Busch & Brand’s Brewery Company

Busch & Brand’s Brewery Company, Eagle Brewery
Life Span: 1851-TBD
Location: Cedar St and the Lake
Architect: NA

Chicago Tribune, February 3, 1863

At five o’clock yesterday morning the brewery of Bush & Brand, situated at the intersection of Wolcott and Green Bay streets, near the lake shore in the North Division, was discovered to be on fire in the roof about the cupola. It was extinguished before it had gained much headway, the damage to the building and contents being about $300—fully insured. No cause can be assigned for the burning, as there was no fire kept in that part of the building.

Bush & Brand Brewery
1854

Chicago Tribune, April 25, 1875

BUSCH & BRAND’S BREWERY COMPANY.
This prominent and well-known firm have a very handsome brick brewery on Cedar street, near the lake. The firm started in the business in 1851, at their present location, like all the other great manufacturing interests, in a small way. They were one of the first firms to make lager-beer in this city. The business rapidly increased until the great fire of 1871, when, in a few hours, the work of many years turned to ashes. Their loss was very heavy, but like true Chicagoans they “pitched in” and inside of three months succeeded in having their brewery in fall running order again on the old site. The main building is 220 by 200 feet, three stories high and vaults underneath, with the exception of the malt-house which is four stories.

They also have a branch brewery at Blue Island which is under the supervision of Mr. Rudolph Brand. The trade of their Chicago brewery is mostly in the city. Their manufacturing capacity is 40,000 barrels yearly, while they can store in their vaults and ice-houses about 20,000 barrels. Their capacity and facilities are about the same as before the fire. The capital invested is $375,000. They employ fifty men with a monthly pay roll of $4,000.

The officers are Michael Brand, President; Joseph Dewes, Secretary, and Frank Wallber, Foreman.

Chicago Tribune, March 16, 1878

STEAMER LAUNCHED.
Capt. Ben. Eyster launched the new river steamer at his yard on the North Branch yesterday morning. The craft is for Michael Brand, who will use her in connection with his new brewery. She is 75 feet long, 16 feet beam, and 5 feet hold. She has been fully described in The Tribune. She will be ready for service next month.

Inter Ocean, March 27, 1878

There is in course of construction at Capt. Eyster’s yard a new light or draft steamer, which will be ready about April 1. She is a substantial and trim-looking craft. She is built of the best of oak, and is put together with some view to speed, and especially durability, without regard to cost. She will be named Michael Brand.

Chicago and Its Resources Twenty Years After, 1871-1891, The Chicago Times Company, 1891

Michael Brand and Company 2519 Eliston Avenue.
This company was organized and chartered in 1876. Michael Brand, president ; Rudolph Brand, vice-president; and Virgil M. Brand, secretary and treasurer, The business done by the company is large, the sales averaging over $1,000,000 annually. Michael Brand commenced business in the spring of 1853, on Cedar Street, in company with Valentine Busch and was organized as Busch & Brand Brewery Company in 1864 and continued with him until Mr. Busch’s death, which occurred in 1872. They had succeeded in building up a large trade, when the fire of 1871 came and entirely destroyed the business. Mr Brand soon re-built on a much larger scale, but finding his business increasing so rapidly that more room became a necessity he purchased several tracts of land on Elston Road near Fullerton Avenue. In 1876-77, he erected and placed the best machinery in a very large substantial brick brewery at an expense of $300,000 in 1877, moved his business there, and was very successful up o May 13, 1885, when disastrous fire consumed his valuable property again, leaving nothing but blackened walls. Mr. Brand redoubled his usual energy, and the company, in about six weeks’ time, were again ready to do business. Mr. Brand is the oldest brewer now doing business in the city, and is a large land owner at Brandsville, Howell Co., Mo., where he has a flourishing mill, sawmill and store on his farm of eighteen thousand acres.

Inter Ocean, April 10, 1878

A Launch.
The light-draught steamer in course of construction at Eyster’s shipyard in the North Branch for some time past ior Messrs. Busch & Brand, to be used in conveying material to and from their brewery, was successfully launched yesterday afternoon. Although the weather was unpleasant, there were numerous spectators. The boat was named Michael Brand (US No. 91036), after one of the firm. Her dimensions are; Length, 75 feet; breadth of beam, 16 feet 4 inches. A description of her machinery has been given heretofore. At 2:35 o’clock, everything, being ready, Captain Eyster gave the word to “let her go,” and away she went, sliding gracefully into the stream. Captain Charles Fletcher, who will command her, Engineer Willam Brown, and one or two others were on board when she slid down the ways. The cost of the steamer complete is $3,500.

One Hundred Years of Brewing; a Complete History of the Progress Made in the Art, Science and Industry of Brewing in the World, Particularly During the Nineteenth Century. H.S. Rich & Co., 1903

Valentine Busch, one of the pioneers of the science and industry in Chicago, founded a small brewery in 1851 and received Michael Brand into partnership during the following rear. Lager beer was brewed from the first. The firm of Busch & Brand continued the business until 1872. when the senior partner died, and the Michael Brand Brewing Company came into existence. Refrigerating was first employed in 1883. The plant, corner of Elston avenue and Snow street, is now operated by the United States Brewing Company.

Brand Brewing Company
2530 Eliston Avenue.

Michael Brand Brewery
Robinson Fire Insurance Map
1886

Trade names for the brewery at 2519 Eliston Avenue:

1920, Issued Special Government Permit No. ILL-H-14980. Allowing the production of low-alcohol beer for “Medicinal Purposes”

Leave a Reply