A Brief and incomplete History of Brewing in
South Bend, IndianaA Brief and incomplete History of Brewing in
South Bend, Indiana
| Muessel Brothers
Muessel Muessel Brewing Company
1852 - 1918
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Founded by Christopher Muessel. His family had immigrated to the U.S.
from Arzberg, Germany, that year.
Became Muessel Bros. in 1874 and M.&W. Muessel in 1891. They settled on the name Muessel Brewing Company in 1893. Originally located at Vistula Ave. and St. Joseph St. Moved in 1865 to Portage Ave. because of a spring to supply water. In 1930 one of the owners was murdered during a robbery at the brewery. Sold to Drewys of Canada Oct 1, 1936. Brands included 905, All American, Atlas Prager, Bull Dog, Cold Brau, Dork, Eastern, Edelweiss, F&G Supreme, Friars Club, G.E.S, Gold Coast, Golden Stein, Great Lakes, Heritage, Home, K&J, Katz, Leisy's, Nine Star, Prost, Red Top, Regal, Salzburg, SGA, Silver Edge, Skol, Trophy, and Volks Brau. In 1905 the brewery founded a housing addition near the Kankakee portage near the brewery. In 1913 they started a professional football team for advertising purposes and hired Knute Rockne, then a college senior at Notre Dame, to organize and coach the team. He was paid $10 to $25 per game. In their first year they were undefeated with a tie against the South Bend Century Club. For the 1914 season, Muessel added the 1913 Indiana Champion "Huebners" and renamed it "Silver Edge". Rockne coached both teams and was an assistant coach at ND. "After finishing practice at Notre Dame, Rockne would hop into his little Overland to conduct practice sessions with both teams.- - - Rockne took on Notre Dame sophomore sensation, halfback Stan Cofall, as an assistant and both of them alternated between the two squads, teaching whatever Rock had planned for that particular session. Rockne signed a memorandum to the effect that he would receive $300 for the season and his assistant would get $100. An additional $50 expense money for each made the entire deal worth $500." - Professional Football Researchers Association |
South Bend Brewing Association
| South Bend Brewing
Association
South Bend Beverage & Ice Company 1900 - 1949
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 Formed by a
consortium of local tavern owners. Produced Hoosier and Tiger brands.
Was called the South Bend Beverage & Ice Company during and after prohibition. The plant was located at 1636 Lincolnway West.
It occupied 22 acres. A four-story building was built in 1903 and a brick
bottling house was added in 1910. It is now on the National Register of
Historical Places.
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Drewrys
| Drewrys Brewery
1936 - 1972
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Drewrys was originally Drewry's
Lake of the Woods Brewery in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It was formed in
1877 by Edward Lancaster Drewry when he bought the Redwood Brewery (formed
1851) of which he was the manager.
They bought the Muessel Brewing Company in 1936 and closed the Canadian operations in 1940. Slogan: Less Filling, More Satisfying. Just after WWII, Drewrys issued horoscope cans more info. Another series from Drewrys featured sports scenes. Owned a branch - Atlas Brewing Company in Chicago, which they bought in the 1951. This brand disappeared in 1962. Drewrys Draft was a popular bottled version in the 1960s. They also marketed Drewrys Bock and a root beer named Drewrys Mountie. Legend says they stopped using the Mountie image after the RCMP complained about it. They joined Associated Brewing in 1963 which then sold to G. Heileman on Aug 1, 1972. The brewery immediately closed the doors. Production went to Evansville Brewing in 1988 and then to Pittsburgh Brewing Company. The plant is still standing on 16 acres, mostly empty, and several renovation plans have been put forth to make it a light manufacturing center.
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Copyright 2004, Bob Ostrander
