The brewery of modern times is very different from anything conceived of one or two hundred years ago. Not merely its extent but all its appliances are characteristic of this busy, progressive age, that knows how to plant money in extensive outfits and supervision, in order that it may yield a greater return, just as seeds put in rich earth and carefully tended during growth give larger harvests of better quality than were ever looked for in the old hap-hazard, starving plan. We cannot mention one in fifty of those who deserve notice. Think, for instance, of the great brewery of M. T. Bass, at Burton on Trent, which produces about one million barrels a year; or those of Anton Dreher, turning out five hundred thousand barrels, and see if it is possible to attain such results except by modern processes and modern business energy. No house in the United States has yet reached so great a product, but more than one is on the direct way, and it is not only possible but probable that within fifty years the largest establishments and the finest beer will be found in this country. In the multitude of those who fairly deserve mention it seems almost invidious to select a few, but it has seemed best to give a brief account of some that, in one way or another, may be regarded as typical exponents of this department of American industry. Those mentioned are not always the largest or best known, but they represent different parts of the country and together form a tolerable epitome of the whole brewing business, with its larger and smaller breweries, old and new establishments, and various ways of procedure, the common feature being that all endeavor to produce a thoroughly good article, and trust to the merit of the product for success rather than to any temporary advantages that may be gained by cheapening their brew at the expense of its flavor or wholesomeness. This is the noticeable fact in the brewing trade at the present time.

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF HON. FREDERICK LAUER OF READING, PA.

The brewery of Mr. Frederick Lauer of Reading, Pa., is not only among the oldest in the country, but has remained from the beginning in the hands of the Lauer family. It was established in 1823 at Womelsdorf, a few miles from Reading, by the father of the present proprietor, who had just arrived from Germany. In 1826 it was removed to Reading, and the business started on the same spot where it is now carried on. The elder Lauer was an indefatigable worker, and is said at this time to have taken no more than two or three hours regular sleep a day. In 1835 his son Frederick succeeded to the sole proprietorship of the brewery, and its progress from this time was very rapid. For several years ale and porter had been brewed, but no lager beer was made in the country until 1842. In the year 1844 Mr. Lauer began to brew lager beer, and was thus one of the pioneers in this industry; and since that time ale, lager beer and porter have been produced constantly. The brewery is a model of neatness and convenience, perfect in every appointment and the special pride and pet of its owner, who would much rather lose a year’s profits than tolerate dirt or disorder or the production of a poor beer. Mr. Lauer has not, however, been constantly occupied with his private business. For at least thirty years he has been one of the prominent men of the city of Reading; has held various important public positions, political and otherwise, and has done great service in securing equable legislation in matters affecting the brewing trade. A man of quick perception and untiring energy, he has again and again accomplished alone, or nearly alone, things that were considered almost impossible, and from whose attempt his associates recoiled. An instance in point is thus described in a recently published sketch of his life: “The way the tax was saved was as follows: Shortly before the adjournment of Congress, he (Mr. Lauer) received a letter apprising him that the Committee on Ways and Means were about advising an increase. He immediately telegraphed to the nearest members of the Brewers’ Committee to join him at Washington. They had an interview with the Committee of Ways and Means, but the Committee refused to make any modification in the bill, as it had already passed the first reading in the House. There were ten members of the Brewers’ Committee, nine of whom, after the interview, agreed to allow the fifty cents increase and make no further exertion in the matter. Mr. Lauer, the tenth, was not satisfied; and, after gaining the consent of the Committee, he called on a number of members of the House, and urged upon them the ruinous consequences to the brewing business which would follow the passage of the bill as reported. The same day, February 11, 1865, the bill came up in Committee of the Whole, when the desired modification was made by a vote of seventy-three to sixty-eight, and the following week the bill came up for final passage, when the bill, as modified, was passed by a majority of four. The members from Kentucky who had voted against the modification in the first place, voted for the bill when it came up on the third reading, they having been influenced through the exertions of Mr. Lauer. Immediately after its passage, Thad. Stevens, chairman on the Ways and Means, jumped up and exclaimed, ‘That d—d Lauer did it.’”

This is only one of many instances in which Mr. Lauer’s efforts have been of the greatest value to brewers at large and incidentally to the whole country. He was the first president of the United States Brewers’ Association, and has more than once been able in time of scarcity to secure such shipments of malt or hops from foreign countries as to relieve the distress and materially reduce the inflated price of these articles.

THE JOSEPH SCHLITZ BREWING CO., MILWAUKEE, WIS.

In the year 1849 Mr. August Krug built a small brewery at Milwaukee on Chestnut street, between 4th and 5th streets, and the year after he added vaults of a capacity of 150 barrels, situated on the corner of 3d and Walnut streets. His sale was about 250 barrels. From this small beginning there developed one of the largest breweries in the country.

