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[td][[File:John F. Wiessner poster art.jpg|thumb|right|[[Wiessner-American Brewery building|Wiessner brewery building]] {{circa}} 1890. Later called the American Brewery.]][/td]Revision as of 01:22, 30 August 2025
[/td][td][[File:John F. Wiessner poster art.jpg|thumb|right|[[Wiessner-American Brewery building|Wiessner brewery building]] {{circa}} 1890. Later called the American Brewery.]][/td] [td][[File:King Gambrinus Sculpture (1879, S.A. Stod, Switzerland), Maryland Historical Society, 201 W. Monument Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 (relocated from J.F. Wiessner Brewery, 1701 N. Gay Street) (35222747366).jpg|thumb|right|The 800-lb pewter life-size company mascot "[[King Gambrinus]]" now adorns the entrance way of the [[Maryland Historical Society]]. It was a symbol of good luck and success that once [[Architectural sculpture|stood on an exterior ledge]] overlooking the front door of the brewery.<ref name="OPrey"/>]][/td]
[td][[File:King Gambrinus Sculpture (1879, S.A. Stod, Switzerland), Maryland Historical Society, 201 W. Monument Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 (relocated from J.F. Wiessner Brewery, 1701 N. Gay Street) (35222747366).jpg|thumb|right|The 800-lb 11.5-foot tall zinc-cast "[[King Gambrinus]]" now adorns the entrance way of the [[Maryland Historical Society]]. It was a symbol of good luck and success that once [[Architectural sculpture|stood on an exterior ledge]] overlooking the front door of the brewery.<ref name="OPrey"/>]][/td] [td][/td]
[td][/td] [td]The '''John F. Wiessner & Sons''' brewery was founded in 1863 in [[Baltimore, Maryland]] by German immigrant '''John Frederick Wiessner''' (1831-1897). Housed in a giant, [[Wiessner-American Brewery building|Teutonic-style brewhouse]], it grew to become one of the largest breweries in Maryland. The brewery was renowned for its high-quality "Superlative"-brand lager. This reputation was because of a top brewmaster from Germany, who was skilled but also a "hard taskmaster." The brewery operated until the start of Prohibition around 1920. The Wiessner family had connections through birth and marriage to multiple local breweries.[/td]
[td]The '''John F. Wiessner & Sons''' brewery was founded in 1863 in [[Baltimore, Maryland]] by German immigrant '''John Frederick Wiessner''' (1831-1897). Housed in a giant, [[Wiessner-American Brewery building|Teutonic-style brewhouse]], it grew to become one of the largest breweries in Maryland. The brewery was renowned for its high-quality "Superlative"-brand lager. This reputation was because of a top brewmaster from Germany, who was skilled but also a "hard taskmaster." The brewery operated until the start of Prohibition around 1920. The Wiessner family had connections through birth and marriage to multiple local breweries.[/td] [td]By 1887, with annual production of around 40,000 barrels, the business had outgrown its original building. Wiessner constructed a new [[Wiessner-American Brewery building|five-story brewhouse]] designed by pioneering brewing architect [[Charles Stoll]], also a German immigrant. The new building was of an ornate "Teutonic-style" architecture, featuring a central seven-story tower that housed a 10,000-bushel grain elevator. The six-acre site included a cooperage shop, bottling house, stables, and underground brick tunnels, resembling catacombs, that could store tens of thousands of barrels of beer. Its brewing capacity made it one of the largest in the state. One of the purposes of the new building was to install two massive [[Carl von Linde]] ice-making and refrigeration machines, they were among the first in Baltimore and created "considerable interest and discussion".<ref name="Hagberg" /><ref name="NRHP" /><ref name="Dors_Guide" /><ref name="BS 1998-03-15" /><ref name="BS 1906-09-23" /><ref name="BS 1973-04-13">{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=April 13, 1973 |page=33 |title=American brewery stands empty, a monument to a less hurried age}}</ref> With these machines cooling rooms could be on the top floor, enabling the process to be done on a more efficient gravity basis, this also left the ground floor free for packing and shipping.<ref>{{cite web |title=B-1102: G. Bauernschmidt Brewing Company: Architectural Survey File |work=[[Maryland Historical Trust]] |date=2011-03-10 |access-date=2025-08-01 |url=https://apps.mht.maryland.gov/Medusa/PDF/BaltimoreCity/B-1102.pdf }}</ref>[/td]
