Kentucky Breweries History: Frank Fehr Brewing Company
The Frank Fehr Brewing Company was in business from 1876
until 1964.
Frank Fehr was a native of Alsace (a section of western France with
heavy German influence) and moved to the US in 1862. He worked for several
breweries in different citys untill 1872 when he leased the Gerhardt Otto's
old William Tell Brewery in Louisville on Liberty Street. He and his partner,
Otto Brohm were successful as production increased from just under 600 barrels a year
to over 12,000 in just 12 months. When fire destroyed the brewery in 1876
Fehr bought the site and built the City Brewery and continued to increase
production. Frank Fehr died in 1891 and John F. Kellner
took over as president. Frank Fehr Jr. was a vice president and became
president of the brewery in 1909.
By 1901 Fehr's was Louisville's biggest brewer and joined four
other Louisville breweries to form the Central Consumer's Company which lasted
until Prohibition closed them down.
Fehr's refitted its Liberty Street facility when Prohibition ended
and opened in September 1933 taking its place as one of the large regional breweries.
In August 1940 Fehr's made the jump to using cans.
Fehr's sales peaked in 1949 and it was the largest selling brand in Kentucky and
Indiana. However, the brewery was under the same intense pressure from the
big nationals as was every other small or regional brewer in the country.
Also, Fehr's made the decision to push a new brand called "Liquid Gold" which
ended up eating into the sales of their flagship brand, Fehr's XL.
As sales dropped Fehr's began a merry-go-round series of management
changes as Frank Fehr III and his nephew Fehr Kremer battled for control of
the company, switching places as the brewery's President. In 1957 Fehr's was
again losing money and, hit by a lien for back taxes by the IRS, filed for
Chapter X bankruptcy. It was reorganized in March 1959 with entirely new
leadership. Liquid Gold had been dropped and the brewery was selling Fehr's
Pasteurized Draught Beer, Fehr's XL, and Kentucky Malt Liquor/Lager. However,
even though sales increased the brewery continued losing money. In 1964 it
was closed and in 1968 the corporation was sold with Schoenling in Cincinnati
buying the brand names and beer formulas. The last 7,000 barrels of beer were
dumped into the sewers. The brewery site current tenant is a senior citizens
housing development.
|