Mr. Krug died in 1856, and Mr. Joseph Schlitz who had come to Milwaukee during the previous year took the management of the business which at first increased only moderately although managed with skill and energy. In the year 1865 the sales were 4,400 barrels. Five years later he began the erection of the present brewery on the corner of 3d and Walnut streets, the same place where the original vaults had been situated. The greater part of the present buildings were completed within two years, and the sales for 1871 amounted to 12,283 barrels. The period of rapid development had now been reached, and the advance up to the present time has been remarkable as may be seen from the following table of the yearly sales, beginning with the year 1870.

In 1874 the business was made into a stock company under the title “Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company,” with Mr. Schlitz as president, the secretary and superintendent being respectively, Mr. August Uihlein and Mr. Henry Uihlein. Being thus partially relieved of the immediate cares of business Mr. Schlitz in the following year sailed for Germany to visit his native home of Mayence. The vessel was the Schiller, which, as all readers must remember, was wrecked on the Scilly Islands, May 7, 1875, and Mr. Schlitz was one of the many victims of that disaster. In these circumstances the company organization was probably a fortunate circumstance for the business. The death of a sole proprietor or even a sole nominal proprietor is apt to derange a business, no matter how capable the successor may be, and this difficulty is almost avoided in the case of an established company. The present management is as follows:

President, Henry Uihlein; secretary, August Uihlein; superintendent, Alfred Uihlein. The brewery in its present form occupies two whole squares, and still larger accommodations may be needed at no distant day. There is a new ice-house 100 × 124 feet, four stories high, and with a twenty-four foot basement. The cellars have a capacity of 25,000 barrels; the whole storage capacity is 70,000 barrels, and the brewery is already fitted for the production of 200,000 barrels a year. There is a large coopering establishment and the gathering of ice alone occupies 300 men and 90 teams for about twenty days every year. The beer is sent all over the United States and to Brazil, Central America and Mexico, in both barrels and bottles. About one million bottles were sold in 1877, and in the succeeding year the amount was more than two millions. The bottling department alone occupies a building 46 × 150 feet, with basement, and fitted with all conveniences for the work.

The analysis of this beer gives the following result for the percentage of alcohol: ordinary lager beer 4.5 volumetrically, and 5.6 by weight. The bottled lager beer shows as a result of four analyses within six months, six per cent. of alcohol volumetrically, and 4.8 by weight. This is certainly an excellent showing, and calculated to enhance the reputation of any brewery.

THE BREWERY OF MR. GOTTFRIED KRUEGER, NEWARK, N. J.

The brewery now owned by Mr. Gottfried Krueger was founded in 1851 by Louis Adam and J. Braun, the latter of whom died before the buildings were completed. Mr. Adam at once formed a partnership with John Laible under the firm name of Laible & Adam, and pushed the work so well that within the year brewing was commenced, and a sale of 1,200 barrels for the first twelve months secured.

The property then consisted of six city lots, a small frame house partly used as a saloon, a one-story frame brewery thirty feet square, a stable for two horses and vaults for 500 barrels of beer. The brewing capacity was about twenty barrels.

In 1852 Mr. Gottfried Krueger, the present proprietor, came to this country, and being a relative of Mr. Laible entered the brewery as an apprentice. Here he remained until Messrs. Laible and Adam dissolved partnership in 1855, Mr. Laible building a new brewery and Mr. Adam continuing the old business. Mr. Krueger accompanied Mr. Laible and became foreman in the establishment where he remained until 1865 when in conjunction with Mr. Gottlieb Hill he bought the old brewery of Louis Adam and commenced business under the firm name of Hill & Krueger. During the interval a new brewery had been added and a new stable for six horses, while the sale had increased to 4,000 barrels and the brewing capacity to fifty barrels. This advance, however, was destined to be greatly surpassed by that made under the new management. The first step was the building of two new vaults of a capacity of 5,000 barrels. This together with numerous minor improvements was accomplished during the first year, and within the same time the sale of beer was doubled. The years next succeeding saw a rapid development. In 1866 the firm built a new three-story brick malt and store-house; in 1876 a large building for fermenting rooms; in 1868 stables for twenty horses; in 1869 an ice-house of 4,000 barrels capacity, and also vaults for 2,000 barrels. The result fully justified these preparations for an enlarged business for the sale increased steadily year by year and in 1875 amounted to 25,000 barrels.

At this time Mr. Hill was compelled by the state of his health to retire from business, and on the 16th of February, 1875, Mr. Krueger became the sole owner of the property which then covered the entire block. Adding in 1878 a model office building and in 1879 new stables for forty-five horses, he has now one of the finest breweries in the State. The sale for the current year will be over 40,000 barrels.

In explanation of the cut we may add that the malt and brew-houses are situated on Belmont avenue, the office and stables on West Kinney street, the ice-house on Charlton street, and the yards etc., on Montgomery street.

Every one connected with the establishment, from Mr. Krueger down, is thoroughly fit for his duties and zealous in their discharge. The management is by the proprietor himself, ably seconded by Mr. Theodore C. W. Eggerking who has been long and successfully connected with the business.