ca. 1912. The name painted on the side of the brewery is the Columbia Brewing Company. The building was built in 1900 when the brewery was established. Like most early breweries this building was tall and took advantage of gravity in moving materials through the brewing process. Grain storage and milling was often located high in a brewery on the 3rd or 4th floor. The copper brew kettle was commonly located beneath the mash tun at ground level. Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. (Brewed in the Pacific Northwest, Gary and Gloria Meier)

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

ca. 1918. Columbia Brewing Company was established in 1900 on South C Street not far from the giant Pacific Brewing and Malting Company. Emil Kliese was the owner, president and brewmaster of the plant until statewide prohibition in 1916. He died the next year. National Prohibition lasted 13 years, from 1920-1933. During that time the company manufactured soft drinks: "Birch Beer", "Chocolate Soldier", "Blue Jay" (a grape drink), and "Green River". Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. (Brewed in the Pacific Northwest, Gary Meier)

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

The name Columbia Brewing Company is seen on the side of the building. A fence has been added along the sidewalk on the right. The building is at least five stories high and has a flat roof. A small pediment adorns the cornice. The name of the brewery was changed in 1933 to Columbia Breweries, Inc., when it was purchased by Elmer Hemrich. Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951.

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

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;

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;

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;

Interior views at Columbia Breweries, Griffith, Pick, Phillips and Coughlin, James Bull. A view of the bottling line where filled bottles are rinsed prior to labeling.

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

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. He held the longest record of continuous service of any brewmaster in the district. 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;

A group of 23 salemen from Columbia Breweries for Washington, Oregon, California and Alaska pose in front of the company facilities in Tacoma during a recent sales meeting. Robert S. Jamieson, seated fourth from the left, was sales manager of the company. Names are listed in the newspaper. (TNT, 1/8/1952, p.B-10)

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

ca. 1919. Much of the work bottling beer at Columbia Brewing Company was done by hand. Bottles were soaked, rinsed, filled, capped, and made ready for shipment. Bottles began to be used for beer in the 1890's using green glass. Brown glass didn't become popular until after prohibition, after 1933. Half gallon sizes were popular at this time. A sign against the wall on the left advertises "Columbia Golden Drops Beer." (Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951)

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

ca. 1916. A combination of delivery trucks and horse drawn wagons are shown here with 25 of the brewery's employees. The truck on the right advertises Alt Heidelberg. The man standing by the opening to that truck with the dark beard is Emile Kliese, president, owner and brewmaster of the brewery from its founding in 1900 until 1916. The two wagons have canopies over the drivers seats. Both wagons are loaded with barrels. Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. Format 2" x 9 1/2"

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People; Kliese, Emile;

ca. 1919. The wooden-tanked and crudely refrigerated cellar was the one and only storage cellar of the early day Columbia Brewing Company. In those days the brewery had scarcely more than a few hundred barrels of beer in production. Frost has condensed on the pipes leading around the top of this cellar. Gustav Schuster, manager of Columbia Brewing Company from September 17, 1917, to October 31, 1929, is standing on the left with a hat and moustache. Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. (TNT, 1/7/1952) Format 6 1/4" x 7 1/2" TPL-7952

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People; Schuster, Gustav;

ca. 1935. Columbia Brewing Company was purchased by Elmer Hemrich in 1933 and the name was changed to Columbia Breweries, Inc. The automobiles in this photograph are from the 1920's and 1930's which provide an estimated date of 1935. The brewery has been added onto with another structure along the right side about halfway back and a one story addition at the top. In 1936 Columbia began construction of a $120,000 bottling shop, a portion of which was devoted to canned beer. Columbia was the first of the Northwest brewers to introduce canned beer in this territory. This shop completed the third unit of their building program, the first two being the brew house and cellars. Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. (Ledger, 3/30/1936)

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

ca. 1937. A view of Columbia Breweries along South C Street from 23rd Street South. The main brewery building looks quite different from earlier photographs. It has been widened and the clapboards either removed or covered. A street sign for 23rd Street South is seen attached to the utility pole in the near right corner. Harrison Brothers office can be seen at 2140 South C Street. Many automobiles from the time are parked along the street. Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. 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; Automobiles--Tacoma--1930-1940;

ca. 1932. Columbia Brewing Company is using one of their wagons in a parade, perhaps for the 4th of July or Memorial Day. The two teams of horses have been draped with bunting and the wagon has been decorated with flags. A young woman stands on the wagon wearing a long white dress. Two men wearing mustaches and dress hats are driving the horses. Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. Format 4" x 9 1/2"

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Carts & wagons--Tacoma--1930-1940; Horse teams--Tacoma--1930-1940;

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;

ca. 1900. Columbia Breweries remained proud of their beginnings in 1900 when Emil Kliese, William Kiltz and John Smith incorporated the Columbia Brewing Company. This photograph of the entire staff of the brewery in 1900 was used in several newspaper stories during the 1940's and 1950's when the company announced new additions to the brewery. Seated in the front are, L-R, William Kiltz, sales manager, and Emile Kliese, president and brew master. The five men in the back are not identified. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954. TPL-9625

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

ca. 1937. One of the chemists at Columbia Breweries is placing test tubes of samples in an autoclave to continue testing the beers and ales brewed at Columbia Breweries. 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;

ca. 1948. A scale model of Columbia Breweries plant as it was planned in 1948. An expansion was announced in 1948 that called for a 2-story unit for a new bottle shop, bottle storage, cellars, and a steam plant. A second unit was to warehouse case goods and a new receiving and shipping depot on property to the rear on Jefferson Avenue that had been acquired in 1948. 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--1940-1950; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Architectural models;