| The original Port Townsend Brewing Company was built by local investors
George Watkins, Michael Hartman, and Newton W. O'Rear. They established the company on 5 September 1905,
after raising $25,000 in capital stock for the venture. The brewery was to be built on site of
the old Eisenbeis Brewery, which had been closed since 1888.
On 5 June, 1905, the local newspaper,
the Daily Leader, covered the building plans for the new venture:
The location was on the west side of Monroe St. between Water and Washington Sts. Construction began in January 1906, and the following April brewing commenced. Two month later, the 9 June issue of the Daily Leader announced the release of the Brewery's inaugural brew: "Port Townsend beer drinkers will be given an opportunity today to test the product of the new Port Townsend Company's product the brew that might make the city famous." The following day, on 10 June 1906,
the Daily Leader had glowing words for the new enterprise:
The article went on to report that while only draught beer is available, it's the company's intention to install bottling equipment in the near future. The principals, Michael Hartman and George Watkins, took an active role in the company, with Hartman as president, and Watkins serving as secretary/manager.
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In late 1909,
controlling interest in the Brewery was purchased from the local
investors by outsiders. The sale was announced in the October 21, 1909
edition of the Olympia Record:"OLYMPIAN BUYS PORT TOWNSEND BREWERY- Jacob Duttenhoefer, for several years chief engineer of the Olympia Brewing company, has purchased controlling interest in the Port Townsend Brewing company at Port Townsend, from George Watkins and will at once assume the management of the company. He severed his connections with the local company and left here about a week ago to close the deal. Mr. Duttenhoefer plans an immediate improvement of the plant, including an enlarged ice making plant and increased facilities permitting an increased output." As far as the public was concerned, the new owner was Jacob Dutterhoefer. But just as in the 1902 purchase of the Salem Brewery Assn., where the deal was made by a front man for Leopold Schmidt (see biography), this too was a case where he preferred to keep his financial interests private. This acquisition fit nicely with Schmidt's multiple brewery concept, and was not intended to carry the Olympia Brewing name. Jacob Duttenhoefer, and Ernest Studerus, replaced Hartman and Watkins, with Duttenhoefer assuming the position of president/manager, and Studerus as secretary and brewmaster. However Hartmann retained an interest in the venture. Also, H. H. Morrison held the position of vice-pres./treas. for a short time, as he was also a stockholder. As Schmidt's engineer, Jake Duttenhoefer had also been his trouble shooter. When Schmidt was planning a brewery in Redding, Calif., Jake was the point man, and when they instead chose to go with an agent and bottling works, Jake was again sent to trouble shoot problems with the equipment and management. An added product line for the Brewery was announced on 25 January 1910, with the installation of a soda water works. The new equipment will enable them to produce "...all kinds of carbonated water, syrups, cordials, etc." On 3 February 1910, the Daily Leader announced the Brewery's plans for the construction of a 100' X 30' ice plant. It was to have a concrete foundation, with a two story building of brick. The capacity of the plant would be 30 to 40 tons per day, which would allow the capacity of the brewery to increase to double its current output. With its product then supplying only the Olympic Peninsula, this expansion would allow the company to make their beer available to the whole Puget Sound area, and into Alaska. The newspaper article said: "The company will also commence putting up a building for its bottling works on a lot across Monroe Street, opposite the brewery, and when this building is completed a specialty will be made of its bottled product." The following August, plant manager, Duttenhoefer had a dynamo installed for their new electric light plant. This was to provide for brewery lighting and the running of lighter electric machinery. This new Olympia branch never produced Schmidt's flagship brand, "Olympia Pale Export," but continued to brew the popular "Townsend Beer" and "Key City Beer." In fact none of the other of Schmidt's plants (Bellingham, Salem, or San Francisco) had good enough water to produce "Olympia Beer."
