The Ringler Brewery was one of three breweries, along with Jacob Ruppert’s and George Ehret’s, that were located on the east side of Manhattan near the confluence of the East and Harlem Rivers known as Hell Gate. (approximately 90th to 100th Streets). It operated under the Ringler name from the early 1870’s up through the mid-1920’s.
The brewery along with the entity that managed it, Geo. Ringler & Co., were both named after German immigrant, George Ringler.
Born in Friederwald, Germany, Ringler’s early life history can be found in his June 5, 1889 “New York Times” obituary.
He was educated in the schools of his native country, learned the brewer’s trade in Bremen and came to America when he was twenty-one years of age to escape service as a soldier. He found employment at the old Winkel Brewery, Third Avenue and Fifty-eighth Street, and soon became foreman. He was afterward foreman with Schmitt & Kochne, where he remained until 1872. Then he left and started the brewery in Ninety-second Street, which has ever since born the name of George Ringler & Co. In this enterprise he has associated with him as partners John C. Bettinger, William Orth and Christian Hachemeister.
The Ringler Brewery got its start when Ringler, along with his partners, purchased the existing brewery of Henry Elias. The events leading up to the purchase were recounted in a story entitled: “The Rise of the Brewing Trade in America,” published in “The Brewers Guardian,” on August 20, 1878.
It may be interesting to note how rapidly a number of the representative brewers have accumulated fortunes, and from what starts in life, as the facts are remembered by entirely respectable gentlemen of their personal acquaintance…
“Mr Schmitt of Schmitt & Koehne in 1862 sold at retail in a basement on Third Avenue, near Fifty-second Street, some cases of wine which he had received from his home in Germany. Then he extended his business by the addition of an Oyster counter. Three or four years later he went into partnership with Elias, now of Elias & Betz. In 1868 Mr. Elias sold out to Mr. Koehne for 20,000 dols., cash….
Mr. Elias, after selling to Koehne, went to Ninety-second Street and bought an old dilapidated brewery, which he kept for five or six years and then sold to George Ringler & Co. for 2oo,000 dols. or 300,000 dols.”
The story is generally supported by the New York City directories where, between 1868/69 and 1872/73, Henry Elias was listed with an address of “E. 92nd St., near Third Ave.,” with the occupation “brewer.” Four years later, in 1873/74, George Ringler, along with two of his partners, Christian Hachemeister and William Orth were all listed as “brewers,” at that same location. A year later, the company name, Geo. Ringler & Co., appeared in the directories for the first time.
That being said, the group had certainly assumed control of the brewery sometime in 1872 as evidenced by this advertisement that appeared in the “Yonkers Statesman” on October 24, 1872.
Of the four named partners, it appears that Ringler and Hachemeister were the primary owners as well as the two involved in the brewery’s day to day management. According to Hachemeister’s obituary, published in the March 6, 1898 edition of the “New York Times,” he was in charge of business management while Ringler devoted himself to the supervision of the brewery.
This early description of the brewery appeared in the 1879 edition of the “Star Almanac.”
The above renowned Brewery, situated near Hell Gate, from which it derives its name, is well known throughout the United States as delivering one of the finest articles that can be shown in Lager Beer brewing. Its vaults, built in solid rock, are features of the establishment, and Ringler’s “FELSEN KELLER BEER” has a world-wide reputation. From 42,800 barrels brewed in the year 1877, it reached 57,984 barrels during the year 1878, an increase in one year of over 15,000 barrels, a fact known by few Brewers…
Around the same time, this advertisement for Ringler’s “Celebrated Lager Beer” appeared in the May 20 1878 edition of “Puck Magazine.”
Ringler passed away in 1889 after which the business incorporated under the George Ringler & Co. name. The notice of incorporation, was dated September 24, 1889, a copy of which was found in the “Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Herald.”
Christian Hachemeister passed away in 1896 and according to his obituary was still the brewery’s business manager at the time of his death. By then the brewery had come a long way from the dilapidated brewery purchased from Elias in 1872, now occupying most, if not all of the block between 91st and 92nd Streets and Second and Third Avenues.
This 1890’s depiction of the brewery complex appeared in a publication called “New York, The Metropolis, Its Noted Business and Professional Men,” published in 1893. It appeared in connection with recent improvements to the brewery complex that included the opening of a new brew house on the site.
