Yeah, there’s a microbrewery revolution happening across the country right now. But this isn’t exactly a new phenomenon. In the first half of the 20th century, the brewing industry was an important part of the greater Cleveland economy. There were breweries all over town. These pictures capture some of the thriving brewery scene that lasted throughout much of the 20th century. All photos via the Cleveland Memory Project.
Beer Making Machinery, Bishop and Babcock Sales Company, 1932Brew Kettle, Fishel Brewery, East 55th and Grand Avenue, 1932Brewmaster Draws Beer, Pilsener Brewing Company, West 65th and Clark, 1932Fishel Brewery, East 55th and Grand Avenue, 1932Fishel Brewery, East 55th and Grand Avenue, 193250 Pound Sack of Malted Grain, Pilsener Brewing Company, West 65th and Clark, 1933Workers at Brew Kettle, Cleveland Home Brewing Company, East 61st and Outhwaite Avenue, 1933Pilsener Brewing Company, West 65th and Clark, 1933Leisy Brewing Company, Fulton and Vega Avenue, 1933Packing Cases of P.O.C. Beer, Pilsener Brewing Company, West 65th and Clark, 1933Operations Resume After Prohibition, Cleveland Home Brewing Company, Central Neighborhood, 1933225 Barrel Storage Tanks, Pilsener Brewing Company, West 65th and Clark, 1933Fermentation Tanks, Standard Brewing Company, Detroit Shoreway, 1933Brewer on Bottling Line, Pilsener Brewing Company, West 65th and Clark, 1933Bootleg Brewery, 1933Handpacking Crates of Beer, Leisy Brewing Company, Ohio City, 1934King Gambrinus Statue, Leisy Brewing Company, Ohio City, 1934Brewery Workers Union on Strike Outside Fishel Brewery, Central Neighborhood, 1935Storage and Aging Tanks, Old Forest City Brewery, Union Avenue, 1937Brewmasters Inspecting Hops, Leisy Brewing Company, Ohio City, 1939Statue From Cleveland-Sandusky Brewing Corporation, 1939Bottle Inspection, Standard Brewing Company, Detroit Shoreway, 1940Black Forest Brewery, Cleveland Home Brewing Company, East 61st and Outhwaite Avenue, 1941Tip Top Beer Company, 1941Loading Bottles onto Washing and Sterilizing Machine, Cleveland Home Brewing Company, Central Neighborhood, 1941Filling Barrels of Beer to Ship, Cleveland Home Brewing Company, Central Neighborhood, 1941Bottling Line, Cleveland Home Brewing Co., Central Neighborhood, 1941End of Bottling Line, Cleveland Home Brewing Company, Central Neighborhood, 1941Conveyor Belt for Automatic Filling, Standard Brewing Company, Detroit Shoreway, 1945Centrifugal Refrigaterating Compressors, Carling Brewing Company, Quincy Avenue, 1945Cases of Military Beer Ready to Ship, Standard Brewing Company, Detroit Shoreway, 1945Burkhardt’s Beer Company Trailer, Akron, 1946Labeling Machine, Cleveland-Sandusky Brewing Corporation, 1947Handpacking Crates of Old Timers Ale, Cleveland-Sandusky Brewing Corporation, 1947Bottle Filler and Capping Machine, Standard Brewing Company, Detroit Shoreway, 1950Wort Tank, Standard Brewing Company, Detroit Shoreway, 1950Storage and Aging Tanks, Standard Brewing Company, Detroit Shoreway, 1950Robbery, Standard Brewing Company, Detroit Shoreway, 1950Open Fermentation Tank, Standard Brewing Company, Detroit Shoreway, 1950Delivery Truck, Standard Brewing Company, Detroit Shoreway, 1950Cans of Erin Brew on Automatic Scale, Standard Brewing Company, Detroit Shoreway, 1950Can Sealing Machine, Standard Brewing Company, Detroit Shoreway, 1950Bottling Plant, Standard Brewing Company, Detroit Shoreway, 1950Rathskellar, Leisy Brewing Company, Ohio City, 1951Stirring Wort in Copper Brew Kettle, Leisy Brewing Company, Ohio City, 1952Beer Bottling Line, Carling Brewing Company, Quincy Avenue, 1952Employees Drinking in Rathskellar, Leisy Brewing Company, Ohio City, 1952Fermenting Room, Leisy Brewing Company, Ohio City, 1956Bottling Line, Carling Brewing Company, Quincy Avenue, 1956Black Label Beer Filled, Carling Brewing Company, Quincy Avenue, 1956400 Barrel Brew Kettle, Pilsener Brewing Company, West 65th and Clark, 1957Cleveland Brewery Horse Barn, Ansel and Hough, 1959Pilsner Brewery Fire, West 65th and Clark, 1963United Appeal Fund Drive, Carling Brewing Company, Quincy Avenue, 1964Eilert Brewery, West 32nd and Sackett Avenue, 1974Fermentation Tank Remaining in Demolished Building, Standard Brewing Company, Detroit Shoreway, 1974Gund Brewing Company, East 14th and Davenport Avenue, 1974Leisy Brewing Company, Fulton and Vega Avenue, 1974Pilsener Brewing Company Bottling Works, West 65th and Clark, 1974Old Forest City Brewery, Union Avenue, 1976
