Acme Brewing Company

The Acme Brewery of San Francisco was erected  after the earthquake of 1906, as a branch of Leopold Schmidt's Olympia Brewing Co. 
The aftermath of the quake left the city with few operating breweries, and as a result a $1,000,000 order was placed with the Schmidt's Bellingham Bay Brewery (and probably a like order with Olympia) for beer to be shipped to the city. This may have been the impetus for Schmidt to make a larger presence in the SF market. The Olympia trade mark claim had been filed in June 1904, and he had already established the Olympia Beer Company, a SF agency that bottled and handled beer distribution for California, Nevada, and Arizona. Thus erecting a new brewery in the place of his bottling plant was a logical means for meeting the growing demand. Leopold's nephew, Fritz Reither, was foreman of the bottling operation until it was  converted to offices for the new Acme brewery built on the adjacent property at 1401 Sansome. Bottling was then contracted out to Fauser's Bottling Works, until 1911 when a new bottling department was added. This was the same arrangement made the Bellingham Bay Brewery. Kegs of beer were shipped to the city and bottled by D. Meinke until 1910 when 3-B came under new management.
In 1906, Wm. Schuldt was secretary for Olympia's Oregon plant, the Salem Brewery Ass'n. It appears that Leopold brought him to California to oversee construction of the new plant which would cost about $100,000. The Acme Brewery was incorporated on 11 April 1907 with Leopold F. Schmidt, president; William Schuldt, secretary and manager; and  Jacob P. Rettenmayer - treasurer.

Jacob Paul Rettenmayer was born 29 June 1881 in Germany and immigrated in 1901. After only six years in America,  JP is a principal in the new brewery. Presumably he became a stockholder by accepting equity in the new company as payment for his position as production supervisor. As a trained  brewmaster, JP soon took charge of all plant operations. The 1909 the City Directory shows JP Rettenmayer as president & manager of the brewery, with Edmund E. Frederick, secretary. On 29 Nov 1917, Leopold's only daughter, Philippine, and JP are married.  See biography:  J. P. Rettenmayer.

Another early promotional piece is Acme's first stein,  a Mettlach, c. 1907, made in Germany by Villory & Bosh.   It was probably presented to stockholders, dignitaries, and major accounts. available at BreweryGems

While the Acme Brewery was technically a branch of the Olympia Brewing Co., it did not produce Olympia Beer. Due to the difference in water quality the brew masters could never brew a lager that equaled that of the Tumwater Plant. Nor was Olympia Beer ever brewed in the Bellingham, Salem, or Port Townsend plants for the same reason.
Acme's brands were:  Acme Beer, Acme Lager, Acme Bock, Old Bohemian, and Franciscaner Beer.

Acme issued numerous advertising pieces in the 30's & 40's, however very few items have survived from the 13 year period prior to Prohibition. The famous "Acme stein-girl" beer label (top) was introduced in 1914. This familiar image was used prior to Prohibition, through Prohibition on Acme's low alcohol Light Beer, and remained as the symbol of Acme upon Repeal. However, for the first seven years there was another "Acme Girl" used on beer labels and in advertising Acme Beer. She is no doubt Ceres, the goddess of agriculture. She can be seen on the 1911 letterhead (top) and in an early ad, on a label, and on an enamel sign (below).  The sign was originally affixed to Heinhold's First & Last Chance Saloon, across the Bay in Oakland on what is now known as Jack London Square. The ad was published in July of 1911 and announced Acme's new bottling department.

This labeled bottle (center above) was probably filled by the new bottling department. However, Acme had previously contracted the services of outside bottlers. A SF City guide shows an ad for Acme giving the bottling works at 162 Guererro.  That was the address for John Fauser's Phoenix Bottling Works. Fauser was Acme's sole agent, and they bottled "Acme" and "Franciscaner" beers until 15 May 1911.

Sometime in 1914 the new label (above) depicting the famous "stein-girl" was introduced. The label was unusual in that it had none of the required legalize spelled out. Instead all of that required information was printed on a label affixed to the back of the bottle. I suppose they didn't want to compromise the artistic integrity of their new design. An example of one of theses labeled bottles (below) shows a neck label which had "ACME" with the signature "JP Rettenmayer" and "Brew Master" as well as "net contents 1 pt. 5 fluid oz."
Strangely the bottle has the ceramic swing stopper on a bottle made for the crimp on crown cap. Perhaps the folks in S.F. liked the ability to re-seal the bottle if they didn't finish their beer?
 

