ca. 1919. Much of the work handling beer at Columbia Brewing Company was done by hand. Men are seen working in a chilled room bottling and racking beer into wooden barrels. A sign against the wall on the left advertises "Columbia Golden Drops Beer". Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. TPL-7953

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People; Bottles;

ca. 1918. Drivers pose in front of the Columbia Brewing Company with five delivery trucks. The truck second from the right is loaded with barrels. Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries. A copy of Boland print #B1495.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1910-1920;

Columbia Brewing Company, interior of dining room, as pictured on October 29, 1951. Long utilitarian tables, folding metal chairs and checkered linoleum floor. Two vases of flowers help to brighten the room.

Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Dining rooms--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Several people checking bottles in the bottle shop.

Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Brewing industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

The bottle shop at Columbia Breweries included an inspection section. Five employees are seated by lighted screens where each individual bottle was inspected as it passed through scientifically-lighted and image-magnifying inspection stations on their way to the labeling machine and to a packing machine for cartoning. (TNT, 10/13/1951, p.24)

Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Brewing industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Bottles;

Equipment used in excavating at Columbia Breweries' property acquired in 1948 along Jefferson Avenue from 21st to 23rd Streets South. Columbia Breweries were adding a 20,000 square foot, two story building that would house a new bottle shop and a can beer line as well as a 39,00 square foot warehouse for case goods and a new receiving and shiping depot. Ordered by Lige Dickson Company, co-owned by Lige Dickson and William B. Dickson, general contractors, located at 3315 South Pine. TPL-10447

Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Lige Dickson Co. (Tacoma); Building construction--Tacoma--1940-1950; Excavation--Tacoma--1940-1950; Brewing industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

ca. 1936. A view of Columbia Breweries along South C Street circa 1936. The front of the tallest section has been removed for remodeling. A truck is seen backed up to the loading dock with Alt Heidelberg painted on the sides. A large, white building up the hill, along South 23rd Street at 2302 Fawcett Avenue, has a sign, "Columbia Bottling Company." Columbia Bottling Company was at this address in 1935 and 1936 only. West Coast Grocery Company, Coffee - Spices - Extracts, is next door to Columbia Breweries at 2114 South C Street and Vicray's Garage is on the right at 2112 South C Street. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. TPL-6498

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940;

ca. 1937. Two of the chemists at Columbia Breweries are testing products in a laboratory, heating liquids with a row of bunsen burners. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. The photographer's name in the lower right shows, "Associated Photographic Service, Inc., Tacoma".

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Chemistry--Tacoma; Scientists--Tacoma; Scientific equipment--Tacoma; Laboratories--Tacoma; Testing--Tacoma;

ca. 1937. Instruments have been set up for an experiment at Columbia Breweries' laboratory. A meter has been connected to a battery to test one of the components of the beer and ale brewed at Columbia. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company. The photographer's name in the lower right shows, "Associated Photographic Service, Inc., Tacoma".

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Scientific equipment--Tacoma;

ca. 1937. One of the chemists at Columbia Breweries is using an analylitic balance for very precise measurements of ingredients in this circa 1937 photograph. She is gripping tweezers to place weights from the box in front of her to the tray on the right hand side of the balance. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company. The photographer's name in the lower right shows, "Associated Photographic Service, Commercial Photographers, 714 Market Street, Tacoma".

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Scientific equipment--Tacoma; Scientists--Tacoma;

ca. 1952. An artistic rendition of Columbia Breweries' facilities showing how the facilities had grown and expanded from the original main brewery and steam plant to cover over four acres spreading from South C Street to Jefferson Avenue and from South 21st to South 23rd Streets. The bottle shop on the far left and the shipping depot in the back right were added in 1952. A second story was added to the depot in 1953. The brewery advertised their two malt beverages, Alt Heidelberg in cans, 12 ounce stubbies and quart bottles, and Columbia Ale. Copies of prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. (TNT, 4/7/1953, p.D-10)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960;