Perhaps it was the quality of the water, but the plant was having problems with
the quality of their beer. On
January 4, 1911, Duttenhoefer wrote to Leopold Schmidt:
"We have been having a hazy beer for some time. Well, in fact, ever since I've
been here and it seems that we cannot overcome it. I intended several times to
increase the price of our beer but cannot do it on account of the haziness, as I
have nothing to stand on to make the talk as to better quality and the increased
cost of brewing materials. I am seriously thinking of changing brew masters. I
think I could get the brew master from the Port Angeles Brewery, and I believe
he is a good man from what I have seen that he has to work on and the quality of
beer he produces. Of course Mr. Studerus is a stockholder in this company to the
extent of $1000.00 and seems to do the best he can, but he cannot produce the
goods." Duttenhoefer was successful in replacing Sturdeus with a new brew master, but not from Port Angeles. Instead, he acquired the services of Gustaf Beier. They apparently corrected their haziness problem and continued selling their draft and bottled beer. The above letter would lead one to believe that Duttenhofer would steal a competitor's brew master, but the Angeles Brewing & Malting Co. was having financial difficulties and had been in bankruptcy proceedings since April of 1910. On 18 Jan. 1911, stockholders meet and elected officers of the firm. Jacob Duttenhofer remained as president and general manager; Michael Hartman became v-p and replaced Studerus as secretary; and H. H. Morrison became treasurer. In early
1914, the Port Townsend brewery again revised their label - this time to the the one shown below. But it was
short lived as state-wide Prohibition was chosen by the voters in November
1914, giving the brewers until January 1916 to sell their stock, and to
discontinue the manufacture of beer. |
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Their first label for their first bottled "Key City Beer" (below) was introduced in June of 1910. The label depicts Fort Worden's gun emplacement on the bluff with a steaming war ship in the distance. These guns were part of the "Devil's Triangle" - one of three emplacements that guarded the entrance to the Puget Sound. The perforations in the center of the label read: "PTBCo 12·20·12" which signifies the Port Townsend Brewing Co., December 20, 1912. |
 This 1914 cabinet photo depicts three young "cannoneers," who manned the huge guns on the bluff, enjoying a glass of Townsend beer. The close-up below gives a better glimpse of the label, and it appears that they are drinking from etched glasses.
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After Repeal, in April of 1933, a new brewery was erected on the original site
and operated as the Peninsula
Brewery, but not as a holding of the Olympia Brewing Co. The new
corporation did not issue a public stock offering. The $15,000 capital
expenditure was initially financed by a two officials of the Brewery Engineering Corp. of
Seattle which designs and manufactures "Germania Process" equipment for such
plants. The newly formed company purchased the old brewery
from William J. Buhler and John J. Lafferty. On 19 April '33 the old frame brew house was razed
and construction of a three story, brick, brew house
commenced under the
supervision of the new brewmaster, Albin Otto, formerly with the
Claussen
Brewing interests in Seattle. The new firm was incorporated on 20 July
1933. On the 1st of December 1933 the first batch of
Peninsula Beer was ready for consumption, having been delayed due to a nation wide
shortage of beer kegs. At that time corporate officials E. J. Dailey and
B. W. Porter stated:
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The label
(right)
for Old German Lager was made for the J. G. Fox & Company of Seattle. Fox was a
distributor, and bottler of soda and beer. Before Prohibition he had been
secretary of the Seattle Brewing and Malting Co., and now was a stockholder in
the Peninsula Brewing Company. |
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The Buhler family still owns the old Peninsula Brewery building, which is now home to the Port Townsend Athletic Club. |
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MYSTERY ITEM (shown
left)
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With the help of ABA members I've discovered how this piece of
Peninsula Brewery equipment was used. The front is embossed: "PENINSULA BREWERY / PORT TOWNSEND
WASHINGTON / PERMIT NO. WASH - U - 1213. It's only 16" high, and is
stamped on the reverse: Serv-O-Draft /
Manufactured by / Serv-O-Draft
Corp. / Detroit, Mich. / 3⅞ gal. -
1934." This capacity equals ⅛ barrel.
It was found in 1986 by the new owners of Aldrich's Grocery Store in Port
Townsend. Ben Aldrich was a Peninsula Brewery
stock-holder and no doubt offered beer off-sale from his premises. Other than the Peninsula, the only other draft dispenser I have yet to discover from the West Coast is a 7¾ gal. Serv-O-Draft from the Pioneer Brewing Co. of Aberdeen, WA. |
The image (above) identifies the
Serv-O-Draft fittings
under the protective red bell housing. The key, shown in its stowed position,
protected the valve stem through which the unit was pressurized. This same key
had a square cut out, which allowed it to also be used to open the dispensing
valve. A separate view of the key's base is shown in the lower right corner of
the image. The spigot is shown in the
dispensing position, but when stowed it would rotating 180° to allow the bell
housing to be screwed in place. |
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Acknowledgements:
For any comments, additions, or corrections
- or if you have Port Townsend items for sale - Gary@BreweryGems.com |
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This label comes in a metallic green, and a
non-metallic yellow (left), and
a light metallic gold
