Horluck Brewing Company (1933-1939)
and
Sicks' Century Brewery (1939-1957)
On the 16th of December 1900, George F. Horluck was born in Chapman, Nebraska to Hans Jorgen Horluck and Hannah Kristine Fansbol, both of Denmark. The couple immigrated by way of Germany in 1898, accompanied by their two year old daughter, Louise Augusta, who was born there. The family arrived in Seattle prior to 1910, and on the 21st of February, 1911, the family gained a second daughter, Marguerita. George proved to be an able entrepreneur. By 1927, he had amassed a number of ice cream parlors, and on January 4th 1928, his chain became Horluck's Malted Milk Shops, Inc. with a starting capital of $5,000. He soon added $10,000 additional capital, and on April 24th of that same year he shortened the firm's name to Horluck's, Inc. The name change was the result of a suit brought by the Horlick's Malted Milk Corp. for trademark infringement. On the 23rd of December 1930, George and his father formed their Horluck Investment Company with a starting capital of $99,000. Meanwhile, George's malt shops were doing well and the Investment company backed a new venture. They would produce the ice cream for the chain of shops in their own creamery.
With the end of Prohibition in April 1933, new business opportunities were realized, and the George F. Horluck Brewery was opened within months, at 606 Westlake St. N. - (corner of Westlake and Mercer). The following year, on 8 June of '34, the business was incorporated as the Horluck Brewing Company. The firms vice president and general manager was Bernard Hochstadter, a native of Munich, Germany, who brought 40 years of brewing experience to the firm. Prior to Prohibition, Hochstadter was president of the Everett Brewing Co. The brewery produced a number of brands, shown here, including: "White and Gold" (a pre-prohibition brand from the Claussen Brewing Assn.), a "Belfast type - Imperial Ale", and a "Horluck's Vienna style Draught." Another draft label shown is the "Horluck Growler Lager Beer." "Growler Lager" was meant for tavern consumption and for carry out. This was a revival from the pre-prohibition days when you could take a pail of beer home from the saloon. During the early days after Repeal filling gallon jugs at your local tavern was a popular option, and most breweries offered their beer in gallon sizes.
One of the early brews produced each Spring was their "Pale Bock - All Malt Beer." In the April '34 edition of the trade publication Brewer & Dispenser, they discussed Horluck's first Bock release: The company also produced "Horluck's Seattle Beer" (shown above), and a "Half and Half" described as "a blend of Highland Roasted Malt, and Old Dark Ale Brews - Aged long in Wood." But their most popular product was introduced in May of 1935. "Horluck's Vienna Style Beer" was a naturally carbonated or "krauzenized" brew, and was of a light Pilsner style. One of the brewery's ad campaigns touted their beers as being "Fire Brewed at 2000 Degrees." Which only meant that the wort was boiled in the brew kettle with an open flame instead of a super-heated, steam jacket.
The Horluck Brewery didn't produce many point-of-sale items, at least not that have survived. This Prismatic sign, the three glasses, and ball tap knob (below) are all for their flagship brand, "Horluck's Vienna style Beer," c. 1934-1939.
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Sick's Century Brewery (1939-1957)After Prohibition the Sick family of Canada was intent on entering the U.S. market. They began in 1933 by acquiring control of breweries in both Great Falls and Missoula, Montana. Next they established the Goetz Brewery in Spokane, later moving the business to the old Galland-Burke Brewery, but they were drawn to Seattle were more lucrative opportunities awaited. Also in 1933 they made a deal to lease the old Bay View Brewery which had been sold and operating as a feed mill since 1919. On June 7th of '33 the Century Brewing Assn. was incorporated and the plant renamed the Century Brewery, and in 1934 the Sicks purchased the plant from the mill owners. The Apex Brewing Co. was located on Hemrich family property adjacent to the Century Brewery Assn. plant, and had been struggling since the Feb. '35 death of its founder, Alvin Hemrich. In May of 1938, Sick purchased the company, and for one year, until May '39, the plant became the home of Rheinlander Brewery, Inc. Later the facility was to become the company's quality control, and chemical lab. The Pilsener Brewing Co. had closed in '34, which left the Horluck Brewing Company as the only other operating brewery in Seattle - and on May 1st, 1939, that too was under the Sick's control. They soon renamed the Horluck plant, the Century Brewery. Below is a photo of the Horluck plant - now the Century Brewery - with it's new signage: "Century's Rheinlander." This sign had been moved from the main plant on Airport Way - as can be seen in this 1935 photo of the original Century Brewery.
By 1942, co-managers L. R. McCash & F. W. Shepard had increased annual production to 80,000 barrels. The flagship brand was "Sicks' Select." Brewmaster John A. Weiss was still producing "Rheinlander," but had added "Boss' Ale" and "Century Ale" to the line-up to shore-up the faltering sales of "Rheinlander." In 1943, Shepard transferred to the company's Salem plant and relieved the outgoing manager in hopes of reviving sales there as well. In 1944, the name Sick was added to all the company's breweries and the Century Brewery now became Sicks' Century Brewery. By now the "Rheinlander" brand had been dropped due to poor sales, and war time restrictions.
In March of '51, "Brew 66" was launched, and production commenced at both the Century Brewery and Sicks' Brewing Co. in Salem, OR - this time sporting its own new label designed for the roll-out (left). In 1956, production of "Brew 66" was shifted to the main plant on Airport Way, now doing business as Sicks' Rainier Brewing Co., and the "Sicks' Select" brand was discontinued. Before the year was out, production was meeting demands and the old Horluck Brewery was permanently closed. The property was subsequently sold, and the building demolished in early '65. The "Brew 66" brand continued to be bottled through the 60s, but by the early '70s it was only offered as a draft beer, and only in the greater Seattle area.
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|  chrome, ball tap knob |
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Rather than print new labels for the trial they just overprinted the "Sicks' Select" label with the new brand (right), which was intended to eventually take its place.
