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[td]John Frederick Wiessner was born in [[Uehlfeld]], [[Bavaria]], on December 14, 1831, the son of a brewer. After learning the trade, he immigrated to the United States in 1853 and settled in Baltimore, where he became the brewmaster at the [[George Rost Brewery]]. Rost was the "godfather" of Bavarian lager brewing in Baltimore, having pioneered the building of catacombs underneath city streets that were kept sufficiently cold for lagering beer with ice imported from Maine; historically this was done in Bavarian mountain caves. In 1858, Wiessner married his wife, Sarah. Desiring more than a simple life working for Rost, he resigned from his position in 1862 and traveled back to Germany, returning to Baltimore the next year with family loans to start his own brewery.<ref name="BS 1897-01-02">{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=January 2, 1897 |page=8 |title=John F. Wiessner Dead}}</ref><ref name="Hagberg">{{cite web |url=https://www.baltimorebottleclub.org/articles/wiessner.pdf |title=J. F. Wiessner & Sons Brewing Company |first=David |last=Hagberg |publisher=Baltimore Bottle Club |access-date=August 27, 2025 |format=pdf }}</ref><ref name="BS 1906-09-23">{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=September 23, 1906 |page=20 |title=Mr. J. F. Wiessner Dead}}</ref><ref name="DyingToTell">{{cite web |url=https://www.dyingtotelltheirstories.com/home/2020/3/21/i2e2sou71vrmvnv3ejqp5oizd9k733 |title=Cheers to John F. Weissner's towering family monument in Loudon Park Cemetery |date=March 21, 2020 |website=Dying to tell their stories |access-date=August 27, 2025}}</ref><ref name="OPrey 2018">{{cite book |last=O'Prey |first=Maureen |title=Beer in Maryland: A History of Breweries Since Colonial Times |publisher=McFarland & Company |year=2018 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/beerinmarylandhi0000opre/page/70/mode/2up 70-73], [https://archive.org/details/beerinmarylandhi0000opre/page/136/mode/2up?q=wiessner 136-138], [https://archive.org/details/beerinmarylandhi0000opre/page/174/mode/2up?q=wiessner 175-176] }}</ref><ref name="Kasper">{{cite book |last=Kasper |first=Rob |title=Baltimore Beer: A Satisfying History of Charm City Brewing |publisher=History Press |year=2012 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/baltimorebeersat0000kasp/page/28/mode/2up 28-32], [https://archive.org/details/baltimorebeersat0000kasp/page/66/mode/2up 66-67] }}</ref>[/td] [td][/td]
[td][/td] [td]In 1863, Wiessner founded his brewery on Bel Air Avenue, now 1701 [[Gay Street (Baltimore street)|North Gay Street]], beginning with a three-story brewhouse that produced about 1,500 barrels of beer annually.<ref name="Hagberg" /><ref name="NRHP">{{cite web |url=https://apps.mht.maryland.gov/medusa/PDF/NR_PDFs/NR-165.pdf |title=American Brewery: National Inventory Nomination Form |publisher=[[National Register of Historic Places]] |date=1973 |access-date=August 27, 2025 |format=pdf }}</ref><ref name="Dorsey">{{cite book |last=Dorsey |first=John |last2=Dilisio |first2=James |title=A Guide to Baltimore Architecture |year=1997 |publisher=Tidewater Publishers |location=Centreville, MD |pages=226β227}}</ref><ref name="BS 1998-03-15">{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=March 15, 1998 |page=129 |title=Beer flowed from 'storybook castle'}}</ref> Wiessner chose to brew only [[lager]], which is a months-long cold-fermentation, followed by a near-freezing lagering period, that produces a crisp, clean taste. In 1860, about 1/3rd of breweries in Germany made lager, but by 1870 it was over 80%, reflecting the rapid domination of lager in the market, a trend which was starting in the USA also, where it was called "Bavarian beer", as opposed to the more familiar warm-fermented [[ale]].<ref>Pasteur, Louis, ''Studies in Fermentation'', 1879. English translation reprinted 2005 Beerbooks.com {{ISBN|0966208420}} p. 10. Citing ''Moniteur de la Brasserie'', 23 April 1871.</ref>[/td]