Members of the staff of Heidelberg Brewing Co. and of Bona Fide Builders construction company inspect the scale model for the new 3/4 million dollar "Brew House" to be added to the brewing plant on So. C St. The construction of the four story storage cellar has been contracted with Bona Fide Builders Inc., a Tacoma construction company. The basic contract is for $350,000 for the construction of a reinforced concrete building to house the cellars. The building will cover an area 55 x 140 feet on So. C. The tank and refrigeration contracts bring the cost to $800,000. The glass lined tanks have a capacity of over 1,000 barrels each. The production of the new plant is estimated to be 750,000 barrels annually. Pictured, left to right, are Anders W. Erickson, Brewmaster, T.L. McCormick of the architectural designers, Michael M. Kneip, Assistant Brewmaster, Joseph Wohleb, Brewery architect, W. Boyd Dickson Jr., President of Bona Fide Builders, Hollis Kerr, Heidelberg construction superintendent, Nick Ockfen, Bona Fide superintendent of construction, L. Paul Marten, engineer for the brewing co., A.L. Waterbury, Chief Engineer of the brewing co. and Bailey H. Nieder, technical assistant and manager of engineering department of the brewing co. (TNT 7/16/1953, pg. C-13)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Bona Fide Builders Inc. (Tacoma); Erickson, Anders W.; Kneip, Michael M.; Wohleb, Joseph; Dickson, W. Boyd; Kerr, Hollis; Waterbury, A.L.; Heidelberg Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960;

Columbia Brewing Company, exterior view of plant showing truck by loading area and automobiles parked on street.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940;

Seventy five members of the brewing and allied industries gathered in Tacoma October 24, 1942 to pay tribute to Otto Birkmaier. Mr. Birkmaier was celebrating his 25th anniversary as brewmaster at Columbia Brewery, a position he had held since 1917. Some of the guests are pictured at the Saturday afternoon luncheon at the Brewery.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1940-1950;

An interior view of Columbia Breweries, Inc., showing the brewing equipment. The new brew house provided for two gleaming copper kettles in a tile setting. Here batches, or brews, of hundreds of barrels each were brought to a vigorous boil several times a day under the eye of the brewmaster, Anders W. Erikson, and his assistants. (TNT, 1/7/1952)

Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Columbia Breweries, Inc., bottling department, showing up-to-date, automatic bottling equipment. Four fillers could fill an average of 265 bottles per minute each. A line of cans winds from near the ceiling to the filling machine on the left. Two men can be seen behind the two filling machines on the right that are filling stubby glass bottles. (TNT, 1/7/1952)

Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Assembly-line methods--Tacoma--1950-1960; Bottles;

One of the staff at Columbia Breweries dumps hops into one of the brew kettles. Production of Tacoma's three malt beverages, Alt Heidelberg beer, Columbia beer and Columbia ale, was under the supervision of three master brewers. Anders W. Erikson was the brewmaster at this time and was also a director of the company. Mr. Erikson served his apprenticeship under the late Otto Birkmaier who was brewmaster for many years at the brewery. Since the death of Birkmaier in 1946, Erikson had served as brewmaster. Michael Kneipe served as first assistant brewmaster while Helmut Mesamer was second assistant brewmaster. (TNT, 1/8/1952, p.B-2 & p.B-4)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960;

Heidelberg Brewing Co., Sales Meeting. The company originated as Columbia Brewing Co. in 1900, begun by three men with a capitalization of $50,000. It was purchased in 1949 by Heidelberg Brewery Co. and remodeled and rebuilt. The company officially changed its name on July 15, 1953 to Heidelberg Brewing Co. Its famous labels "Alt Pilsener" and "Columbia Ale" were consumed throughout the Northwest. The company sold in 1958 to Carling Brewing Co. of Canada. Its doors closed in Tacoma in 1979, after 3/4 of a century of quenching the thirst of the Northwest.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Sales personnel--Tacoma; Heidelberg Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960--People;