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When Washington and Oregon voted for statewide prohibition, brewers were given one year to sell their stocks and shut down operations by the 1 Jan 1916 deadline. National prohibition was to occur four years later, but many didn't think that would happen. Consequently, Olympia's beer production was shifted to the Acme plant in California. Olympia's Bellingham Bay Brewery was closed and its equipment shipped to San Francisco. Its Port Townsend Brewery was also closed, but the Tumwater and Salem plants operated for a short time by manufacturing fruit beverages and near-beer.
 

California Brewing Association
The Acme Brewing Company became an integral part of the California Brewing Association, which was incorporated on 17 January 1917. This was a co-operative venture to give the participants more power in buying and selling. The Ass'n. was to have no paid-in capital stock, and profits were to be distributed on the basis of business prior to the consolidation. The members expectations were that by buying and selling in bulk they could materially reduce expenses. The combine was formed from six companies:   Acme, at Sansome & Greenwich;  the National  Brewing Co., at Fulton & Webster;  the Broadway Brewing Co., at 19th & Treat;  the Claus Wreden Brewing Co., at Lombard & Taylor;  the Union Brewing & Malting Co., at 18th & Florida;  and the Henry Weinhard Agency [of Portland, Ore.] located at 1255 Harrison, between 8th & 9th. Only two of the breweries continued as plants of the California Brewing Association:  the Acme Brewery [Acme Plant], and the National Brewery [Fulton Plant]. All of the other plants ceased production and closed, but their parent companies continued to operate until they were all were forced out of business in 1920. 

Prior to Prohibition Acme did not appear to produce many p.o.s. (point of  sale) or promotional advertising pieces.  Upon acquiring the National Brewery, Acme adopted that brewery's use of western themes (see tray at right). This is a full size "stock" tray, and I know of no other Acme beer trays. A San Francisco collector has duplicate Vienna Art plates with Acme on the front and advertising on the reverse, with one advertising "John Fauser, Acme agent and bottler, Guerrero St."; the other has "Acme Brewing Co. 1401 Sansome St., San Francisco." There are also identical images on trade cards from both Acme & National which depicts a Pony Express rider appearing to burst through the card's surface. National used this same graphic on an oval beer tray.

Marketing during this period attempted to distance Acme from prohibition forces, and specifically the Anti-Saloon League, by referring to their beer as a "A Healthful Beverage for the Home" (see mug at left). Another slogan was "Good Old Acme - pleasing to the taste - ideal for indigestion - cheering to the spirit". Other brewers attempted the same marketing strategy but failed in their efforts to characterize beer as a healthful beverage, as opposed to an intoxicating drink. On 16 Jan. 1920, the 18th Amendment became law, and beer was prohibited along with all of the other alcoholic beverages.

 

PROHIBITION

Through most of Prohibition the National Plant was doing business as (dba) the Cereal Products Refining Corporation.  The 1922 SF City directory lists Jacob P. Rettenmayer as president of Cereal Products. They produced  low alcohol beers, "Acme Light" and "Old Bohemian Brew," as well as Cerex malt syrup, Peerless Yeast, and Peerless Vinegar.
By 1933 the plant's proprietor was Samuel Clarke. After Repeal Acme Breweries built a new bottling plant adjacent to the old National site at Fulton & Webster. The new plant was described by architects and designers as "one of the worlds most beautiful industrial buildings." However, the Schmidt family was no longer involved with brewing in San Francisco. Nor was Leopold Schmidt's son-in-law, JP Rettenmayer. At the time of JP's death [24 Feb. 1937] he was the president & manager of the Salinas Brewing and Ice Company.

During Prohibition the Acme plant, on Sansome Street, became the Acme Bottling Co., (dba) the California Bottling Association. Here they  manufactured  Light Acme, "a delightful beverage - containing less than ½ of 1% alcohol ."   This near beer label (© 1920) was a slight variation of their Acme Beer label that was altered when the California Brewing Assn. was formed, and the German text removed.
By 1924 they had patented their brewing process for "Acme Brew" (the registered name for their near-beer) which they were producing at the Fulton Street plant (dba as the Cereal Products Refining Corporation).
About 1925, the Schmidt family sold the Sansome Street plant. It was subsequently purchased by a group who, upon Repeal,  re-opened the plant as the Globe Brewing Company. Globe only operated it for six years, closing in 1939.
 

 

REPEAL

With Repeal eminent, the newly re-organized California Brewing Ass'n.  chose to be proactive in promoting beer sales.  They were the first brewery to start newspaper advertising of beer, even before Repeal became an actual fact. The ad shown at right is one of the ads that set the whole west coast talking about Acme, weeks before Prohibition was ended. They ultimately became the most prolific and consistent brewery advertiser in newspapers. They then expanded their media blitz through numerous radio spots and innovative billboard advertising. These aggressive and on-going  campaigns made Acme the most famous, and popular brand of beer in the West.