Along with the above rendering came a description of the brewery complex, partially transcribed below.
THE RINGLER BREWERY
The buildings of the George Ringler Brewing Company comprise the new brew house on 92nd Street and the refrigerated store house adjoining the old brew house in the rear of the new structure, the refrigerating machine house and condenser house on 91st Street, the covered yard, the stable building next to the refrigerated store house extending from 92nd through 91st Streets, a second stable on the south side of 91st Street, extending through to 90th Street and accommodating 150 horses, as well as the office on the corner of Third Avenue and 92nd Street, and the pumping station on 91st Street between First and Second Avenues. As shown on the accompanying illustration there are two twelve foot wide entrances under the brew house to the driveway connecting the rear buildings of the company…All buildings of the company are thoroughly lighted by arc and incandescent lamps, for which a double lighting plant is provided. After this meagre outline of one of New York’s largest industrial institutions, and when it is stated that it has a brewing capacity of more than 500,000 barrels, some idea of the great Ringler Brewery may be formed….
Around the same time, New York State Factory Inspection Reports dated 1895 and 1898 indicated the brewery had approximately 100 employees, all working a 60-hour week.
Another rendering of the brewery, this one headlining the brewery’s 1912 calendar, indicated that sometime after 1893 two additional stories were added to the main brew house.
Up through the first decade of the 1900’s NYC Copartnership and Corporation Directories indicated that the brewery was closely managed by the Ringler and Hachemeister families. The following advertisement found in the April, 1900 edition of “Blue Pencil Magazine” named Ringler’s son, William G., president and Hagemeister’s son, Henry, treasurer of the company.
In other years, Ringler’s brother, Frederick and George Jetter were both, at times, listed as president. The Jetter’s were related to the Hachemeister’s by marriage.
Things changed in 1910 when William G. Ringler passed away and his will named brewers, George F. Trommer and George Ehret, Jr., as executors. Subsequently, in the mid to late teens, NYC Copartnership and Corporation Directories named George Ehret, Jr., president and George F. Trommer, treasurer of the corporation. At the same time, J. Edward Jetter, continued to be listed with the corporation, now as vice-president.
During this time the brewery remained operational as evidenced by this February, 1916 advertisement found in the “Seventh Regiment Gazette.”
In the late teens, with prohibition looming, the Ringler story is picked up by the “Findings of Fact” in a court case entitled: “George Ringler & Co., Petitioner, v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, Respondent.”
The petitioner is a New York corporation with principal offices in New York City and prior to prohibition was engaged in the manufacture and sale of beer. Its brewery consisted of two operating units, each with a yearly capacity of 150,000 barrels…
Because of the “Brown Act,” enacted by the New York State Legislature in October, 1917, reducing the number of saloons throughout the State, the petitioner lost a great many customers and its sales were reduced to 104,000 barrels of beer per year. On account of this loss of business in October, 1918, petitioner, pending a change in prohibition laws, ceased operation of the unit of its plant consisting of a storage building and brew house erected in 1876 and 1881, respectively, and certain machinery and equipment located therein…
The “Finding of Facts” went on to say:
…the stock of goods was subsequently used in manufacturing a cereal beverage or near beer…
As early as 1918 Geo. Ringler & Co. was registering trademarks for cereal beverages. One of the earliest I can find was for a cereal beverage called “RINGCO.” Registered in August, 1918, the application states the company had been using it since January of that year.
By 1920 Trommer and Ehret had apparently left the firm, with the NYC Directory now listing J. Edward Jetter as president. Jetter submitted applications to trademark several more cereal beverage labels in the early 1920’s so, while I can’t verify it with any newspaper advertisements, I have to assume they were manufacturing cereal beverages or near beer in the early 1920’s.
That being said, they were certainly brewing the real thing as well, and that became an issue in 1925 when this front page headline appeared in New York City’s “Daily News.”
The caption below the photo read:
BREWERY RAID. – In one of the largest raids made since the country went dry, federal agents last night swooped down on the Ringler Brewery (good old name) in 92nd St and seized 155 barrels of beer. Seven arrests were made. Chief Agent Ralph Oyler (left) with aides took samples of evidence in the brewery cellar.