[td]In 1863, Wiessner founded his brewery on Bel Air Avenue, now 1701 [[Gay Street (Baltimore street)|North Gay Street]], beginning with a three-story brewhouse that produced about 1,500 barrels of beer annually.<ref name="Hagberg" /><ref name="NRHP">{{cite web |url=https://apps.mht.maryland.gov/medusa/PDF/NR_PDFs/NR-165.pdf |title=American Brewery: National Inventory Nomination Form |publisher=[[National Register of Historic Places]] |date=1973 |access-date=August 27, 2025 |format=pdf }}</ref><ref name="Dorsey">{{cite book |last=Dorsey |first=John |last2=Dilisio |first2=James |title=A Guide to Baltimore Architecture |year=1997 |publisher=Tidewater Publishers |location=Centreville, MD |pages=226β227}}</ref><ref name="BS 1998-03-15">{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=March 15, 1998 |page=129 |title=Beer flowed from 'storybook castle'}}</ref> Wiessner chose to brew only [[lager]], which is a months-long cold-fermentation, followed by a near-freezing storage ("lagering") period, that produces a crisp, clean taste. In 1860, about 1/3rd of breweries in Germany made lager, but by 1870 it was over 80%, reflecting the rapid domination of lager in the market, a trend which was starting in the USA also, where it was called "Bavarian beer", as opposed to the more familiar warm-fermented [[ale]].<ref>Pasteur, Louis, ''Studies in Fermentation'', 1879. English translation reprinted 2005 Beerbooks.com {{ISBN|0966208420}} p. 10. Citing ''Moniteur de la Brasserie'', 23 April 1871.</ref>[/td] [td][/td]
[td][/td] [td]The Wiessner brewery was central to the surrounding German immigrant neighborhoods, serving as an employer, and a supplier to the popular [[Schuetzen Park (Baltimore)|Schuetzen Park]], which opened next door in 1866 with regular community activities, including of course beer-drinking.<ref name="OPrey 2018" /><ref name="BS 1894-11-24">{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=November 24, 1894 |page=10 |title=A Large Monument}}</ref><ref name="BS 1897-01-02" /><ref name="DyingToTell" /><ref name="Kasper" /> The business grew rapidly; by 1882, John Sr. had brought his son John Jr. into the company, and annual production reached 20,000 barrels.<ref name="OPrey 2018" /><ref name="OPrey 2011">{{cite book |last=O'Prey |first=Maureen |title=Brewing in Baltimore |publisher=Arcadia Pub. |year=2011 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/brewinginbaltimo0000opre/page/18/mode/2up 18], [https://archive.org/details/brewinginbaltimo0000opre/page/24/mode/2up?q="Fort+Marshall+Brewery" 24-25] }}</ref>[/td]
[td]The Wiessner brewery was central to the surrounding German immigrant neighborhoods, serving as an employer, and a supplier to the popular [[Schuetzen Park (Baltimore)|Schuetzen Park]], which opened next door in 1866 with regular community activities, including of course beer-drinking.<ref name="OPrey 2018" /><ref name="BS 1894-11-24">{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=November 24, 1894 |page=10 |title=A Large Monument}}</ref><ref name="BS 1897-01-02" /><ref name="DyingToTell" /><ref name="Kasper" /> The business grew rapidly; by 1882, John Sr. had brought his son John Jr. into the company, and annual production reached 20,000 barrels.<ref name="OPrey 2018" /><ref name="OPrey 2011">{{cite book |last=O'Prey |first=Maureen |title=Brewing in Baltimore |publisher=Arcadia Pub. |year=2011 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/brewinginbaltimo0000opre/page/18/mode/2up 18], [https://archive.org/details/brewinginbaltimo0000opre/page/24/mode/2up?q="Fort+Marshall+Brewery" 24-25] }}</ref>[/td]
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[td]John Frederick Wiessner was born in [[Uehlfeld]], [[Bavaria]], on December 14, 1831, the son of a brewer. After learning the trade, he immigrated to the United States in 1853 and settled in Baltimore, where he became the brewmaster at the [[George Rost Brewery]]. Rost was the "godfather" of Bavarian lager brewing in Baltimore, having pioneered the building of catacombs underneath city streets that were kept sufficiently cold for lagering beer with ice imported from Maine; historically this was done in Bavarian mountain caves. In 1858, Wiessner married his wife, Sarah. Desiring more than a simple life working for Rost, he resigned from his position in 1862 and traveled back to Germany, returning to Baltimore the next year with family loans to start his own brewery.