Michigan Beer History Tank Tops

Goebel Brewing Company was a brewing company in Detroit, Michigan from 1873 to 1964 eventually acquired late in its existence by Stroh Brewery Company. The beer was locally popular in Detroit from the company's inception, but grew in popularity and was eventually available in many states for a brief period in the 1940s, with an ad campaign in Life magazine that featured restaurant ads from many famous eateries around the country using Goebel beer as an ingredient. The beer, billed as a "light lager", was golden in color, and was noticeably drier than most everyday beers of the era. Their longtime mascot was a bantam, called Brewster Rooster, who wore attire with Goebel's logo, and the beer was a long-time sponsor of Detroit Tigers baseball.

Goebel Brewing Company was a brewing company in Detroit, Michigan from 1873 to 1964 eventually acquired late in its existence by Stroh Brewery Company. The beer was locally popular in Detroit from the company's inception, but grew in popularity and was eventually available in many states for a brief period in the 1940s, with an ad campaign in Life magazine that featured restaurant ads from many famous eateries around the country using Goebel beer as an ingredient. The beer, billed as a "light lager", was golden in color, and was noticeably drier than most everyday beers of the era. Their longtime mascot was a bantam, called Brewster Rooster, who wore attire with Goebel's logo, and the beer was a long-time sponsor of Detroit Tigers baseball.

Goebel Brewing Company was a brewing company in Detroit, Michigan from 1873 to 1964 eventually acquired late in its existence by Stroh Brewery Company. The beer was locally popular in Detroit from the company's inception, but grew in popularity and was eventually available in many states for a brief period in the 1940s, with an ad campaign in Life magazine that featured restaurant ads from many famous eateries around the country using Goebel beer as an ingredient. The beer, billed as a "light lager", was golden in color, and was noticeably drier than most everyday beers of the era. Their longtime mascot was a bantam, called Brewster Rooster, who wore attire with Goebel's logo, and the beer was a long-time sponsor of Detroit Tigers baseball.

Goebel Brewing Company was a brewing company in Detroit, Michigan from 1873 to 1964 eventually acquired late in its existence by Stroh Brewery Company. The beer was locally popular in Detroit from the company's inception, but grew in popularity and was eventually available in many states for a brief period in the 1940s, with an ad campaign in Life magazine that featured restaurant ads from many famous eateries around the country using Goebel beer as an ingredient. The beer, billed as a "light lager", was golden in color, and was noticeably drier than most everyday beers of the era. Their longtime mascot was a bantam, called Brewster Rooster, who wore attire with Goebel's logo, and the beer was a long-time sponsor of Detroit Tigers baseball.

George Brandt and Company's Union Brewery was opened in Grand Rapids, Michigan during the Civil War in 1862. The "Union" in the brewery's name was chosen in support of the Union side in the conflict. The Union Brewery was founded by George Brandt, a former brewmaster with the Kusterer Brewing Company's City Brewery. Together with Christopher Killinger, Fred Mayer, and his son (also named George Brandt), the group built their brewery at 192 South Division Avenue. Like most of the breweries in Grand Rapids at the time, the Union primarily brewed a type of lager beer especially favored by the city's growing German-American population.

Phoenix Brewing Co. opened in 1898 and closed in 1917 it was open for 19 years. Phoenix Brewing Co. was located in Bay City, MI, which only had 5 breweries, so there are not many that that were producing breweriana items.

Formed in 1933, Wolverine Brewing Co.’s bottling line started operation in May and ran for all of 10 decades, lasting even through the start of the war. By 1943, wartime restrictions became too much, and the Wolverine Brewing Company closed its doors. They produced half a dozen beers, including Dark Horse Ale, Wolverine Beer, and Rhein-Brau, also known as “The Aristocrat”. It was said that the Rhein-Brau’s recipe was based on a winning formula from the Chicago World’s fair in 1893.

Furniture City Brewing Co. opened in 1933 and closed in 1934 it was open for 1 year. Since it was only open for a short period of time items for this brewery can be accurately dated and are likely to be rarer than normal It was active during Prohibition which makes it an oddity. Some breweries were able to stay in business by producing "near-beer" which was very low alcohol, some switched over to bottling sodas or other beverages, some became Ice-houses or other related businesses. Furniture City Brewing Co. was in an active brewing city. Grand Rapids, MI was listed as having 18 breweries, which is quite a few.

On January 1, 1893, six local breweries joined forces and opened Grand Rapids Brewing Co. Over the next two decades, they built a monumental brewery at the corner of Michigan Street and Ionia Avenue, what is now the site of a state office building. Capitalizing on the location’s ample supply of fresh spring water and a refreshingly drinkable flagship beer, Silver Foam, GRBC became one of Midwest’s largest and best-known breweries. In 1920, Prohibition brought that success story to a crashing halt. When the bans on alcohol production and sales were lifted, GRBC merged with several other breweries and eventually left town.

Keeping Detroit, Michigan happy from 1873 to 1964

Port Huron's Lakeside Brewing Co. was only around from 1936 to 1937, but its facility on Bard Street dated all the way back to 1875, when the company was founded under its proprietor's name, Charles Samberg. This is the label for American Bud produced by Lakeside Brewing Company. The State of Michigan required makers of beer and wine to register labels of alcoholic products with the Commerce Commission. While this practice was discontinued in the 1950's, the Archives maintains the historic collection of Michigan-made brews from the early to mid-twentieth century.

1891-1958 brewing beer in the heart of Detroit