Post-prohibition advertising by Acme boasted of a long tradition of brewing, and advertising from the '40's claimed "Fine Beer Since 1860" (see coaster - below). The assumption made by many was that Acme had been around since then, but the ads didn't actually say that, just implied as much.  This 1860 reference acknowledges the family tradition of brewing  brought to the Company by its management. This heritage rests on three brewing families: Adams, Schuster, and Clarke. These families were part of the early brewing industry in San Francisco and continued into the '40s. Both the Adams and Schuster families were part of the pre-Prohibition California Brewing Association, and continued to retain interests in the organization. The Clarke family may too have had financial interests, since they were all part of the post Prohibition re-birth of Acme.
 

ADAMS

Johanas Adami [Adams] and family emigrated from Germany in 1860 to San Francisco and formed a brewery partnership.  Johanas' son, Jacob Adams, formally established the Broadway Brewery at 637 Broadway and Stockton St. in 1874.

Jacob Adams Proprietor, Broadway Brewery. Born Hessen, Germany, 1837. Arrived in California, 1860.

The brewery burned down in 1885, but was rebuilt at a new location on the corner of Treat Ave. & 19th St.  Jacob died in 1909 and his son George C. Adams became president of the brewery. In 1916 another son, William F. Adams, became one of the directors of the newly formed California Brewing Association.  During Prohibition William was working at Acme's Fulton plant, (dba) the Cereal Products Refining Corporation, with JP Rettenmayer and Karl Schuster. In the 30's & 40's William held the position of Secretary for Acme Breweries in both SF and LA. He and his brother Edward J. Adams were Acme shareholders and also ran Acme's Oakland distribution depot.
 

SCHUSTER

Frederick Schuster emigrated from the Alsace upon hearing of the California gold rush and made his way to the placer mines in Plumas County.

Frederick  Schuster, Jr. Prop., American-Railroad Brewery. Born Calif., 16 Aug. 1863

In the early 1850's he started a family and failing to strike it rich, he established a small steam beer plant, one of the first in California. The Pacific Coast Directory for 1867 lists the La Porte Brewery, F. Schuster, proprietor. When the placer mines played out Frederick relocated to San Francisco, and in 1870 he purchased the American Railroad Brewery. When Frederick died, his son Frederick Paul Schuster took control of the Brewery, and in 1902 he merged it with the Union Brewing & Malting Company. He then became the vice president of the Union Brewery.

Frederick Paul's son, Karl F. Schuster, continued the family tradition in brewing. In 1908 he started as an apprentice, drawing his first pay check from the Union Brewery, which had abandoned the manufacture of steam beer and entered the lager beer field in 1903. While Karl was learning all aspects of the trade, the brewing industry in San Francisco was undergoing many changes - in part from the effects of the '06 earthquake, but also from the influx of brewers escaping early Prohibition in their home states.
In 1909 Union Brewing & Malting annexed the Wunder Brewing Co. by purchase, paving the way to a merger that would solidify its position. In 1916 the Union Brewery joined five other breweries in the formation of the California Brewing Ass'n., with Frederick P. Schuster subsequently named one of the Association's directors.
Frederick's son Karl, returning from WWI and facing the demise of his industry from Prohibition, took a position as assistant to Master Brewer Anton Dolenz at the Association's Fulton plant. During this period with the Cereal Products Refining Corporation he worked with William Adams and JP Rettenmayer, and later assumed the position of plant superintendent .
By Repeal in 1933 Karl had moved up high enough in the company that in 1934, with the death of Samuel Clarke, the Board of Directors elected Karl F. Schuster president and general manager.

CLARKE

Samuel A. Clarke ran the firm's Peerless Yeast operation at the Association's Fulton plant during Prohibition, and in 1925 assumed the Acme presidency. Samuel died on March 15,1934, just 22 days shy of the first anniversary of Repeal. However, his son too continued the family tradition.  Robert A. Clarke held the position of 2nd Vice-President, and that of Director of Research, for Acme Breweries, San Francisco.
I have yet to find their connection to the pre-Prohibition brewing industry.
 

 

embossed tin sign from the author's collection
 

Acme delivery truck after Repeal in 1933
 

From 1933 to 1936 the Fulton & Webster St. plant continued to operate as the Cereal Products Refining Corporation. Beginning in 1936 the San Francisco labels showed the company name as Acme Breweries. However, Acme's corporate name was actually the California Brewing Association. Acme also had a Los Angeles (Vernon) plant at  2080 East 49th St. This plant operated from 1935-1954 as the Acme Brewing Co. until its purchase by a NY brewery.