[td]By 1887, with annual production of around 40,000 barrels, the business had outgrown its original building. Wiessner constructed a new [[Wiessner-American Brewery building|five-story brewhouse]] designed by pioneering brewing architect [[Charles Stoll]], also a German immigrant. The new building was of an ornate "Teutonic-style" architecture, featuring a central seven-story tower that housed a 10,000-bushel grain elevator. The six-acre site included a cooperage shop, bottling house, stables, and underground brick tunnels, resembling catacombs, that could store tens of thousands of barrels of beer. Its brewing capacity made it one of the largest in the state. One of the purposes of the new building was to install two massive [[Carl von Linde]] ice-making and refrigeration machines, they were among the first in Baltimore and created "considerable interest and discussion".<ref name="Hagberg" /><ref name="NRHP" /><ref name="Dors_Guide" /><ref name="BS 1998-03-15" /><ref name="BS 1906-09-23" /><ref name="BS 1973-04-13">{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=April 13, 1973 |page=33 |title=American brewery stands empty, a monument to a less hurried age}}</ref> With these machines cooling rooms could be on the top floor, enabling the process to be done on a more efficient gravity basis, this also left the ground floor free for packing and shipping.<ref>{{cite web |title=B-1102: G. Bauernschmidt Brewing Company: Architectural Survey File |work=[[Maryland Historical Trust]] |date=2011-03-10 |access-date=2025-08-01 |url=https://apps.mht.maryland.gov/Medusa/PDF/BaltimoreCity/B-1102.pdf }}</ref>[/td] [td][/td]
[td][/td] [td]The brewery created a bottling department in 1886 as bottled beer grew in acceptance. In 1891, John Sr. brought the rest of his sons into the business and renamed it John F. Wiessner & Sons. The brewery complex expanded in 1892 to include a wagon house and stables needed for regular beer deliveries through the city. They built a three-story family residence in 1896, reportedly 50 feet ''south'' of the main brewery building, meaning it no longer exists;<ref name="Hagberg" /> however, 50 feet ''west'' across the street is a large three story residential row house associated with the brewery. In keeping with a custom of the time, the Wiessner residence was large enough to provide lodging for workers newly arrived from Germany. The mascot for the company was a 12-foot-high, 800-pound pewter statue of [[King Gambrinus]], the mythical patron of brewers, which the family acquired from Switzerland in 1879; it stood perched on an outside ledge over-watching the front door of the building.<ref name="Dors_Guide" /><ref name="NRHP" /><ref name="BS 1898-03-17">{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=March 17, 1898 |page=10 |title=Accepted a Keg of Beer}}</ref><ref name="BS 1998-03-15" /><ref name="BS 1973-04-13" /><ref name="Hagberg" /> An identical statue was on the [[Beverwyck Brewery]] in Albany, New York, a brewery designed by Stoll in 1878.[/td]
[td]The brewery created a bottling department in 1886 as bottled beer grew in acceptance. In 1891, John Sr. brought the rest of his sons into the business and renamed it John F. Wiessner & Sons. The brewery complex expanded in 1892 to include a wagon house and stables needed for regular beer deliveries through the city. They built a three-story family residence in 1896, reportedly 50 feet ''south'' of the main brewery building, meaning it no longer exists;<ref name="Hagberg" /> however, 50 feet ''west'' across the street is a large three story residential row house associated with the brewery. In keeping with a custom of the time, the Wiessner residence was large enough to provide lodging for workers newly arrived from Germany. The company installed a 11.5-foot-tall, 800-pound [[King_Gambrinus_(sculpture)#Fiske_statues|zinc-cast statue of King Gambrinus]], the mythical patron of brewers; it stood perched on an outside ledge over-watching the front door of the brewery.<ref name="Dors_Guide" /><ref name="NRHP" /><ref name="BS 1898-03-17">{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=March 17, 1898 |page=10 |title=Accepted a Keg of Beer}}</ref><ref name="BS 1998-03-15" /><ref name="BS 1973-04-13" /><ref name="Hagberg" /> An identical statue was on the [[Beverwyck Brewery]] in Albany, New York, a brewery designed by Stoll in 1878.[/td] [td][/td]
[td][/td] [td]John F. Wiessner Sr. died on January 1, 1897, leaving an estate of $1,500,000. His will directed it be divided into five equal parts for each of his children: John F. Wiessner Jr., George F. Wiessner, Henry F. Wiessner, Margaretha Wiessner, and Elizabeth Lipps.<ref name="BS 1897-01-02" /><ref name="BS 1897-01-09">{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=January 9, 1897 |page=6 |title=Will of John F. Wiessner}}</ref><ref name="BS 1906-09-23" /><ref name="Hagberg" /> Wiessner Sr.'s oldest son, John F. Wiessner Jr., assumed the presidency of the company.[/td]
[td]John F. Wiessner Sr. died on January 1, 1897, leaving an estate of $1,500,000. His will directed it be divided into five equal parts for each of his children: John F. Wiessner Jr., George F. Wiessner, Henry F. Wiessner, Margaretha Wiessner, and Elizabeth Lipps.<ref name="BS 1897-01-02" /><ref name="BS 1897-01-09">{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=January 9, 1897 |page=6 |title=Will of John F. Wiessner}}</ref><ref name="BS 1906-09-23" /><ref name="Hagberg" /> Wiessner Sr.'s oldest son, John F. Wiessner Jr., assumed the presidency of the company.[/td]
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