dboyke24@gmail.com