Originally a quarter gallon label

The National label (at left) is a 1933 version of the pre-Prohibition label from the National Brewing Company, which joined the California Brewing Association in 1916. Upon Repeal the Ass'n. re-introduced this familiar San Francisco brand to help recapture as much of the newly opened market as possible. The beer was selling three for a quarter. However, the Ass'n. soon dropped the National label in order to focus all their marketing efforts in the promotion of a single brand - Acme Beer.

The Cascade label (at right) is a 1933 prototype from Acme's SF plant, which was (dba) the Cereal Products Refining Corporation during Prohibition, and for a few years after. Cascade Beer was a brand of the Union Brewing & Malting Company which joined the California Brewing Association in 1916. The Union brewery used the graphics for this label on their pre-prohibition beer.  Then during Prohibition the Cereal Products Refining Corp. produced a Cascade Near Beer using the same label. Like the National brand (above) Cascade enjoyed limited release to appeal to the pre-Prohibition patrons who may have had some brand loyalty. However, the decision was made to go with the Acme brand exclusively, and Cascade, like National was dropped. Warning to Collectors - Thousands of these labels have recently been found, which has seriously deflated their value.

In the mid 30's Acme came up with a brilliant marketing concept directed at an untapped market - women. It advertised its beer as "Dietetically Non-Fattening", and following the asterisks, the fine print says: " Relatively so, compared with other foods." This caused the Federal Trade Commission, who was devoted to fair practices in advertising, to move against Acme Breweries. However, it took until 1951 for the Commission's decision (47 F.T.C 1213) that " Acme beer contains no fattening substances and will not increase consumer's weight." It was still considered a "deceptive nutritional claim" so Acme dropped the advertising campaign, but by then they had doubled their capacity and captured nearly 50% of the California beer market. During this period Acme commissioned George Petty to paint three lithesome gals for the campaign (Print at left copyright 1940, is one of the three, and the other two are shown below) Acme also used Alberto Vargas for some of their promotional material.

THE WAR YEARS

Coaster from San Francisco, c. 1942	Coaster from Acme's Hawaiian distributor, c. 1945

With the outbreak of WWII citizens and business were called upon to conserve materials needed for the war effort. Consequently there was a shortage of materials required for the brewing and packaging beer, and even caps were hard to come by. Acme aided conservation by promoting its quarter gallon, Victory size bottle which would use one cap instead of three - "Victory Size for the Economy-Wise."

Patriotism was also a popular promotion theme. Acme actively encouraged numerous means to aid the war effort. They advocated giving blood; planting Victory gardens; writing to the troops; recycling cooking grease to your butcher;  and other economizing activities. At the close of each ad came the caption: "Acme...the beer with the high I.Q. (It Quenches). Buy Another Bond."   Lever type "Kork-N-Seal" closure, popular in the '40s. Especially handy for resealing the quarter gallon "Victory" or "Ecomomy" size bottles. avail. at BreweryGems

POST-WAR

At the end of the war, Acme resumed its heavy advertising and in 1945 commissioned Claude Buck (1890-1974) to paint an original picture that alluded to Acme's long tradition of brewing and to its native California origins [promoting allegiance to a local brand over the nationals]. The painting was titled "Quest for Fortune" and was distributed heavily to taverns and grocers. The painting was printed on cardboard and framed without glass, and had a title name plate affixed to the frame. Since this piece appeared to be more a work of art than a beer ad, many survived. However, those that were displayed in taverns tend to be darkened from cigarette smoke since there was no glass to protect the surface.

In January of 1954 both the LA & SF plants were sold to the Liebmann Breweries of NY. They operated the LA plant as the Reingold Brewing Co. from '54-'57, then sold it to the Theo. Hamm Brewing Co. who closed it in 1972.   The SF plant operated as the California Brewing Co. until Liebmann closed it in 1958.

Acme's LA agents and business partners, the Bohemian Distribution Company, retained the rights to the brand, and from 1959 to 1968 Acme was being produced for Bohemian by the Grace Brewing Company of Santa Rosa, CA. Then eight years later in 1975 the Acme brand, with its distinctive graphics, was resurrected as a contract beer. It was produced, first by the General Brewing Co. in San Francisco, and then the following year Blitz-Weinhard of Portland took up the contract as well. By 1979 the brand was gone only to be resurrected again in 1987 with the establishment of the Xcelsior Brewery of Santa Rosa, CA. However, in a matter of only two years Xcelsior's Acme was no more.
 

The North Coast Brewing Company of Fort Bragg, CA now owns the rights to the Acme brand, and has been doing it proud since 1996. The North Coast brewery is certainly worth a visit; it was recently named "One of the worlds 10 Best Breweries in the World" by the Testing Institutes of Chicago.

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