<ref name="BS 1897-01-02">{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=January 2, 1897 |page=8 |title=John F. Wiessner Dead}}</ref><ref name="Hagberg">{{cite web |url=https://www.baltimorebottleclub.org/articles/wiessner.pdf |title=J. F. Wiessner & Sons Brewing Company |first=David |last=Hagberg |publisher=Baltimore Bottle Club |access-date=August 27, 2025 |format=pdf }}</ref><ref name="BS 1906-09-23">{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=September 23, 1906 |page=20 |title=Mr. J. F. Wiessner Dead}}</ref><ref name="DyingToTell">{{cite web |url=https://www.dyingtotelltheirstories.com/home/2020/3/21/i2e2sou71vrmvnv3ejqp5oizd9k733 |title=Cheers to John F. Weissner's towering family monument in Loudon Park Cemetery |date=March 21, 2020 |website=Dying to tell their stories |access-date=August 27, 2025}}</ref><ref name="OPrey 2018">{{cite book |last=O'Prey |first=Maureen |title=Beer in Maryland: A History of Breweries Since Colonial Times |publisher=McFarland & Company |year=2018 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/beerinmarylandhi0000opre/page/70/mode/2up 70-73], [https://archive.org/details/beerinmarylandhi0000opre/page/136/mode/2up?q=wiessner 136-138], [https://archive.org/details/beerinmarylandhi0000opre/page/174/mode/2up?q=wiessner 175-176] }}</ref><ref name="Kasper">{{cite book |last=Kasper |first=Rob |title=Baltimore Beer: A Satisfying History of Charm City Brewing |publisher=History Press |year=2012 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/baltimorebeersat0000kasp/page/28/mode/2up 28-32], [https://archive.org/details/baltimorebeersat0000kasp/page/66/mode/2up 66-67] }}</ref>[/td]Revision as of 05:45, 1 September 2025
[/td][td]John Frederick Wiessner was born in [[Uehlfeld]], [[Bavaria]], on December 14, 1831, the son of a brewer. After learning the trade, he immigrated to the United States in 1853 and settled in Baltimore, where he became the brewmaster at the [[George Rost Brewery]]. Rost was the "godfather" of Bavarian lager brewing in Baltimore, having pioneered the building of catacombs underneath city streets that were kept sufficiently cold for lagering beer with ice imported from Maine; historically this was done in Bavarian mountain caves. In 1858, Wiessner married his wife, Sarah. Desiring more than a simple life working for Rost, he resigned from his position in 1862 and traveled back to Germany, returning to Baltimore the next year with family loans to start his own brewery.<ref name="BS 1897-01-02">{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=January 2, 1897 |page=8 |title=John F. Wiessner Dead}}</ref><ref name="Hagberg">{{cite web |url=https://www.baltimorebottleclub.org/articles/wiessner.pdf |title=J. F. Wiessner & Sons Brewing Company |first=David |last=Hagberg |publisher=Baltimore Bottle Club |access-date=August 27, 2025 |format=pdf }}</ref><ref name="BS 1906-09-23">{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=September 23, 1906 |page=20 |title=Mr. J. F. Wiessner Dead}}</ref><ref name="DyingToTell">{{cite web |url=https://www.dyingtotelltheirstories.com/home/2020/3/21/i2e2sou71vrmvnv3ejqp5oizd9k733 |title=Cheers to John F. Weissner's towering family monument in Loudon Park Cemetery |date=March 21, 2020 |website=Dying to tell their stories |access-date=August 27, 2025}}</ref><ref name="OPrey 2018">{{cite book |last=O'Prey |first=Maureen |title=Beer in Maryland: A History of Breweries Since Colonial Times |publisher=McFarland & Company |year=2018 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/beerinmarylandhi0000opre/page/70/mode/2up 70-73], [https://archive.org/details/beerinmarylandhi0000opre/page/136/mode/2up?q=wiessner 136-138], [https://archive.org/details/beerinmarylandhi0000opre/page/174/mode/2up?q=wiessner 175-176] }}</ref><ref name="Kasper">{{cite book |last=Kasper |first=Rob |title=Baltimore Beer: A Satisfying History of Charm City Brewing |publisher=History Press |year=2012 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/baltimorebeersat0000kasp/page/28/mode/2up 28-32], [https://archive.org/details/baltimorebeersat0000kasp/page/66/mode/2up 66-67] }}</ref>[/td] [td][/td]
[td][/td] [td]In 1863, Wiessner founded his brewery on Bel Air Avenue, now 1701 [[Gay Street (Baltimore street)|North Gay Street]], beginning with a three-story brewhouse that produced about 1,500 barrels of beer annually.