History of the
Horluck Brewing Company (1933-1939)
and
Sicks' Century Brewery (1939-1957)
On the 16th of December 1900, George F. Horluck was born in Chapman, Nebraska to Hans Jorgen Horluck and Hannah Kristine Fansbol, both of Denmark. The couple immigrated by way of Germany in 1898, accompanied by their two year old daughter, Louise Augusta, who was born there. The family arrived in Seattle prior to 1910, and on the 21st of February, 1911, the family gained a second daughter, Marguerita. George proved to be an able entrepreneur. By 1927, he had amassed a number of ice cream parlors, and on January 4th 1928, his chain became Horluck's Malted Milk Shops, Inc. with a starting capital of $5,000. He soon added $10,000 additional capital, and on April 24th of that same year he shortened the firm's name to Horluck's, Inc. The name change was the result of a suit brought by the Horlick's Malted Milk Corp. for trademark infringement. On the 23rd of December 1930, George and his father formed their Horluck Investment Company with a starting capital of $99,000. Meanwhile, George's malt shops were doing well and the Investment company backed a new venture. They would produce the ice cream for the chain of shops in their own creamery. With the end of Prohibition in April 1933, new business opportunities were realized, and the George F. Horluck Brewery was opened within months, at 606 Westlake St. N. - (corner of Westlake and Mercer). The following year, on 8 June of '34, the business was incorporated as the Horluck Brewing Company. The firms vice president and general manager was Bernard Hochstadter, a native of Munich, Germany, who brought 40 years of brewing experience to the firm. Prior to Prohibition, Hochstadter helped establish the Everett Brewing Co. The brewery produced a number of brands, shown here, including: "White and Gold" (a pre-prohibition brand from the Claussen Brewing Assn.), a "Belfast type - Imperial Ale", and a "Horluck's Vienna style Draught." Another draft label shown is the "Horluck Growler Lager Beer." "Growler Lager" was meant for tavern consumption and for carry out. This was a revival from the pre-prohibition days when you could take a pail of beer home from the saloon. During the early days after Repeal filling gallon jugs at your local tavern was still an option.
The brewery added additional brews with their "Pale Bock - All Malt Beer," a "Horluck's Seattle Beer - for Export," and a "Half and Half" - "a blend of Highland Roasted Malt, and Old Dark Ale Brews - Aged long in Wood." But their most popular product was introduced in May of 1935. "Horluck's Vienna Style Beer" was a naturally carbonated or "krauzenized" brew, and was of a light Pilsner style. One of the brewery's ad campaigns touted their beers as being "Fire Brewed at 2000 Degrees." Which only meant that the wort was boiled in the brew kettle with an open flame instead of a super-heated, steam jacket.
The Horluck Brewery didn't produce many point-of-sale items, at least not that have survived. The three glasses and ball tap knob (below) are all for their flagship brand, "Horluck's Vienna style Beer," c. 1934-1939.
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Sick's Century Brewery (1939-1957)After Prohibition the Sick family of Canada was intent on entering the U.S. market. They began in 1933 by acquiring control of breweries in both Great Falls and Missoula, Montana. Next they established the Goetz Brewery in Spokane, later moving the business to the old Galland-Burke Brewery, but they were drawn to Seattle were more lucrative opportunities awaited. Also in 1933 they made a deal to lease the old Bay View Brewery which had been operating as a feed mill since 1919. On June 7th of '33 the Century Brewing Assn. was incorporated and the plant renamed the Century Brewery, and in 1934 they purchased the plant outright. By May 1938 the Apex Brewing Company was in financial difficulties, and Sick purchased that company as well. The Apex plant was conveniently located on adjacent property, and for 12 months was operated as Rheinlander Brewery, Inc. Later it was used as the company's quality control chem. lab. The Pilsener Brewing Co. had closed in '34, which left the Horluck Brewing Company as the only other operating brewery in Seattle - and on May 1st, 1939, that too was under the Sick's control. They soon renamed the Horluck plant, the Century Brewery. Below is a photo of the Horluck plant - now the Century Brewery - with it's new signage: "Century's Rheinlander." This sign had been moved from the main plant on Airport Way - as can be seen in this 1935 photo of the original Century Brewery.
By 1942, co-managers L. R. McCash & F. W. Shepard had increased annual production to 80,000 barrels. Brewmaster John A. Weiss was still producing "Rheinlander" and had added "Boss' Ale" to the line-up. In 1943, Shepard transferred to the Salem plant and relieved the outgoing manager. In 1944 the name Sick was added to all the company's breweries and the Century Brewery now became Sick's Century Brewery. In 1951 the Century Brewery became the new home of "Rheinlander" beer. During the previous year the main plant (Sick's Seattle Brewing & Malting - called SeaBrew by staff) formulated a new product called "Brew 66" and test marketed it in the Seattle area. Rather than print new labels for the trial they just overprinted the "6 Select" label with the new brand (right). The following year, "Brew 66" was introduced and production commenced at both the Century Brewery and Sicks' Brewing Co. in Salem, OR - this time sporting its own new label designed for the roll-out (below). Four years later, in 1957, production of both "Brew 66" and "Rheinlander" was shifted to SeaBrew, now doing business as Sicks' Rainier Brewing Co., on Airport Way. Once production was meeting demands the old Horluck Brewery was permanently closed. The property was subsequently sold, and the building demolished in early '65. The "Brew 66" brand continued to be bottled through the 60s, but by the early '70s it was only offered as a draft beer in the greater Seattle area.
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|  chrome, ball tap knob |
Lighted, motion sign
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On August 20, 1932 Horluck's, Inc. became Horluck Creameries, Inc. The new corporation was capitalized at $190,000, with the plant located at 1101 Airport Way. Horluck's Ice Cream became a well known, regional product.
