Bavarian Brewing Company facts for kids
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| Industry | Beverages |
| Founded | 1866 |
| Founder | Julius Deglow |
| Defunct | 1966 |
| Headquarters | Covington, Kentucky, United States |
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Key people
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William Riedlin; Lucia Riedlin Schott, William C. Schott, George Schott, Louis Schott, William R. Schott and Louis L. Schott |
| Products | Beers, ales, malt liquors, soft drinks and ice. |
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Bavarian Brewing Company
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 Location in Kentucky
Location in the United States
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| Location | 522 W. 12th St., Covington, Kentucky |
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| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000281 |
| Added to NRHP | March 21, 1996 |
The Bavarian Brewing Company was a large company that made beer and other drinks. It started in Covington, Kentucky, in 1866. A man named Julius Deglow founded it. By 1870, it was known as the Bavarian Brewery.
The company began on Pike Street. But it grew quickly and moved to 12th Street within ten years. In 1881, John Meyer bought the brewery. A year later, William Riedlin joined him as a partner. The company became the Bavarian Brewery Co. in 1889, led by William Riedlin.
The Riedlin family owned the brewery for many years. Then, in 1959, a bigger company called International Breweries, Inc. (IBI) bought it. The brewery kept making its main drink, Bavarian's, until 1966. That year, the factory closed its doors.
In 1996, the old brewery building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical site. It was then fixed up to be a place for food, drinks, and fun. It was called "The Brew Works" and later "Jillian's," but it closed in 2006.
Later, parts of the old brewery were turned into offices. These offices are now part of the Kenton County Government Center. They opened in 2019. You can visit an exhibit there to learn about the Bavarian Brewery's long history. More information is also available on their website: Bavarian Brewery.
Contents
Starting the Brewery: Early Years
The brewery began as "DeGlow & Co." in 1866. Over the next few years, its name changed a few times. Around 1870, it officially became the Bavarian Brewery Co.
In 1881, John Meyer took control of the company. A year later, William Riedlin joined him. Riedlin was a German immigrant who owned a popular saloon in Cincinnati. Their partnership began in 1884. In 1889, the company became the Bavarian Brewing Co., Inc. William Riedlin became its president. He later bought out John Meyer's share.
Under Riedlin, the brewery grew a lot. Besides Bavarian Beer, they also made "Riedlin Select Beer" and "Riedlin Blue Ribbon Beer."
Growing the Brewery Buildings
The brewery first started in a building on Pike Street. It had ice ponds, ice houses, and storage cellars. Within a few decades, it expanded to 12th Street. New buildings were added, like a Malt House, a Brew House, and a Boiler House.
In 1892, a new bottling plant was built. This plant used new ideas like the crown bottle cap and pasteurization. Pasteurization helped beer stay fresh longer. This meant the beer could be sent to many more places.
They also built a new Ice Plant. It made 100,000 pounds of ice every day. Ice was very important for making lager beer before refrigerators existed. The brewery also sold ice to the public. They even gave free ice to saloons that sold Bavarian drinks.
By 1913, many of the old buildings were replaced with new ones. These included the Boiler House, Engine Room, and Bottling Plant. By 1914, the brewery was very modern. It covered six and a half acres of land. It made 215,000 barrels of beer each year. This was a huge jump from 7,341 barrels in 1870. The Bavarian Brewing Co. became the biggest brewery in Kentucky.
Prohibition and Changes
Making beer in Kentucky stopped suddenly in late 1918. This was because of Prohibition. Prohibition was a time when making and selling alcohol was against the law. To keep the company going, they started making non-alcoholic drinks. They called this the William Riedlin Beverage Company.
Sadly, William Riedlin died in early 1919. His son, William Riedlin, Jr., who was in charge, died just weeks later. After their deaths, the brewery made non-alcoholic drinks and malt extract. By the mid-1920s, the buildings closed. All the brewing equipment was sold off.
