History of the Star Brewery of Vancouver, WA

History of the Star Brewery (1890-1915)

and its successor:

Star Brewery Company, Inc. (1933-1939)

The Star Brewery was a successor to one of the earliest brewing enterprises in the Washington Territory. It was originally John Muench's Vancouver Brewery, established in 1856, near Fort Vancouver. A young, immigrant brewer from Germany, Henry Weinhard, joined Muench for about six months and then went across the river to a settlement that would eventually become the city of Portland. Here he started his own brewery, but the settlement was growing too slowly, and he shut down his brewery and returned to Fort Vancouver. In 1859, Weinhard bought the Vancouver Brewery from Muench.

Weinhard operated the brewery for about three years, selling out to Anton Young in 1862, and returned to Portland were he built a successful brewing enterprise.

In 1867, Young relocated the Vancouver Brewery to a more convenient location near Vancouver's public square and operated the business for an additional 27 years.

Sometime before 1890, Anton Young changed the name of the plant to the Star Brewery, as can be seen from the 1890 Portland City Directory (below).

As can also be seen in the ad, Young had two partners in the brewery, Anton Huth, and Henry Mockel. Huth left Vancouver in 1888 for Tacoma, where he and John Scholl established the Puget Sound Brewery. So, Huth must have kept an interest in Young & Co. to remain listed as a partner.

Henry Mockel joined the group in 1880, and in '86 he married Huth's sister, Margaret. When the Star Brewery was sold in '94, Mockel managed one of the brewery's saloons, but when Margaret died in 1907, he relocated to Tacoma and became associated with his brother-in-law's Puget Sound Brewery.

In 1894, Young retired, and sold the company to Louis Gerlinger, who formally changed the name of the company to the Star Brewery, and three years later to the Star Brewery Company. In March of 1896, Gerlinger introduced the "Hop Gold" brand, which would survive until 1942. Its demise was due to war time restrictions.

In Sept. of 1898, 330 cases of "Hop Gold" beer were shipped to their agent in the Philippines, on receipt of news that Commodore Dewey had destroyed the Spanish fleet in the Bay of Manila.

Dewey's flagship was the USS Olympia, so the town of Olympia chipped in and had the Capital Brewing Co. ship six barrels packed with bottled "Olympia Excelsior" beer to Dewey and his crew.

In 1904, the Star Brewery Co. was purchased by the Northern Brewery Company, a Columbus, Ohio syndicate, but they continued to refer to the plant as the Star Brewery, and carried on with the popular "Hop Gold Export Beer."

Hop Gold label c.1904

Since the much larger city of Portland was their primary market, they introduced a "Rose City Special Beer" - as Portland was (and still is) known as the "Rose city."

beer tray ca.1905

The Star Brewery was shuttered with the onset of state-wide Prohibition in 1916, when the National Brewing Co. defaulted on their bank loans. The plant was sold for a mear $25K.

In March 1917 Interstate Products was established, primarily as a sauerkraut producer, but also as a beverage maker. They made a non-alcohol malt/hop beverage called "Malta," then added an apple juice called "Applsap," and finally a near-beer called "Hop Gold." They even used the old brewery's slogan "Fond Memories of Old." However, by May 1920 they gave up their lease on the plant and closed. The property was eventually purchased by Columbia Dairy Products, and served as a dairy, plus a number of other activities until it was shuttered completely.

Star Brewery Company, Inc. (1933-1939)

Star Brewery Letterhead, ca.1933

In August of '33, a group of Portland investors purchased the old Star Brewery and began a major overhaul. They were able to begin brewing by October, and when the 21st Amendment was ratified on December 5th, they were ready to offer full strength "Hop Gold" beer on that very day. They also revived the old slogan: "Fond Memories of Old" to celebrate the return.

Hop Gold U-Permit label

Prior to the completition of the plant overhaul, Robert Fiddes, president of Coast Breweries Limited of British Columbia, made a major investment in the company. Although he was on the board of directors, he didn't partcipate in the management of the company, but he did have some influence. He recruited their new brewmaster, Eduard Schwind, who had arrived from Vancouver, B.C. to oversee the start-up, and the re-introduction of "Hop Gold" as their flagship brand.

The return of "Hop Gold" was well received by the public and it was soon out selling "Blitz Weinhard Beer," made just across the river in Portland.

Next Schwind produced a Bock beer to be released the following Spring. Brewing began in the Fall of '34 which allowed for the appropriate aging, and an early release in April of 1935. This seasonal brew, normaly released in March, was only available for a few weeks—or until stocks ran out.

Hop Gold Bock Beer U-Permit

Perhaps at the suggestion of their Canadian board members, it was decided to add an English style ale to the brewery's line-up. One of the breweries owned by Coast Breweries was the Silver Spring Brewery of Victoria. Since 1929 they had been brewing a Burton ale, a type of strong ale which is dark and sweet. It is named after England's brewing town of Burton-on-Trent.

Brewmaster Schwind was permitted to use the Silver Spring receipe, as well as adopting the Canadian label¹ as the template for their "Hop Gold Ale."

Hop Gold Burton Ale label and Canadian version

This Burton type ale was introduced in November of 1935. Ad copy called it "a new type of ale - to satisify the demand for a heavier, stronger brew for these colder months ... the same type of mellow, amber-colored ale that warmed the hearts and fostered good fellowship in 'ye olde tyme inns' of long ago."

Also in November of '35, Coast Breweries, Ltd. received approval from Ottawa of a plan for capital distribution to shareholders. The plan would be effected through the formation of a holding company, Capital Estates, Inc., incorporated in Delaware. The new company would hold the assets of the Star Brewery Co. of Vancouver, WA, as well as the General Brewing Co. of San Francisco. This would then allow Coast Breweries investors to receive share for share in Capital Estates.

Canned beer was introduced in the U.S. in January of 1935 and was enthusiastically received. By the end of '35, over 200 millon beer cans had been produced. "Hop Gold" beer was first available in cans in April of '36. It was followed later that year by canned "Ye Old English style Ale."

Canned Hop Gol beer & ale c.1936

Also in early '36 a new style bottle was gaining acceptance by brewers, called the "steinie." Similar to the "stubby" it was also a more convient shape to store in the refrigerator than the long-neck bottle. The Star Brewery didn't immediately switch over to the steinie but waited until they had a label change.

In early '38 brewmaster Schwind produced a new Pale Export Lager, touting a full three months of lagering. It was introduced in June of '38 with a new label on the 11 oz. steinie, the quart, and half-gallon sizes. At the same time the familiar gold can with the large blue star was dropped in favor of a new Pale Export can sporting the same label as the steinie.

Hop Gold Pale Export intro ad 1938

One year after the intro of their new lager, Capital Estates began implementing a reorganization plan that would creat a new company called Interstate Brewing. The new company would see a change in management and operate as a northern division of California's General Brewing Co. Interstate would produce "Lucky Lager" and "Bankers Ale" under license, and take over distribution in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska. "Hop Gold" was to remain in production. Both breweries would still operate independently, but in concert when profitable to both. To that end, the Star Brewery began brewing Lucky Lager in June of '39, for a Sept. release, but under the Interstate masthead.

Interstate Brewery Co. (1939-1950)

Lucky Lager Extra Dry beer label - image
Lucky Lager label, Vancouver, c.1945

For more history on this brewery, see Lucky Lager, Vancouver, WA