In 1948 Columbia Breweries appointed four new officers and announced that they would be going through an extensive expansion program. The expansion project will include a 20,000 square feet two story building which will house a new bottle shop, and a can beer line. View of man working with metal tank attached to numerous controls, perhaps the control board or fermenting tank area of the plant.

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

Kegging operations at Columbia Breweries. A Columbia Breweries employee, mallet in hand, stands behind a large black manifold which is part of the kegging process in this October, 1951, photograph. Tanks such as the above would serve as buffers between the flow of beer from filters and to the kegs. Columbia Breweries was well known for their Heidelberg brand of beer and Columbia Ale. (Additional information provided by a reader)

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

Columbia Breweries began operation in Tacoma in 1900. By 1951 Alt Heidelberg beer and Columbia Ale, produced by Columbia Breweries, were being sold in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Northern California and were two of the fastest selling brews on the market. Chief Chemist Edward Ehmke, head of the breweries technical staff, helped maintain quality as the company expanded production to meet increased demand. By 1954 they were producing 750,000 barrels of beer a year. The Columbia plant was sold to Carling Brewing Co. in 1959. It closed in 1979. (TNT, 1/8/1952, p.B-4)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Chemistry--Tacoma; Scientists--Tacoma; Laboratories--Tacoma; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Ehmke, Edward; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--People;

Room full of large rectangular tanks- fermenting room.

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

Two large silos with man standing on lower left side looking up the grain storage. Columbia Breweries stored the world's finest grains in these 3-story-high silos. The grain was siphoned from rail cars to the silos and from silo to hoppers pneumatically. (TNT, 1/8/1952, p.B-5)

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

The interior of the Fermenting Cellar at Columbia Breweries shows rows of open tanks. The air in this cellar was sterilized and refrigerated and the room was not open to tours but could only be viewed through glass from a specially-provided gallery. The exterior of the vats and the floor are covered with tile for ease of cleaning. (TNT, 1/8/1952, p.B-6)

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

Columbia Breweries employees. A large group of Columbia Breweries drivers were photographed near their delivery trucks on October 26, 1951. The drivers are dressed in dark uniforms with white shirts and ties. Three trucks have Alt Heidelberg beer logos on them. L-R, Andy Anderson, James Carbone, Wandrow Johnson, Kenneth Call, Jack Manley, Arthur Sohn, Leslie Bussard, Ted Harris, Thomas Wallace, George Bratton, Jack Harris and Joseph Gaidos. Andy Anderson, left, was the sales supervisor in charge. (TNT, 1/8/1952, p.B-8)

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

Group portrait of Columbia Breweries' accounting and office staff in 1951. Columbia Breweries was a well established business by the early 1950's; their Tacoma staff alone would have totaled over 350 workers. Names are listed in the newspaper. (TNT, 1/8/1952, p.B-9)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Group portraits--1950-1960; Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1950-1960; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--People;

Columbia Brewing Company. Delivery trucks with drivers in foreground.

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

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;

Group portrait 32 Columbia Breweries employees from the brewhouse, cellars and wash house posed for their photograph on October 30, 1951. Columbia Breweries had undergone massive expansion in the late 1940's; it would enable them to increase production of their Columbia Ale and Alt Heidelberg brands. Names are listed in the newspaper. (TNT, 1/8/1952, p.B-9)

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

Columbia Brewery building. View of brewery over industrial complex and telephone poles. Automobiles parked on railroad service tracks. Photograph taken in November of 1951.

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

Columbia Brewery building. View of buildings taken from railroad tracks as pictured in November of 1951. Gas Works tank on right, Columbia Brewery on left, St. Joseph's Hospital on hill in distance.

Columbia Breweries (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Seven men are enjoying Alt Heidelberg at Columbia Breweries. They each hold a bottle of the beer bottled in a short-necked "stubby" bottle. An insignia hangs on the wall behind them for Columbia Beer. In 1950 the company launched an advertising campaign featuring the theme of "Brewed in Tacoma" to emphasize the fine beer available right in the home community.

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

Columbia Breweries, banquet at Wedgewood Room, Winthrop Hotel. The large room is filled with men and women seated at long tables on December 19, 1951. They are enjoying Alt Heidelberg from bottles. Columbia Breweries was well known for its special lager brew.

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

ca. 1952. An architectural drawing of Columbia Breweries' new bottle shop that was to be built at the southern end of the brewery along South C Street. The glass-fronted bottling line and storage building would contain over 53,000 square feet of additional plant. Drawing by Wohleb & Wohleb Architects in Olympia, Rober Dudley of Seattle, photographer. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954.

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

ca. 1952. For eight years, beginning in 1949, "Raye & O'Dare," also known as the "Heidelberg Harmonaires," were the voice of Tacoma brewed Heidelberg beer on radio and television. Claude "Raye" Frankforter, at the piano, and Scott O'Dare (whose original name was believed to be Easton Skogsbergh) were heard from three to five nights a week on over 31 radio stations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. Sponsored by Columbia Breweries, the Harmonaires provided song, patter and piano and signed off as "Your Tacoma Neighbor, the Columbia Breweries." Claude (Raye) Frankforter died in 2001. Photograph by Robert Dudley of Seattle and believed to be dated around 1952. Copies of prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. (information on Raye from online quote of Skagit Valley Herald obituary)

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;

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;

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;

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;

A group visiting Columbia Breweries from Spokane and Coeur d'Alene. They pose in front of their bus outside the Winthrop Hotel.

Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

Equipment at Columbia Brewery. Ordered by Seattle Equipment & Supply.

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

The Industrial Bureau of the Chamber of Commerce toured Columbia Breweries and posed for this group portrait. Columbia Breweries welcomed individuals and groups for tours of their newly enlarged and updated plant.

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

A new bottle shop was included in the expansion program at Columbia Breweries begun in 1949. Earlier legislation had required bottling works to be across the road from the brew house. Columbia Breweries' new bottle shop has expanded into new, three-story facilities along South C Street with state-of-the-art bottling lines filling 2,400 cases per hour. One hundred and fifty persons are employed in this department under the supervision of I.E. Heath, bottle shop manager, and his assistant manager, Lawrence Alnutt.

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

In addition to the 20,000 square foot building Columbia Breweries was also adding a 39,000 square foot case-goods warehouse and a new receiving and shipping depot. These additions would make Columbia one of the most modern brewing facilities in the Pacific Northwest; the changes were expected to begin in 1949. View of Heidelberg booth at Tavern Owners' convention; General Beer Distributing Company, Tacoma, with Heidelberg beer and Columbia ale products displayed.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Merchandise displays--Tacoma; Business enterprises--Tacoma; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays;

Over fifty salesmen attended the Heidelberg Sales Clinic held at the Columbia Breweries in December, 1952. The men are posed in front of the main entrance to the brewery. Robert S. Jamieson, the company's sales manager, is believed to be the man seated on the extreme right.

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