History of the Apex Brewing Co.

Apex Brewing Company, Inc. (1934-1938)
and
Rheinlander Brewery, Inc. (1938-1939)

In April of 1933, Alvin Hemrich established the Hemrich & Western Brewing Companies - referred to as plants No. 1 & 2. Then on 14 March of 1934, Alvin established a new corporation with $40,000 in capital stock. Two months later, he completed the sale of the Western Brewing Co. (plant No. 2) to Rudolph Samet, along with the rights to the Hemrich brand. The Western plant, at 5225 E. Marginal Way, became the new Hemrich Brewing Co. and continued in operation until 1940.

Apex Brewery, c.1934 - image
North end of Apex Brewery, ca.1934 (Sick's Century Brewery can be seen at upper-right)

He then made capital improvements to plant No. 1, and in May of '34, resumed business as the Apex Brewing Company, Inc. Apex was the last Washington brewery to be issued a U-Permit number, WASH-U-1218. Plant No. 1 was just north of, and adjacent to, Sick's Century Brewery (previously the Bay View Brewery) and can be partially seen at the right in the Apex Brewery photo.

Alvin was president, and his father-in-law's brother, William Rutschow, was vice president, and Edgar Maclay Steel acted as secretery-treasurer. By this time his youngest son, Walter, had earned the position of superintendent. Unfortunately, this arrangement was about to change. Suffering a fall on icy pavement, Alvin Hemrich died from a blood clot on the 25th of February, 1935, and the following August, the brewery's vice-president, Wm. Rutschow, aged 56, died after a short illness.

After a company restructioning, E. M. Steel became the new president, with Walter Hemrich assuming the position of vice president. Alvin's old partner in Hemrichs, Inc., Isadore Luxenburg, took over as secretary, with Ray Johnson as treasurer, and William Weiss continuing as brewmaster.

Corporate records, dated December 24, 1935, show an increase in capital to $186,380 - yet the business continued to struggled. At some point the National Grocery Co. of Seattle became an investor, as a 1937 credit report showed them to own one-third of the brewery.

After a fatal heart attack took Walter's brother, Elmer E. Hemrich, in early '37, Walter left Apex to assist his widowed sister-in-law in the running of Gold Seal Breweries, Inc. and Hemrich Wineries Corp. of Tacoma.

With the Hemrichs now completely out of the picture, the Sick organization chose to acquire the business, plant, and fixed assets of the brewery. On January 30, 1938, it was announced the company was sold, and in the following month the brewery ceased operation. On the 4th of June, 1938, the board of directors filed to dissolve the Apex Brewing Company.

Apex Breweriana

Apex Beer convex R.O.G. glass sign
convex glass lens.....author's collection

Apex Ale label c.1934 - image

Apex Ale label, c.1936
Apex Ale 64 oz. Label, ca.1936

Apex Beer, cone-top can
Apex cardbord sign c.1934 - image

Apex etched gass with neon surround Apex Beer, ball tap knob - image

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Rheinlander Brewery, Inc. letterhead

Rheinlander Brewery, Inc. (1938-1939)

In May of '38, Emil Sick announced that the new Rheinlander Brewery well soon complete a remodel and open under the direction of brewery manager, Lester R. McCash, formerly secretary and treasurer of the Hemrich Brewing Company (plant No. 2) on E. Marginal Way.

The Seattle Brewing & Malting Co. (called SeaBrew by insiders) chose not to purchase the "Apex" brand, but to use the plant solely for the production of their Rheinlander beer. The adjacent Century plant would then specialize in the production of the recently acquired Rainier brand.

Rheinlander Brewery, c.1938 - image
Rheinlander Brewery in August of 1938

By July, 1938 the plant at 2918 Airport Way was producing Rheinlander Beer, but only until Juy 1939. In May of that year the Horluck's Brewing Co. had been purchased by the Sicks' enterprise, and undergone an extensive remodel. In October, the Horluck plant then became the new home of Rheinander Beer, and Lester McCash moved there to serve as co-manager.

The original plant No. 1 was merely absorbed into the SeaBrew complex, and used for additional storage, or cellaring. Then in Nov. 1948, this facility was reconfigured for an entirely different purpose. It was converted to a fully staffed and equipped central laboratory to provide constant quality control for all the breweries in the Sicks' organization, both in the U.S. and in Canada. The lab was organized by Nicholas L. Vacano, who had been the brewmaster for the Rainier brewery in San Francisco from May 1947 to Oct. '48. Vacano took over technical supervision for all the Sicks' breweries, and within four years became a director and vice president of Sicks' Brewery Enterprises, Inc.

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The forgoing discussion dealt with the succession of brewing activities at Alvin Hemrich's plant No. 1, located at 2918 Airport Way. While it was the home of Rheinlander Beer - if only for 1 year - this article only touched on the history of Rheinlander Brewery, Inc.

For more on the Rheinlander brand, and the other breweries that produced it, go to: Rheinlander Breweries.

Rheinlander banner

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to Michael Magnussen for the images of his Apex neon sign and the ball tap knob.
To Bob Myers for the image of the cone-top, Apex Beer can.
And to Nelson Murry for the Rheinlander Brewery, Inc. letterhead.

For any comments, additions, or corrections -
or if you have brewery items for sale - please contact me:

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