Haffenreffer Brewery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Haffenreffer Brewery
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An undated photograph of the Haffenreffer brewery, which once had a famous tap that poured out free beer day and night. The area was bustling, and on many days the smell of hops filled the air.
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Germania Street Boston, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
| Built | 1877 |
| Architect | M.W. Fitzsimmons et al. |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004453 |
| Added to NRHP | May 2, 1982 |
The Haffenreffer Brewery was a famous company that made drinks in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. It started way back in 1870. One of its well-known products was called Haffenreffer Private Stock. This drink had fun nicknames like "The Green Monster" and "The Green Death." People also liked the cool Rebus puzzles found under the bottle caps! Production of this particular drink stopped in 2013.
Contents
A Look Back: The Brewery's Story
The Haffenreffer Brewery was started by Rudolph Frederick Haffenreffer. He was an immigrant from Germany who came to Boston after the Civil War. After he passed away in 1929, his sons, Rudolf F. Haffenreffer Jr. and Theodore Carl Haffenreffer, took over the business.
Other members of the Haffenreffer family also helped run the brewery over the years. These included Rudolph Frederick Haffenreffer III, his brother Carl W. Haffenreffer, and their cousin, Theodore Carl Haffenreffer III.
Surviving Tough Times
The brewery managed to stay open through a period known as Prohibition. This was a time when making and selling alcoholic drinks was against the law. The Haffenreffer Brewery operated for almost a century. It finally closed its doors in 1965. When it closed, Massachusetts did not have a brewery for the first time in 300 years.
The Haffenreffer Building Today
The entire Haffenreffer complex is now owned and managed by the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation. This group has worked to update and reuse the old brewery buildings.
The Boston Beer Company, which makes Samuel Adams beer, has been a major tenant there since the 1980s. They even offer tours of their brewery at this location.
The main brewery building is very important. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as a place with special historical value.
The Famous Smokestack
The old Haffenreffer Brewery has a tall smokestack. For over 30 years, the top part of the smokestack was broken. This meant the letters on its side only read "FENREFFER BREWERS." In 2016, a local artist added a new steel frame to the top. This frame had the letters "HAF," which finally completed the full name of the brewery again!
Businesses in the Complex
Many different businesses share the Haffenreffer complex with Boston Beer. Here are some of them:
- Bella Luna Restaurant
- Bikes Not Bombs
- City Life/Vida Urbana
- Children's Music Center of JP
- Keshet
- Kenyon Woodworking
- JP School of Dance
- Mike's Fitness
- The Parent Review
- ULA Cafe
- Women in the Building Trades
