Queen City Brewing Company
The Queen City Brewing Company was an American brewery in Cumberland . Its history began when it was founded in 1901 and ended when it closed in 1974.
history
On March 8, 1901, the German Brewing Company was founded at 208 Market Street near Wills Creek in Cumberland. The first president was Warren C. White, the first board members Martin Gerbig, Charles W. Hinze, Frank A. Blaul, Herman M. Siefers, Thomas F. Smouse, Carl C. Hetzel, E. Butler Carpenter, and Thomas Hobbs. Just one year after it was founded, the brewery was expanded with the construction of a new brewery complex. This resulted in an annual production capacity of 100,000 barrels .
By 1910 the German Brewing Company had established a stable market position. At that time, the Bohemian, Capuciner, and White Label brands were manufactured and sold in the city of Cumberland, Garrett County , Washington County, and other neighboring counties in West Virginia and Pennsylvania . Due to its success, the brewery was expanded: the bottling plants were expanded (1911), new storage cellars were built (1911), an ice plant with a production capacity of 100 tons was added (1913) and a new warehouse was built (1913).
After the start of World War I and the American people's growing distrust of what was considered "German influence", the name of the brewery was changed to Liberty Brewing Company in 1917 .
During the time of Prohibition , the brewery was reorganized under the name Queen Company, Inc. Until the end of Prohibition, they kept themselves in the market by producing a low-alcohol light beer called “Queeno” and ice. With the end of Prohibition, regular brewing operations were resumed and the new product flagship was the lager "Old German Premium". In June 1933 the name was changed back to German Brewing Company . At that time the brewery was producing around 100,000 barrels a year.
On January 27, 1941, the company's capital stock was increased to $ 1 million and the name Queen City Brewing Company was chosen. The brewery expanded: in 1943 the annual output was already 300,000 barrels.
In 1958, the Queen City Brewing Company acquired the Cumberland Brewing Company . This continued to operate under its own name in the West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania, Cumberland and Baltimore markets. In 1962, the Queen City Brewing Company's annual output was around 250,000 barrels.
In order to grow further, the brand portfolio began to be expanded: in 1963 the rights to the brands of the Fischer Brewing Company , Cleveland-Sandusky Brewing Company , American Brewery, Inc. and the Globe Brewing Company were acquired . In 1969 the trademark rights of the Home Brewing Company followed .
However, these expansions did not last: in 1969 the manufacture of the brands of the Cleveland-Sandusky Brewing Company ceased and the Cumberland Brewing Company closed. In 1970 the brands of the Cumberland Brewing Company, the Fischer Brewing Company and the Globe Brewing Company were discontinued. In 1973 the brands of the Home Brewing Company followed.
The Queen City Brewing Company's sales fell. The increasing competitive pressure from large national breweries such as the Miller Brewing Company as well as labor disputes ultimately led to the Queen City Brewing Company having to cease operations in December 1974. The Pittsburgh Brewing Company took over the brand portfolio of the brewery.
Much of the brewery was demolished in April 1975.
literature
- David G. Moyer (2009), American Breweries of the Past , Bloomington (Indiana): AuthorHouse, pp. 70–71 (English)