The accompanying story provided more detail.
United States Attorney Emory R. Buckner, who plans to dry up New York by padlocking night clubs and speakeasies, is to be presented with evidence this morning of liquor violations against the big brewery works of George Ringler & Co. at 92nd St., between 2nd and 3rd Aves.
Ralph H. Oyler, chief agent of the federal narcotic division here, who, with his men has been watching operations at the plant the past few days, acted shortly before midnight, when he became convinced that beer was leaving the brewery.
The federal agents arrested seven men and seized more than 300 half barrels of beer, worth $3,500.
One truck containing 25 full barrels of real beer, which one of the agents purchased at $22 each, will be held as evidence. Two other trucks, one carrying forty half barrels and the other eighty half barrels, were taken by Oyler’s men immediately after they were seen to leave the brewery. In the basement of the plant another 140 half barrels of beer were seized…
Commenting on the seizure, Oyler said: We have the evidence, but we’ll not attempt to close the brewery. That is up to Buckner. I’ll present the facts to him in the morning and he can do as he sees fit.
Subsequently, the March 20, 1925 edition of the “Brooklyn Daily Times” reported that the brewery had been padlocked and the Jetter family banned from further participation in the brewing business.
George Ringler& Co., Inc. operating a brewery on Ninety-first Street between Second and Third Avenues, Manhattan, together with J. Edward Jetter, president; George J. Jetter, vice president; Christian E. Jetter, secretary; J. Edward Jetter, Jr., treasurer, and Arthur Nosshke, brewmaster, pleaded guilty today before U. S. Judge Bonds in Manhattan, to a complaint charging them with the manufacture, sale and possession of beer.
The company and all its officials were fined $1,000 each, the maximum fine provided by law, and the brewery will be padlocked for four months, beginning on April 1.
United States District Attorney Buckner recommended that the maximum fine be imposed, instead of jail sentences, because the defendants have consented to a decree in equity being signed, enjoining them and their employees from manufacturing, selling or keeping for sale, intoxicating beverages anywhere in the United States during the remainder of their lives.
The defendants also consented to the decree padlocking the premises. Judge Bond signed the decree after imposing the fine.
Three years later an item published in the July 9, 1928 edition of the New York “Daily News” under the heading: “Vote Near; Get Your Brewery Early!” announced that the brewery building was up for sale.
Real, cold foaming beer soon may be flowing from New York breweries without legal interference..
At least that’s what F. B. Robert of 217 Broadway, believes.
The old Ringler brewery, 92nd St., near 3rd Ave., padlocked in 1925, stands all ready to manufacture fine beer, as soon as the law is changed. Robert, who has the property to sell, is so excited about the possibility of Gov. Smith being elected and changing the law that he inserted ads in the papers yesterday.
Prohibition would not be repealed for another five years and what ultimately became of the brewery itself is unclear. Today, the entire block that housed the brewery complex consists of high-rise housing.
The bottle I found is a 12-ounce machine made bottle with a crown finish. A monogram of G..R. & Co. is embossed on the shoulder and the embossed company name, “GEO. RINGLER & CO. NEW YORK” encircles the bottle just above the base.
The bottle likely contained one of the following Ringler brands all pictured in similar bottles with crown finishes.
ONE FINAL FOOTNOTE TO THE RINGLER STORY – In addition to picturing Ringler’s New York brewery complex, the 1893 rendering, shown previously in this post, also pictured an “Ale Brewery” located in Connecticut (upper right hand corner). A blow-up of that portion of the rendering is shown below.
The brewery, locally referred to as the Elm City Brewery was associated with George Ringler & Co. for only a short while in the mid-1890’s. According to an item in the October 31, 1892 edition of New Haven Connecticut’s “Morning Journal-Courier:”
The Elm City Brewery was sold Saturday to George Ringler & Co. of New York, who will improve the plant.
Less than three years later, the April 10, 1895 edition of the “Meridian Daily Journal” reported it’s sale.
The Quinnipiac Brewing Company this morning completed negotiations for the purchase of the Elm City Brewing Company’s plant, owned by the George Ringler Company of New York.
A clause in the contract of sale prohibits the Ringler company from doing business in this city..