and its predecessor
The Washington Brewing Co. (1900-1905)
It wasn't until about 1899 that plans were laid to erect a large brewery in Everett - and in 1900 the Washington Brewery was supplying beer to the new community.
Washington Brewing Co.In October of 1899, Tacoma's
Pacific Brewing & Malting Co. purchased property in the city of
Everett for a proposed branch brewery there. However another group
had beat them to it. By the Spring of 1900, the Washington Brewing
Co. was in production with Anton Aabling as the plant's first
manager. He was later replaced by Louis Sleidle.
As is the case with any large enterprise, a number
of investors are required to raise the requisite capital. In the
case of this venture, the major stockholder appears to have been
the Northern Brewing Co. of Vancouver, WA. Washington Brewery's
first president and manager was Adam Mueller, who was also
president & mgr. of Northern Brewing Company's,
Star Brewery. The company produced a product
they called "Three Sisters Beer" which is odd since the Three
Sisters, are mountain peaks in Oregon. Since the backers were
from Vancouver perhaps they sold this brand in the Portland
market. On 15 March, 1901, a trade
publication reported:
"The Washington Brewery, of which A. Mueller, manager and Mr.
Weigand, brewer has just put in new boilers and is rushing to
completion a brick and wood addition of 56x46, also a new ice
plant of 35 tons per day capacity. These improvements will cost
in the neighborhood of $17,000 and bring the capacity of the
plant up to 12,000 bbls." Apparently, the Northern Brg. Co. sold its interest
in the venture. By 1902 the
Columbia Brewing Co. of Tacoma had its
people managing the brewery. In the 1901-02 Everett City Directory,
William C. Kiltz is named the proprietor and manager of the
Washington Brewery. At this time he was also serving as
secretary/treasurer of the Columbia Brewery. Kiltz was in fact an
agent of Tacoma's Pacific Brewing & Malting (PB&M), which had an
interest in the Columbia Brewery as well.
However, the Washington Brewing Company was to have a relatively
short run. In late 1904 another group of Tacoma investors,
backed by PB&M, made a deal to purchase the company and operate
the plant until their new, larger brewery was constructed. |
Everett Brewery, west-southwest exposure
In October
of 1904, Pacific Brewing & Malting went forward with their plans
for the new brewery, but chose to remain in the background. They
selected one of their salesman, Bernhard Hochstadter, to act as
their agent and front the establishment of the enterprise.
Consequently, their previous agent, William Kiltz, was replaced
as manager of the brewery.
"Everett brewing Co., Everett, Wash. Capital stock $100,000.
Incorporators, Bernard Hockstader (sic), of Tacoma;
J.E. Horan and J.D. Eveland, of Everett. Capacity 35,000
barrels. The plans for the building have all been completed
and the work will start immediately.
Everett Beer was a popular brand and had an enthusiastic local following. On 30 June, 1906, the Everett Herald published the following:
The September 12,
1909, Tacoma's Daily Ledger reported: "The Pacific Brewing and Malting Company of
Tacoma has taken over the Everett Brewing Company for the sum of
$200,000. From the following, it appears that Pacific Brewing & Malting (PB&M) was a major stockholder, but not the sole owners. Albert Burke was in the management position, placed there by the other cadre of investors. PB&M exerted control while remaining in the background, just as their main competitor, Seattle Brewing & Malting was doing with virtually all of the Seattle breweries. But after a few years PB&M chose to buy out their partners and assume full ownership. The June, 1913 issue of American Brewer reported:
Four months later, October of 1913, the brewery introduced a German style pale lager they called "Edelrein" which means a gem, or a jewel. While the new brand was well received, their brewery would soon become a liability. In November of the following year voters approved state-wide prohibition. The law was to take effect 1 January, 1915. To ease the pain, the breweries were given a year to sell their inventory and shut their plants. Some chose to keep their plants running with the manufacture of "near-beer" and/or soft drinks.
Pacific Brewing & Malting
chose to follow Seattle Brewing & Malting's lead and open a
brewery in San Francisco - in the common belief that voters
would never opt for national Prohibition. With the move to
California a priority, the company chose to close the Everett
plant rather than to undertake a new venture.
A trade publication reported in their November, 1914 edition
that the Everett plant was to be leased to a wholesale grocery
house. |
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reverse of pocket knife and cork screw, c.1913 - shown at left
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stock image titled "12 O' CLOCK" |
stock image titled "Nachwachter" |
With the repeal of Prohibition in April of 1933, there were many entrepreneurs hoping to establish new breweries. However, the Great Depression still had its grip on the national economy and venture capital was not always easy to acquire. Lack of funding was probably what killed the plans of a group intent on opening a brewery in Everett. The new venture was to be called the Monte Cristo Brewing Company.
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