ca. 1908. Emile Kliese, in a dark beard, and another man stand in the offices of Columbia Brewing Company by their tall desks. Emile Kliese was the German-born brewmaster who, with two other men, William C. Kiltz and John Smith, filled for articles of incorporation in 1900 "to brew and sell at wholesale and retail beer and other malt beverages" at a company to be known as "the Columbia Brewing Company". Emile Kliese was the first president and brewmaster of the Columbia Brewing Company from 1900 to 1916. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company. (TNT, 10/6/1951, p.A-3)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1900-1910; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Kliese, Emile; Offices--Tacoma--1900-1910; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People;

ca. 1923. Facing north along South C Street Columbia Brewing Company is on the left and West Coast Grocery Company further on the west side. Across the street are the storehouses of the Tacoma Junk Company, of frame construction, and the warehouse of Hunt & Motet, hardware, of concrete construction. A sign at the top of Columbia Brewing Company suggests that you "Drink Blue Bird". During prohibition which started with Washington State prohibition in 1916 and National prohibition which lasted from 1920 through 1933 Columbia manufactured soft drinks including "Birch Beer", "Chocolate Soldier", "Blue Jay", and "Green River". Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1935. A view of the rear of Columbia Breweries' facilities from along Jefferson Avenue. In 1936 Columbia began construction of a $120,000 bottling shop. This shop would complete the third unit of their building program - the first two being the brew house and cellars. The back of McNulty Storage & Transfer and Vicray's Garage can also be seen. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company. The photographer's name in the lower right shows, "Associated Photographic Service, 714 Market Street, Tacoma".

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940;

ca. 1937. One of the chemists at Columbia Breweries is using a slide rule to complete calculations from the data he obtained from earlier tests. A copy of "Alcohol Tables" is among other items on the desk along with a calendar, a pen holder, a telephone and small bottles of chemicals. Copies of industry magazines are laid out on the desk in the foreground, "Chemical Abstracts", "American Brewer", and "Brewers News". Bottles of labeled chemicals are seen behind glass doors on the right and more books are shelved in the back. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. The photographer's name in the lower right shows, "Associated Photographic Service, Commercial Photographers, 714 Market Street, Tacoma".

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Chemistry--Tacoma; Scientists--Tacoma; Desks; Scientific equipment--Tacoma;

ca. 1937. A Great Northern freight car advertises Columbia Breweries "First Car Load Shipment of Canned Beer out of a Pacific Northwest Brewery, Leadership, Alt Heidelberg Guest Beer". In 1936 the company reported that they were the first of the Northwest brewers to introduce canned beer in the territory of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. The photographer's name in the lower right shows, "Associated Photographic Service, Commercial Photographers, 714 Market Street, Tacoma". TPL-9435

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Railroad freight cars--Tacoma; Railroads--Tacoma; Great Northern Railway Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1937. One of the chemists at Columbia Breweries is measuring the specific gravity of at least three different bottles of Alt Heidelberg with a hydrometer and graduated cylinders. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. The photographer's name in the lower right shows, "Associated Photographic Service, Commercial Photographers, 714 Market Street, Tacoma".

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Scientific equipment--Tacoma; Scientists--Tacoma; Laboratories--Tacoma;

ca. 1949. An aerial view of Columbia Breweries along South C Street in the snow. A sign spells out Columbia Breweries around the top of the main building. The eight-story Harmon Manufacturing Company building can be seen in the foreground at 1938 Pacific Avneue. Tacoma Plumbing Supply can be seen around the corner at 315 South 23rd Street. The numerals 7730 have been inscribed on the bottom of the photograph. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1940-1950;

Columbia Brewery's Annual Sales Meeting, 1952. Group of approximately 26 salesmen from Washington, Oregon, California and Alaska in front of the entrance to the Heidelberg Brewery. The men dressed in suits and ties pose for the camera, with the front row sitting in folding chairs. Robert S. Jamieson, seated fifth from the left, was the Sales Manager for the company.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Sales personnel--Tacoma; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--People;