Falstaff/Berghoff Brewery in Fort Wayne, IN

(Satellite)

Excerpt from Kenneth Childers' posting

When my wife and I ate at the Berghoff Restaurant, I remember learning that their beer was first brewed in Fort Wayne, IN, in 1887. In 1954, the Berghoff brothers could not afford to expand and modernize the plant so they sold their brewery and the beers they produced to the Falstaff Brewing Company of St. Louis. The rights to the beer have been sold at least a couple more times, and it is no longer brewed in Fort Wayne. [History] As of 1981, part of the Falstaff buildings existed on East Washington Boulevard near Memorial Park. After looking at 1951 and 1962 historic aerial photos, my guess is that it was in this block. But the buildings were completely rebuilt by 1998. [Comments on a posting indicate the location was west of Memorial Park and just east of Anthony Blvd. So it appears my guess is correct.]

Tommy Lee Fitzwater posted

Berghoff Brewery

Update: Fort Wayne breweries

It closed in 1991. [Mark Mccombs comment]

Dan Lammon posted

Tim Relue posted
This is my Great Uncle Chauncie Relue.... he drove beer wagon for Berghoff Brewery in Ft Wayne... in 1912 he fell from the wagon and was run over and was killed when the wagon ran over his chest he was 32 ....not sure what year this picture is from but was taken in front of my great grandfathers bar The Old Stand.

Bryan Monaco posted
Fort Wayne, Indiana 1991. The end of the line for the Falstaff Brewery. The NS (NKP) spur into the plant has been abandoned. The last beer was packaged 1-7-90 and much of the plant is being dismantled to be shipped to China.

Christopher Mccann posted
Falstaff brewery
Marti Schmuck Smith Where was this located?
Terry Bork Marti Schmuck Smith
Just west of Memorial Park.
Jeffrey Burgette Washington street a block east of Anthony blvd !
Marti Schmuck Smith thank you, now I know where that is. I drive by it frequently. Isn't it a bar or something now?
John Steinbacher Marti Schmuck Smith office complex and reception hall
Janice M Luley Washington and Grant Ave in Ft Wayne
Robert Bynum I interviewed there. They told me you can drink all the beer you want. Glad I didn't get the job.

A comment on a posting:
David Daruszka https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-berghoff-brewery-20180223-story.html

A posting with a history and 22 photos   This includes several interior shots. The Fort Wayne gang added some comments on a share.

A posting by Tommy Lee Fitzwater  with 11 photos. This emphasis the bottles and cans.

BERGHOFF BEER FROM FORT WAYNE, INDIANA

It is thought that the recipe for Berghoff Beer originated in 1845 in the country of Germany.
The Berghoff family which consisted of four brothers Herman, Henry, Hubert and Gustav all were from Dortmund (Prussia) Germany. They would immigrate to Brooklyn, New York in the early 1870s. By 1882 Herman and Henry purchased the East End Bottling Works which was located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The time line of this company was from 1882 to 1887.
Herman and Henry would have a new building built. This company was called the H. Berghoff Brewing Company and was incorporated in 1887. This Brewing building was destroyed by a fire just shortly after it opened in 1888. The two brothers immediately built another building.
A article which was placed in the Fort Wayne Sentinel Newspaper in Aug. 13 1890.
"The Berghoff Brewery Will Have a $100,000 Addition Herman Berghoff, after whom the immense brewing plant is named, left for Chicago this afternoon to accept the plans of a prominent architect there for an addition of 50x170 feet to the Berghoff Brewery. The new addition will be used for beer vault. An ice machine additional to the one already in operation at the brewery will be purchased to supply the new storage house. The work is to to completed by March 1, 1891."
By 1889 the company had a name change and was now called the Berghoff Brewing Company. The company flourished and in 1892 the Berghoff Brewing Company was even being displayed at the 1892 Chicago World Fair. By 1898 Herman moved to Chicago and opened the Berghoff Cafa (restaurant).
The company would have another name change in 1910 when Hubert Berghoff retired. Brother Gustav Berghoff would now become president of the company and the name changed to Berghoff Brewing Association. By 1917 the plant's capacity was over 180,000 barrels and was the largest shippers on the Nichol Plate Railroad. At the beginning of W. W. 1 the company changed their slogan from "A Real German Brew" to "A Real Honest Brew. The company continued the name Berghoff Brewing Association until 1918.
In 1918 the beginning of prohibition would mean no more brewing of beer. So the company was bottling Nearbeer, Bergo Soda and Berghoff MFG.CO. untill 1933 the end of prohibition. Below is a photo of a Berghoff Products MFG.CO. Ft. Wayne, Ind.
Once prohibition was repealed the company was reorganized with no family members being involved with the company. Gustav son's left to start the Hoff Brewing Company in 1934. Now the company would be called the Berghoff Brewing Corp. and remained this name untill the company was sold to Falstaff in April 12 1954.
In 1898 Herman Berghoff moved to Chicago and opened the Berghoff Cafa. The cafa was located at 17 West Adams Street. In the beginning the cafa would offer a glass of Berghoff Dortmunded Style Beer for a nichol. A stein full would cost a dime and there was no charge for sandwiches. During the prohibition years the cafa would offer the Berghoff Company's Nearbeer, Bergo Soda and Berghoff Malt Tonic. The Cafa (Restaurant) stayed open until 2005 and then reopened in 2009.
The Berghoff Restaurant in Chicago from 1960 to 2005 had Berghoff brewed for it by the Joseph Huber Brewing Company from Monreo, WI. The name was sold to Walter Brewing in Pueblo, CO. then to Huber in 1994.
References:
www.indianabeer.com/history/
www.berghoffhistory.com
hoosierbeer.com
Fort Wayne Sentinel Aug. 13 1890.
Frank & Frank Jr.(Wicker) Bottle & Paper Collection.

Rod Sellers commented on his post
Attached photo shows transfer point outside gates of Republic Steel.
Scott Buckner: And what transfer point would be complete without a good tavern?
[I'm glad Scott pointed out the tavern because I looked again and saw that they sold Berghoff beer.]

Carole Brozvich posted

STORIES BEHIND THE GIANT FALSTAFF BEER CANS

Countless people, especially children in their parents’ cars on their way to Chicago, watched for the huge beer cans and the Chicago Skyway, signs they were getting close to their destination.

http://www.wrhistoricalsociety.com/stories-behind-the...

"As for the Falstaff beer brand, it was created in St. Louis by the Western Brewery, a company founded in 1840 by another German immigrant, Adam Lemp. That brewery closed down in 1921, and sold its Falstaff brand to the Griesedieck Beverage Company. Griesedieck brewed it in Fort Wayne, and renamed itself the Falstaff Brewing Corporation....By 1960 Falstaff Brewing was the third largest brewer in America, behind only Anheuser-Busch and Schlitz. It was in 1961 that Falstaff purchased our local Albert Schwill malting facilities."

I'm saving this overview here. I've also researched the Old Crown/Centlivre Brewery. The brewery per capita ratio looks pretty high in 1914. That is probably a reflection of Fort Wayne's German influence.

Tommy Lee Fitzwater posted

Dennis DeBruler commented on Tommy's post

I knew that the Lincoln Highway used to use the Wells Street Bridge. It looks like it was Route 471+481. Lincoln Highway became US-30. But cutoffs were built to shorten the route. Thus US-30 now goes West out of Fort Wayne instead of Northwest.

The map is from an exhibit in a gazebo in Rochelle, IL.

41°55'13.2"N 89°04'20.5"W

41.920344, -89.072369