Weinhard Brewery Complex
Encyclopedia
The Henry Weinhard Brewery complex, also the Cellar Building and Brewhouse and Henry Weinhard's City Brewery, is a former brewery
in Portland, Oregon
. Since 2000, it and the neighboring A.B. Smith Automotive Building have been on the National Register of Historic Places
. In that same year, construction began to reuse the property as a multi-block, mixed-use development known as the Brewery Blocks.
style. Completed in 1908, other businesses in the area hired architects to emulate this design theme when building their own warehouses and industrial buildings. At its highest level, the structure has six floors. The structure is actually two buildings that appear as one: The Brewhouse (on the north side of the block), and the Malt and Hop Building (facing Burnside Street).
purchased an existing brewery on this site, the City Brewery, in 1864. He then moved his operations to the then-two block site on West Burnside Street. Business boomed, and between 1865 and 1872 two additional blocks to the north were purchased. As many breweries also owned the saloons that sold their beer at the time, a large business empire owning properties throughout the Northwest, from San Francisco
to Canada was run from here. Weinhard's brewing business continued to expand to the point where he even offered to pipe beer directly to the Skidmore Fountain
. This offer was declined by civic leaders. By 1890, the brewery produced 100,000 barrels of beer annually.
The present buildings were completed in 1908 in order to meet the expanding brewing needs of the Henry Weinhard brewing empire, now serving the Pacific Northwest
and even the Philippines
and China
. Once Prohibition
was enacted, the brewery managed to survive by brewing near-beer (a brew of less than 0.5 percent alcohol), syrup
s and sodas
– such as root beer
, becoming a local bottler of national brands. Vanilla cream and other syrup products were marketed as "Gourmet Elixirs".
Mergers with and sales to other breweries occurred over the years. A merger with competitor Portland Brewing brought the Blitz name into the formal name of the brewery. Arnold Blitz, who had owned Portland Brewing, became Chairman of the new Blitz-Weinhard company. The new company took 20 years to modernize the brewery and recover from Prohibition, which ended in 1933. In 1979, Blitz-Weinhard was sold to the Pabst Brewing Company
. Pabst then sold the brewery to Stroh Brewing Company in 1996. The last and final sale of the company in 1999 had major effects on the brewery building. Stroh's sold the Henry Weinhard's brand to Miller Brewing Company
, and moved all Henry's brewing operations to the Olympia Brewery
in Tumwater, Washington
. After nearly 135 years of continual operations, the Weinhard Brewery brewed its last beer on August 27, 1999. It was put up for sale the following month.
The renovated Brewhouse was completed in November 2002, after two years of extensive renovations. The west side of the Brewhouse's low as developed into Brewery Tower, an office building. The upper floors of the historic buildings are office space, and the first floors contain retail. Henry's 12th Street Tavern, in the Brewhouse building, continues the building's historical connection to beer. The building was awarded an LEED
certification.
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. Since 2000, it and the neighboring A.B. Smith Automotive Building have been on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. In that same year, construction began to reuse the property as a multi-block, mixed-use development known as the Brewery Blocks.
Architecture
The firm of Whidden & Lewis, Portland's pioneering architects, designed the Brewhouse. The building is designed in a medieval TuscanTuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
style. Completed in 1908, other businesses in the area hired architects to emulate this design theme when building their own warehouses and industrial buildings. At its highest level, the structure has six floors. The structure is actually two buildings that appear as one: The Brewhouse (on the north side of the block), and the Malt and Hop Building (facing Burnside Street).
History
Henry WeinhardHenry Weinhard
Henry Weinhard was a German-American brewer in the state of Oregon. After immigrating to the United States in 1851, he lived in Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and California before settling in the Portland, Oregon, area...
purchased an existing brewery on this site, the City Brewery, in 1864. He then moved his operations to the then-two block site on West Burnside Street. Business boomed, and between 1865 and 1872 two additional blocks to the north were purchased. As many breweries also owned the saloons that sold their beer at the time, a large business empire owning properties throughout the Northwest, from San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
to Canada was run from here. Weinhard's brewing business continued to expand to the point where he even offered to pipe beer directly to the Skidmore Fountain
Skidmore Fountain
The Skidmore Fountain is a historic fountain in Portland, Oregon, United States. It was dedicated September 22, 1888, in memory of Stephen G. Skidmore and partly financed by his will. It was designed by sculptor Olin Levi Warner for $18,000, all of which was donated...