<ref name="Hagberg" /><ref name="NRHP">{{cite web |url=https://apps.mht.maryland.gov/medusa/PDF/NR_PDFs/NR-165.pdf |title=American Brewery: National Inventory Nomination Form |publisher=[[National Register of Historic Places]] |date=1973 |access-date=August 27, 2025 |format=pdf }}</ref><ref name="Dorsey">{{cite book |last=Dorsey |first=John |last2=Dilisio |first2=James |title=A Guide to Baltimore Architecture |year=1997 |publisher=Tidewater Publishers |location=Centreville, MD |pages=226β227}}</ref><ref name="BS 1998-03-15">{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=March 15, 1998 |page=129 |title=Beer flowed from 'storybook castle'}}</ref> Wiessner chose to brew only [[lager]], which is a months-long cold-fermentation, followed by a near-freezing lagering period, that produces a crisp, clean taste. In 1860, about 1/3rd of breweries in Germany made lager, but by 1870 it was over 80%, reflecting the rapid domination of lager in the market, a trend which was starting in the USA also, where it was called "Bavarian beer", as opposed to the more familiar warm-fermented [[ale]].<ref>Pasteur, Louis, ''Studies in Fermentation'', 1879. English translation reprinted 2005 Beerbooks.com {{ISBN|0966208420}} p. 10. Citing ''Moniteur de la Brasserie'', 23 April 1871.</ref>[/td]
[td]In 1863, Wiessner founded his brewery on Bel Air Avenue, now 1701 [[Gay Street (Baltimore street)|North Gay Street]], beginning with a three-story brewhouse that produced about 1,500 barrels of beer annually.<ref name="Hagberg" /><ref name="NRHP">{{cite web |url=https://apps.mht.maryland.gov/medusa/PDF/NR_PDFs/NR-165.pdf |title=American Brewery: National Inventory Nomination Form |publisher=[[National Register of Historic Places]] |date=1973 |access-date=August 27, 2025 |format=pdf }}</ref><ref name="Dorsey">{{cite book |last=Dorsey |first=John |last2=Dilisio |first2=James |title=A Guide to Baltimore Architecture |year=1997 |publisher=Tidewater Publishers |location=Centreville, MD |pages=226β227}}</ref><ref name="BS 1998-03-15">{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=March 15, 1998 |page=129 |title=Beer flowed from 'storybook castle'}}</ref> Wiessner chose to brew only [[lager]], which is a months-long cold-fermentation, followed by a near-freezing storage ("lagering") period, that produces a crisp, clean taste. In 1860, about 1/3rd of breweries in Germany made lager, but by 1870 it was over 80%, reflecting the rapid domination of lager in the market, a trend which was starting in the USA also, where it was called "Bavarian beer", as opposed to the more familiar warm-fermented [[ale]].<ref>Pasteur, Louis, ''Studies in Fermentation'', 1879. English translation reprinted 2005 Beerbooks.com {{ISBN|0966208420}} p. 10. Citing ''Moniteur de la Brasserie'', 23 April 1871.</ref>[/td] [td][/td]
[td][/td] [td]The Wiessner brewery was central to the surrounding German immigrant neighborhoods, serving as an employer, and a supplier to the popular [[Schuetzen Park (Baltimore)|Schuetzen Park]], which opened next door in 1866 with regular community activities, including of course beer-drinking.<ref name="OPrey 2018" /><ref name="BS 1894-11-24">{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=November 24, 1894 |page=10 |title=A Large Monument}}</ref><ref name="BS 1897-01-02" /><ref name="DyingToTell" /><ref name="Kasper" /> The business grew rapidly; by 1882, John Sr. had brought his son John Jr. into the company, and annual production reached 20,000 barrels.<ref name="OPrey 2018" /><ref name="OPrey 2011">{{cite book |last=O'Prey |first=Maureen |title=Brewing in Baltimore |publisher=Arcadia Pub. |year=2011 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/brewinginbaltimo0000opre/page/18/mode/2up 18], [https://archive.org/details/brewinginbaltimo0000opre/page/24/mode/2up?q="Fort+Marshall+Brewery" 24-25] }}</ref>[/td]
[td]The Wiessner brewery was central to the surrounding German immigrant neighborhoods, serving as an employer, and a supplier to the popular [[Schuetzen Park (Baltimore)|Schuetzen Park]], which opened next door in 1866 with regular community activities, including of course beer-drinking.<ref name="OPrey 2018" /><ref name="BS 1894-11-24">{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=November 24, 1894 |page=10 |title=A Large Monument}}</ref><ref name="BS 1897-01-02" /><ref name="DyingToTell" /><ref name="Kasper" /> The business grew rapidly; by 1882, John Sr. had brought his son John Jr. into the company, and annual production reached 20,000 barrels.<ref name="OPrey 2018" /><ref name="OPrey 2011">{{cite book |last=O'Prey |first=Maureen |title=Brewing in Baltimore |publisher=Arcadia Pub. |year=2011 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/brewinginbaltimo0000opre/page/18/mode/2up 18], [https://archive.org/details/brewinginbaltimo0000opre/page/24/mode/2up?q="Fort+Marshall+Brewery" 24-25] }}</ref>[/td]
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