Reopening After Prohibition: 1930s and 1940s
Prohibition ended in 1933. But the Bavarian Brewing Co. didn't reopen until 1935. It was run by M. L. Vorhees, who had married Riedlin's granddaughter. The company had money problems.
In 1937, William C. Schott and his three brothers bought the brewery. William C. Schott was married to Riedlin's daughter, Lucia. The Schott brothers were successful businessmen. They made metal products and had also made wooden barrels for breweries.
In 1939, George Schott became the company's President. William C. Schott was Vice President. The brewery made popular drinks like Bavarian Beer and Schott's Ale.
Between 1947 and 1952, the brewery was very busy. It ran all day and night to meet demand. During these good years, the company bought other breweries. They bought the Bruckmann Brewery Plant in 1948 and the Heidelberg Brewery in 1949.
Challenges and Closure: The 1950s and 1960s
In 1952, Bavarian raised its prices. This was to cover their higher costs. The next year, beer production dropped a lot. To save money, Bavarian decided to use only their main plant. They sold off extra properties.
In 1955, Lou Schott left his role as President. William C. Schott stayed as Vice President. His sons, William R. (Bill) Schott and Louis L. Schott, took over as President and Secretary/Treasurer. They built a new bottling area at the main plant. They also sold the smaller Heidelberg plant and a warehouse. But they still lost customers to other local companies and bigger national breweries.
Legal Battle and New Look
In 1954, a large company called Anheuser-Busch introduced "Busch Bavarian Beer." Bavarian Brewing Company sued them. They said Anheuser-Busch was using their name unfairly. The trial began in 1956. In 1957, the court ruled that Anheuser-Busch could not sell "Busch Bavarian Beer" in the area where Bavarian sold its products. But Bavarian did not get full control of the name or money for unfair practices.
It was hard for smaller breweries like Bavarian to compete with huge national companies. To boost sales, Bavarian changed the look of its "Old Style Beer" in 1957. It became "Bavarian's Select Beer" with a new logo and ads. They even hired a young woman, Brenda Cotter, to be the "Bavarian Girl." These changes helped improve the company's image.
Merging and Closing
In 1959, Bavarian merged with International Breweries Inc. (IBI). They hoped this would make them stronger. William C. Schott, the family leader, retired then. Bill Schott stayed in charge of the Bavarian plant. He became an Executive Vice President at IBI.
In 1960, IBI added a new, modern bottling line to the Bavarian plant. In 1962, Bavarian's Beer won an award at a European festival. IBI also started making its other brands at the Bavarian plant. They tried to sell Bavarian's Beer in other states too.
But even with these efforts, the company struggled. By 1964, they were losing $500,000 a year. IBI's plan didn't work. The big national breweries were too strong. Bill Schott left IBI in 1965. This ended 83 years of the Riedlin and Schott families being involved with the brewery. IBI left the brewing business in 1966. The Bavarian Brewery in Covington, Kentucky, closed that same year. It was exactly 100 years after it first started.
The Brewery Building Today
After closing, the Bavarian Brewery building was not well cared for. But its unique "castle-like" look and easy access from the highway made it attractive. In 1996, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This helped save it.
Ken Lewis fixed up the building. It became "The Brew Works" for a few years. Then, a restaurant and nightclub called Jillian's operated there until 2006. In 2008, a hotel company bought the property. They hoped to turn it into a casino, but that plan didn't work out.
The owner then tried to tear down the main brewery building. But people wanted to save it. A "Save the Bavarian" movement began. At the same time, Kenton County needed new government offices. After studying options, the county decided to buy the old brewery in 2016.
The old Brew and Mill Houses were renovated. A new building was added. Together, they became the Kenton County Government Center. It opened in 2019. Inside, there is a Bavarian Brewery Exhibit. It tells the story of the brewery and shows old items. You can find more information at www.BavarianBrewery.org.
Images for kids
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The Bavarian Brewing Company building.
