Samuel Adolph founded the first Salem brewery in 1866. His "Pacific Brewery" was located on the south side of Trade Street, between Cottage and Church. When Adolph's brewery burned in 1869, he rebuilt and named it the "Salem Brewery" but relocated to the southeast corner of Trade and Commercial, three blocks west from his old location. The July 1878 Salem Business Directory stated: "Salem Brewery - Best Beer in the City - by quart, gallon, or keg. Commercial Street, near the covered bridge." The only other locally made beer was from Louis Westacott's "Pioneer Brewery" - but there was plenty of competition from Portland.
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Bill head for Mrs. Beck's Capital Brewery & Ice Works, c.1901 - brewery close-up
Seraphin Beck died in early 1900, at which time the partnership of Klinger & Beck was dissolved and the property sold at public auction. Beck's widow, Margaret retained the property with a $29,000 bid. She operated the "Capital Brewery & Ice Works" (see above) as a sole proprietor until selling out in June of 1902 for the sum of $75,000. (1902-1915)
To supervise this new branch operation, Schmidt sent one of his most trusted associates, Frank M. Kenney, who had been Olympia's secretary. Kenney became the brewery president, with Frank Deckebach, vice-president. In 1906 the brewery's secretary was William Schuldt, but with the startup of the Acme Brewing Company in 1907, Schuldt was sent to San Francisco to oversee that operation as secretary/manager. Accompanying Schult was a young graduate of the Wahl-Henius Brewing Institute, J.P. Rettenmayer, who had been with the firm for only four months. Kenney and Deckebach continued to manage the plant until state-wide Prohibition closed the brewery in 1915.
The word "salamander," in this case, is derived from the term "Sauft alle mit einander" (All drink together). However, the word Sauft means more than just drink; it is one of those over the top words meaning "get sloshed" or "guzzle." To have a Rubbing of the Salamander ("einem einen Salamander reiben") proposed to you is evidently considered a great honor. As the leader, or toast giver, proposes to honor a guest or special person, all stand and lift their steins at the words of the leader, "Ad exercitium salamandris praeparatiestisne?" (Are you prepared to do the salamander?) The drinkers say in unison, "Sumus" (we are). The leader further orders, "Salamandes inciptur, eins, zwei, drei," (Begin the salamander, one, two, three) and each drinker rubs his stein on the table three times. The leader further instructs them with, "Bibte eins, zwei, drei" (Drink up, one, two, three) and all steins are emptied in unison to the count one, two, three. They are then rattled on the table till the leader once again says, "Eins, zwei..." (one, two...) and all steins are held still until the leader says,"Drei!" (three) whereupon all bang their steins on the table. In 1906, the Albany City Council voted to ban beer and alcohol sales, and with the loss of Faber, Neis chose to liquidated the two companies. As a principal in the Salem Brewery, Neis was able to broker a deal for the purchase of the Albany Brewing Company which would then be used as its southern Oregon branch. The Albany Brewery had an annual output of 8,000 barrels which could still be shipped into the northern California market, plus an ice plant that could produce six tons of ice per day. However, the Association later chose to utilize the Albany equipment in its expansion of the Salem plant, and the Albany Brewery was subsequently closed in 1908. About the same time that the Albany plant was purchased, Leopold was looking at a possible presence in Northern California. In May of 1908 he was in Redding looking at property, and the following month the Western Brewer reported that the Salem Brg. Ass'n. was beginning construction of a brewery there. Apparently the Redding project was soon abandoned and instead, a Beer Depot was established. Joseph Hoefer, who was the Weiland & Fredericksburg agent & bottler, was chosen to bottle and distribute "Salem Beer" in the Redding area.  With the Albany and Shasta plants closed, the company concentrated on the main plant. Doubling the size of the Salem ice plant enabled them to provide hygienic ice made from distilled water for family use, and cheaper ice to be made for cold storage.  Construction was started on a new brewhouse in 1910 followed by a lagering (cellar) building, modern cooker, kettle and tanks. They also added a larger bottling works (above-right). By 1912 the Salem Brewery had been enlarged to a four story structure (left), and with their new building and equipment the Salem Brewery became one of the most modern on the West coast, with triple the capacity of the old plant. |
 etched glass, c. 1905 |  stein, c. 1907 |  etched glass, c.1907 |
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While the City of Salem adopted the "local option" and voted to go "Dry" in 1909, the brewery was not required to close. Beer could still be sold outside the City limits. However, in early 1914 further limitations were imposed. The Association then moved to Portland where warehouses were established, but in November of 1914 state-wide Prohibition was approved. The Salem Brewery Ass'n. ceased brewery operations on 31 May 1915, four and a half years before national Prohibition. Deckebach and Neis' "Marion Creamery" continued operating until the entire plant was purchased in 1933. The creamery business was then moved across the street and carried on as before. |
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This was a period of economic adversity, but the company managed to hang on as a regional brewer. In addition to his flagship "Salem Beer" (below), Frank produced a "Schmidt's Salem Beer." Three variations of this label are known: the brown bear (below), a black bear, and a white bear - probably to differentiate three different styles of beer. However, he must not have marketed the Schmidt brand heavily since only a couple of old bottles are known to exist with these labels (one black bear & one white bear), nor are there any promotional items known that show the bear motif.
