In 1948 Columbia Breweries appointed four new officers and President Norman Davis announced that they would be going through an extensive expansion program. The expansion project was to include a 20,000 square feet two story building housing a new bottle shop, and a can beer line. View of the new canning machinery at Columbia Breweries.

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

Brew kettles, Columbia Breweries, Davis. An employee adds hops to the large copper brew kettle used to boil the wort, one of the early stages of beermaking. The kettle is fitted with a curved cap with a large tube that filters the evaporation coming from the kettle. The brewery owned two of the kettles that had a capacity of 330 barrels each. Anders W. Erikson was the brew master in 1948.

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

Columbia Breweries. Brew kettle being dismantled. The kettle was used for brewing beer. Ingredients were added on the upper level of the kettle- barley malt, hops and water. The brewery had two enormous copper kettles with a capacity of 330 barrels each and made an average of 6 brews each day. Two deep artesian wells on the property supplied the water, pumping 66,000 gallons per day. The company was known as Columbia Breweries from 1900-1949. It was purchased by Heidelberg Brewing Co. in 1949 but continued to do business as Columbia. On July 15, 1953, the brewery officially changed its name to Heidelberg Brewing Company. They sold in 1958 to Carling Brewing Co. of Canada and closed their doors in Tacoma in 1979, after 3/4 of a century of brewing.

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

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;

Exterior brewery. The Silver Springs Brewing Co., "Home of Oldstyle Pilsener Beer", competed with Heidelberg Brewing (Columbia Breweries) for a share of the Northwest market. Their Oldstyle Pilsener and Hartz brands were brewed with artesian water. View of exterior of Silver Springs brewery; railroad crossing sign indicated that there would be easy transport of the bottled products from the brewery to customers. Silver Springs had been in existence since 1934 and located in Tacoma since 1950. They continued to expand their sphere of operations for many years.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Silver Springs Brewing Co. (Tacoma);

Long view exterior brewery. This photograph of the Heidelberg Brewing Co. was taken from down the street on August 26, 1954, and shows that the brewery's shipping & receiving department was apparently separated from the main buildings by the J.E. Bunker Co., a dealer in bicycles. Heidelberg had purchased the well-known Columbia Breweries in 1949 and changed its name formally in 1953. By 1954, it had tripled its size. The building between the bicycle store and the shipping department was the new three-story cellar building which was used for storage and fermentation. Costing $700,000, it had three floors full of storage tanks with enough beer to fill 45 million bottles. (TNT 9-3-54, C-16) TPL-6499

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Heidelberg Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Signs (Notices);

Night exposure Heidelberg brewery. The lighted buildings of the Heidelberg Brewing Co. appear as beacons in the night in an August 26, 1954, photograph. The company's name stands out in stark relief on the water tower and main facility. The photograph was taken from below the brewery's "C" Street location from the viewpoint of Chester Hauge's Hauge's Gateway Service at 25th & Pacific Avenue. Photograph ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Co.

Heidelberg Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Signs (Notices); Hauge's Gateway Service (Tacoma);

Exterior-Heidelberg Brewery. The Heidelberg Shipping Depot was located at S. 21st and Jefferson within sight of the lettered water tower and other parts of the brewery. A large delivery truck is parked outside the entry to the depot. Heidelberg had purchased Columbia Breweries in 1949 but waited until July, 1953, to change its name. Two years after this May 15, 1957, photograph was taken, the brewing company would be acquired by Carling Brewery. Photograph ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Co. TPL-5511

Heidelberg Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

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. 1920. A fan of Columbia Brew, a "near beer" produced by the Columbia Brewing Company, models a suit for not-just-any occasion. The jacket and pants have been made by pasting labels for Columbia Brew on pants and a striped shirt. The top hat also displays an enlarged label for Columbia Brew. The Columbia Brewing Company opened their brewery on South C Street between South 21st and South 23rd in 1900. They made "Columbia Brew" during the dry period of prohibition. Columbia Brewing Co. was purchased by Heidelberg Brewing Co. in 1949; which was purchased by Carling Brewery in 1959. The plant closed in 1979. (Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954.) Format 6" x 8". TPL-5565

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

ca. 1919. Gustav Schuster was the manager of the Columbia Brewing Company in Tacoma from September 17, 1917 to October 31, 1929. For the whole time he was manager, the brewing industry was prevented from making beer by state and federal prohibition laws. In 1919 Mr. Schuster began producing "Colo - a malt beverage of quality" at the Tacoma plant. Colo was a nonalcoholic "near beer" and was classified as a soft drink. The Columbia Brewery managed to survive prohibition and in 1949 they were bought out by Heidelberg Brewery. Heidelberg was in turn purchased by Carling Brewery which operated the Tacoma plant at 2120-32 South C Street until 1979, when it closed.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Offices--Tacoma--1910-1920; Desks; Writing materials; Safes; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People; Schuster, Gustav;