. This offer was declined by civic leaders. By 1890, the brewery produced 100,000 barrels of beer annually.
The present buildings were completed in 1908 in order to meet the expanding brewing needs of the Henry Weinhard brewing empire, now serving the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
and even the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Once Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
was enacted, the brewery managed to survive by brewing near-beer (a brew of less than 0.5 percent alcohol), syrup
Syrup
In cooking, a syrup is a thick, viscous liquid consisting primarily of a solution of sugar in water, containing a large amount of dissolved sugars but showing little tendency to deposit crystals...
s and sodas
Soft drink
A soft drink is a non-alcoholic beverage that typically contains water , a sweetener, and a flavoring agent...
– such as root beer
Root beer
Root beer is a carbonated, sweetened beverage, originally made using the root of a sassafras plant as the primary flavor. Root beer, popularized in North America, comes in two forms: alcoholic and soft drink. The historical root beer was analogous to small beer in that the process provided a drink...
, becoming a local bottler of national brands. Vanilla cream and other syrup products were marketed as "Gourmet Elixirs".
Mergers with and sales to other breweries occurred over the years. A merger with competitor Portland Brewing brought the Blitz name into the formal name of the brewery. Arnold Blitz, who had owned Portland Brewing, became Chairman of the new Blitz-Weinhard company. The new company took 20 years to modernize the brewery and recover from Prohibition, which ended in 1933. In 1979, Blitz-Weinhard was sold to the Pabst Brewing Company
Pabst Brewing Company
Pabst Brewing Company is an American company that dates its origins to a brewing company founded in 1844 by Jacob Best and by 1889 named after Frederick Pabst. It is currently the holding company contracting for the brewing of over two dozen brands of beer and malt liquor from defunct companies...
. Pabst then sold the brewery to Stroh Brewing Company in 1996. The last and final sale of the company in 1999 had major effects on the brewery building. Stroh's sold the Henry Weinhard's brand to Miller Brewing Company
Miller Brewing Company
The Miller Brewing Company is an American beer brewing company owned by the United Kingdom-based SABMiller. Its regional headquarters are located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the company has brewing facilities in Albany, Georgia; Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin; Eden, North Carolina; Fort Worth, Texas;...
, and moved all Henry's brewing operations to the Olympia Brewery
Olympia Brewery
The Olympia Brewery brewhouse is at the base of the Tumwater Falls in Tumwater, Washington. The original buildings, constructed in 1896 and reconstructed in 1906, were once the manufacturing site for Olympia Beer. They have long served as a landmark for local residents and drivers along Interstate...
in Tumwater, Washington
Tumwater, Washington
Tumwater is a city in Thurston County, Washington, United States. It lies near where the Deschutes River enters Budd Inlet, the southernmost point of Puget Sound. The population was 17,371 at the 2010 census...
. After nearly 135 years of continual operations, the Weinhard Brewery brewed its last beer on August 27, 1999. It was put up for sale the following month.
Redevelopment
In early 2000, local developers Gerdling-Edlen purchased the entire brewing complex, which consisted of five blocks by the end of brewing operations. GBD proceeded to develop a mixed-use area consisting of offices, retail, and condo towers known as the Brewery Blocks. As part of the project, historic buildings were to be preserved and integrated into the new development. The brewhouse's historical importance was recognized with a listing on the National Registry of Historic Places, along with the A.B. Smith Building's art deco facade, in August 2000, a year after brewing had ceased.The renovated Brewhouse was completed in November 2002, after two years of extensive renovations. The west side of the Brewhouse's low as developed into Brewery Tower, an office building. The upper floors of the historic buildings are office space, and the first floors contain retail. Henry's 12th Street Tavern, in the Brewhouse building, continues the building's historical connection to beer. The building was awarded an LEED
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
certification.
See also
- Architecture of Portland, Oregon
- List of Registered Historic Places in Multnomah County, Oregon