San Diego Brewing Company facts for kids
| Industry | Brewing (Beer) |
|---|---|
| Founded | San Diego, California, 1896 |
| Defunct | 1942 |
| Headquarters |
,
U.S.
|
The San Diego Brewing Company was an important brewery (a place where beer is made) located in San Diego, California. It was one of the biggest businesses in the area during its time.
Contents
History of the Brewery
Starting Big in San Diego
The San Diego Brewing Company opened its doors in 1896. It was the very first large-scale brewery in San Diego County. Rich local people, like John D. Spreckels, helped pay for it.
Because of this support, it quickly became the largest factory in the county. The brewery was located on 32nd Street in San Diego. It was a very modern place, even adding a huge cooling system in 1906. This system helped keep the beer fresh.
Delivering Beer and Growing
At first, the company used horse-drawn wagons to deliver large barrels of beer called kegs. They delivered to local bars and hotels. By 1914, they had switched to using motor vehicles for deliveries.
The brewery made a lot of beer, about 140,000 barrels each year. They shipped beer not only around San Diego but also by train to places as far away as San Francisco and Arizona. The company grew even bigger by buying other local breweries. In 1914, it changed its name to San Diego Consolidated Brewing Company.
Stopping and Starting Again
In 1920, the company had to stop making beer because of a time called Prohibition. This was a period in the United States when it was illegal to make, sell, or transport alcoholic drinks. For a while, the company tried making a "near beer" called Hopski. This drink had very little alcohol.
However, by 1925, they stopped making that too. In 1935, Prohibition ended when a new law, the Twenty-first Amendment, was passed. This allowed breweries to make beer again. The San Diego Brewing Company started brewing once more.
The company continued to operate until 1942. At that time, the U.S. Navy needed the land for its 32nd Street Naval Station. So, the brewery had to close down.
Today's Brewery
Even though the original company closed, there is now a place called a brewpub (a restaurant that also brews its own beer) with the same name. It operates in Mission Valley, San Diego.