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. 1923. The rear of Columbia Breweries showing the Northern Pacific Railway tracks and properties across the tracks that faced west to Jefferson Avenue including J.J. Gunlocke Auto Tops who were located at 2121 Jefferson Avenue from 1918 through 1925. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. (This was a copy print made by the Richards Studio of a Marvin D. Boland photograph #B14364)

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;

ca. 1949. This aerial view of Columbia Breweries along South "C" Street in downtown Tacoma is nearly identical to C87485, image 12, except for the Heidelberg logo missing in the left corner. The photograph was taken during a snowy day circa 1949. The brewery is located in near-left center and is labeled "Columbia Breweries" and "Columbia Ale" near the top of the main building. Heidelberg Brewery purchased the Columbia Breweries plant in 1949 and remodeled and rebuilt it. The plant would once again be sold in 1959 when Carling Brewery purchased it. It would finally close in June of 1979.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Aerial views; Aerial photographs; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950;

ca. 1949. A view of the bottling line at Columbia Breweries where bottles of Columbia Ale are being crated into cases. In 1946 Columbia Breweries brought the long-neck, 12-ounce brown bottles back on the market and they were selling approximately 140,000 barrels per year. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. The photographer's name in the lower right shows, "Associated Photographic Service, 714 Market Street, Tacoma".

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

ca. 1949. A view of the bottling line at Columbia Breweries where newly filled bottles are coming from the left and being capped automatically. Men are standing at the ready in case anything should run amiss with the automated processes. Filled and capped bottles move off to the next phase on the right. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. The photographer's name in the lower right shows, "Associated Photographic Service, 714 Market Street, Tacoma". TPL-8848

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

ca. 1952. In addition to sponsoring the "Heidelberg Harmonaires", Claude Raye and Scott O'Dare, on over 31 radio stations and television Columbia Breweries also sponsored Clay Huntington who broadcast "Baseball by Heidelberg", Bob Field, a well known hockey announcer who broadcast "Hockey by Heidelberg" from the Tacoma Ice Arena, and Bill O'Mara who covered "Wrestling by Heidelberg". Photograph by Robert Dudley of Seattle. Copies of prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. (TNT, 1/8/1952, p.B-11)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Pianos; Music ensembles--Tacoma; KOMO-KJR Radio Station (Seattle); Radio broadcasting--Tacoma--1950-1960; Raye, Claude; O'Dare, Scott; Advertising--Tacoma--1950-1960;

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;

Advertisers have developed a three-dimensional sign for Heidelberg Beer - a mobile that is attached to a beer stein depicting the Student Prince, one of the logos for Heidelberg Beer. The base suggests, "Have a Heidelberg".

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

Party at Alt Heidelberg plant. Men gathered around one of the large beer vats. (T. Times).

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

ca. 1935. Columbia Breweries started with seven staff members in the early 1900's. In 1939 J.F. Lanser was president of the company and Otto Birkmaler was brewmaster, producing Columbia Ale. Since prohibition ended in 1933, production of Columbia's Alt Heidelberg beer had been dramatically increased. This elevated view shows the back of Columbia Breweries' plant. The building on left is McNulty Storage and Transfer (listed in 1935 City Directory at 2106 South C Street); across the street on the right is a Richfield service station. A billboard in the center advertises "Camel" cigarettes. A hill and commercial buildings are seen in the background. (WSHS)

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

ca. 1939. Columbia Breweries was about to begin a massive expansion project; this would enable them to increase production of their Heidelberg beer and Columbia Ale. Columbia advertised their products throughout Tacoma and the Pacific Northwest. View of three Alt Heidelberg signs: first is the same as 7A7-3; second, "In the family size steinie", a half gallon bottle; third, "In compact stubbies" bottle of beer. (WSHS)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Beer--Tacoma; Advertisements--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940;

Columbia Brewery truck with Indiana cab. Trailer being loaded with hops or grain from flue inside building. Man on top of truck bed loading grains. Ordered by Tom Jones Perry.

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

The June 1938 County Treasurers and Auditors Convention. Gathered outside of the Columbia Brewery, a large group of men toast the photographer with glasses of beer in this casual portrait of government officials. A man in the front row holds what appears to be a tray of money bills. The convention was held jointly by all counties in the state and was attended by representatives of all 39 of those counties. (T. Times 6/16/1938, pg.1)

Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Government officials--Tacoma--1930-1940; Beer; Eating & drinking; Meetings--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Columbia Brewing Company, exterior view of plant showing truck by loading area and automobiles parked on street. West Coast Grocery Company warehouse at far right.

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