Below are a few of the Reading area breweries from back in the old days. Breweries like Reading, Sunshine, Deppen, and Lauer were just some of the major breweries in the area. Check back later as I will be adding more breweries to the list along with reference photos.
Reading Brewing Company
Reading Brewing Co. 1886-1920
Brewery operations shut down during Prohibition in 1920
Issued permit for the production of non-alcoholic beverages during Prohibition in 1920
Prohibition Ends!
Closed in 1976
Status of the building: Partially demolished, bottle house and administration buildings still stands to this day.
Sunshine Brewing Company
Peter Barbey & Son 1880-1920
Prohibition Ends!
Closed in 1970
Status of the building: Demolished during the 1970’s. Click here to view a video of the brewery demolition.
Deppen Brewing Company
Brewery operations shut down during Prohibition in 1920
Prohibition Ends!
Deppen Manufacturing Co. 1933-1937
Closed in 1937
Status of the building: Main brewhouse still standing to this day. Currently being used by an Electric Supply Company.
Beer Produced: Deppen’s Dark | Deppen’s Lager | Deppen’s Pilsener | Deppen’s Special Brew | Ramona Brew | Deppen’s Ale | Deppen’s Bock | Deppen’s Ale | Deppen’s Beer | Deppens Porter | Queen Quality Porter | Queen Quality Beer | Bob Ale | Bob Beer | Ramona Ale | Buzz Beer | Edinburgh Ale
Lauer Brewing Company
North 3rd & Walnut Streets, Reading, PA
George Lauer 1826-1847
Frederick Lauer, Plant 1 1847-1882
Lauer Brewing Co., Plant 1 1882-1902
Lauer Brewing Co., Plant 2 1882-1920
Brewery operations shut down during Prohibition in 1920
Closed in 1920
Status of the building: Demolished in 1942. Lauer’s Park Elementary School was built where the brewery used to be.
Beer Produced: German Beer
Roehrich & Raab Brewing Company
38 South 7th Street, Reading, PA
Abraham Peltzer 1873-1882
Peltzer & Flaig 1882-1886
Abraham Peltzer 1886-1890
Roehrich & Raab 1890-1903
Purchased by Deppen Brewing Co. 1903
Closed in 1903
Status of the building: Unknown.
Beer Produced: Porter | Bock Beer
Fisher Brewing Company
2000 North 11th Street, Reading, PA
Stocker & Roehrich 1891-1897
John C. Stocker 1897-1904
Estate of John C, Stocker 1904-1906
Fairview Brewery 1906-1912
Mt Penn Brewing Co. 1912-1920
Brewery operations shut down during Prohibition in 1920
Prohibition Ends!
Fisher Brewing Co. 1928-1934
Fisher Brewery 1928-1934
Woerner Brewery 1937-1938
Adam C. Jaeger Brewing Co. 1942-1943
Closed in 1943
Status of the building: Currently being used as Keystone Printing’s Print Shop.
Beer Produced: Fisher’s Grand Old Beer
Boyertown Brewing Company
128 East Philadelphia Avenue, Boyertown, PA
Boyertown Brewing Co. 1934-1947
Boyertown Brewing Corp. 1947-1953
Closed in 1953
Status of the building: Still standing; brewhouse is currently used by The Other Farm Brewing Company.
Beer Produced: Boyertown Porter | Boyertown Ale | Boyertown Beer | Maser Beer
Muhlenberg Brewing Company
2601 Kutztown Road, Reading, PA
Muhlenberg Brewing Co. 1895-1920
Brewery operations shut down during Prohibition in 1920
Prohibition Ends!
Munich Brewery 1934-1934
Closed in 1934
Status of the building: Still standing today. Currently used by Excelsior Blower Systems Inc.
Pottstown Brewing Company
Kanatawney Street & Hanatawney Bridge, Pottstown, PA
Joseph M. Selinger 1886-1888
Hardock & Voelker 1888-1889
Pottstown Brewery 1889-1893
Pottstown Brewing Co. 1897-1913
Froelich Brewing Co. 1913-1920
Brewery operations shut down during Prohibition in 1920
Closed in 1920
Status of the building: Unknown.
Beer Produced: M&H Our Porter | Pottstown Export Beer | Pottstown XXX Porter
Herman Floto Brewing Company
47 South 7th St, Reading, PA
Herman Floto Brewery 1814-1832
Closed in 1832
Status of the building: Demolished.
Osterhaut Brewing Company
735 Penn St, Reading, PA
David C. Keller Brewery 1875-1877
Cloud Hotel & Brewery 1877-1880
Keller & Schaeffer Brewery 1880-1884
Keller & Eyring Brewery 1884-1888
Otto Eyring Brewery 1888-1893
Edward H. Gaul Brewery 1893-1895
Rich C. Osterhaut Brewery 1895-1900
Closed in 1900
Status of the building: Demolished.
Keystone Brewing Company
4th & Elm St, Reading, PA
Keystone Brewery 1871-1874
Reiser & Rudolph Heintz Brewery 1874-1874
Closed in 1874
Status of the building: Unknown.
Heidelberg Brewing Company
131 South 2nd St, Reading, PA
Heidelberg Brewery 1860-1872
Closed in 1872
Status of the building: Unknown.
Hoch Brewing Company
Penn Street Below 6th, Reading, PA
John Spohn 1780-1798
Joseph Hoch 1798-1867
Closed in 1867
Status of the building: Unknown.
Seidel Brewing Company
86 East Penn St, Reading, PA
John L. Borell 1843-1861
Henry Seidel 1861-1863
Levi L. Bertolet 1863-1865
Henry Seidel 1865-1870
Closed in 1870
Status of the building: Unknown.
Bright Brewing Company
4th Street between Franklin and Chestnut, Reading, PA
Henry Eckert 1763-1766
John Spohn 1766-1775
Jacob Bright 1775-1826
Closed in 1826
Status of the building: Unknown.
Wisler Brewing Company
Reading, PA
Jacob Wisler 1858-1866
Closed in 1866
Status of the building: Unknown.
Schick and Fett Bottling Company
Reading, PA
John Fehr 1850 – 1855
Herman Floto 1855 – 1864
Schick and Fett 1864 – 1887
J. Fett and Sons 1887 – 1890
Closed in 1890
Status of the building: Unknown.