This scarcity may also due to the fact that the brand was not widely distributed, and was no doubt gone by 1937. It was that year that Frank Schmidt lost control of his brewery and returned to Tumwater. There he worked in the Bottling Shop of his family's Olympia Brewery until his death in 1948. After Schmidt's departure, the new management attempted to generate additional business with some new products. In 1938 they introduced both the "Polar Brew," and "Victory Club" brands of beer. With the outbreak of the war they dropped "Club" in favor of just "Victory Beer."
They also marketed a "Yankee Beer" for a short while. Another brand from this period was "Balco Beer," but rather than a Salem brand it was a contract brew for a market chain. They also made "Columbia Club" for a Portland beer distributor. Supporting your local businesses apparently wasn't a concept at this time - as 82% of the beer consumed in Oregon was from out-of-state. Consequently, new management and a few new brands was not enough to gain market share on the imports, and the brewery remained in financial difficulties.
In August of 1938, San Francisco interests took over the management of the brewery. This was the firm of Bauer & Schweitzer, a major supplier for breweries, who were a majority creditor/investor in the brewery. But their new president, Louis Lachman, was no more successful in getting the business back on firm financial footing. Lachman was a hop broker, and no doubt another creditor. In January of 1940, George Stackman announced the withdrawal of the San Francisco backers and he assumed control of the firm. Salem was also one of the few brewers who contracted to brew Brown Derby for the Safeway market chain before WWII. They both canned and bottled Brown Derby. See example of can in close-up (below) and with other cans further below.
Another opportunity to increase Salem's production came in '42 from the Silver Springs Brewing Co. of Port Orchard, WA. Since Silver Springs didn't have a canning line they contracted with Salem to produce and can their "Oldstyle Pale Export." This product was already in the Portland market, but only in bottles. An example of this rare can can be seen in the close-up (above) and again below. The arrangement was short lived since the Salem Brewery was soon to have new management. The brewery struggled on, with the added burden of increased war time restrictions and rationing. Finally, in October 1943, the brewery was sold. |
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The new Salem branch was completely renovated, and repainted in silver and blue. Additionally, production improvements, in the form of new storage tanks, doubled its previous capacity, and a new bottling plant (below) enabled filling 2000 cases per day. The modernized brewery then commenced production of the "Sicks' Select" brand of beer. This brands was also being produced for the Seattle market in the old Horluck Brewery, purchased by Sick in 1939, and renamed the Century Brewery. In 1951, "Brew 66" was introduced. This beer was now made in both the Salem plant, and the Century plant.
Emil Sick and his father, managed their brewing empire out of Lethbridge, Alberta, and with the promise of Repeal, moved into the U.S. market. They first bought breweries in Great Falls, Missoula, Spokane and Seattle. Floyd W. Shepard, of Lethbridge, received an offer from Emil to come to the U.S. and join them, which he did in November 1933. Floyd was then made co-manager of "Seabrew," and with the 1939 acquisition of the Horluck Brewery, manager of that plant as well. With the 1943 purchase of the Oregon plant, Floyd moved his family to Salem and relieved Rene Besse as manager of the Sicks' Brewing Company. He occupied this position until December of 1951 when the company's board of directors promoted him to executive vice president of the firm. He was placed in charge of sales, with offices to be located in Portland. Brewmaster, John A. Meyer was also involved in the initial phases of the Salem plant. Originally from Minneapolis, he moved to Canada as a boy. He later joined the Edmonton Brewery and worked there until 1942. That year he studied brewing at the Siebel Institute in Chicago, which was followed followed by a six month stint as asst. brewmaster at Seabrew prior to assuming the duties of brewmaster in Salem. In 1949, Steve A. Tabacchi replaced John A. Meyer as Salem's brewmaster. Upon, Shepard's 1951 promotion and move to Portland, Steve was named general manager of the Salem brewery.
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With the sale of the San Francisco Rainier Brewery to the Theo. Hamm Brewing Co. later that same year, Sick was finally able to obtain sole rights to the Rainier brand. He had been trying acquire rights to the brand since his 1935 licensing agreement with Rainier CEO, Louis Hemrich. With the closing of the plant, Steve Tabacchi then established a Sicks' distributorship, marketing "Brew 66," "Rainier Beer," and "Sicks' Select," and was able to utilize the brewery buildings for his office and warehouse. However, in September 1955, a little more than two years after brewing was terminated, the four story Salem landmark was razed.
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 | Two different "Sicks' Select" Beer glasses, c.1940s. Go to GLASSES |
Special thanks to Schmidt family member Paul Secord for historical data and the Schmidt calling card.
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A native of Lethbridge, Steve had family connections with the Sicks' which enabled him to gain a position at Seabrew when he emigrated in 1934. After completing the brewmaster course at the Wahl-Henius Institute in Chicago in 1938, Steve returned to Seabrew as an asst. brewmaster, and nine years later was elected president of the Northwestern District of the Master Brewers Assoc. of America.
