Harvard Brewing Company

Harvard Brewing Company was a historic brewery in Lowell, Massachusetts. It began in 1893 as the Consumer's Brewing Company, established by Lowell businessman John H. Coffey and bottling operator John J. Joyce. In 1898, after an acquisition by New York investors, the business adopted the Harvard Brewing Company name. Joyce became president, while Coffey served as secretary and general manager. The ownership group drew investors from New England and New York and sought to distinguish the enterprise from Lowell's other breweries. The company developed a broad portfolio of beers, including $1000 Pure Beer Crimson Label, Dark Special, Brown Autumn Ale, Old Stock Porter, Sparkling Pale Ale, and Present Use Porter. Commercial success supported substantial investment in buildings, brewing equipment, and bottling capacity. By 1914, the company's bottling house was described as one of the largest in New England. Its scale also gave the brewery influence in Lowell's civic and political life, although that influence generated local criticism. Company leaders, including Joyce and other managers, were arrested on conspiracy allegations; the case did not proceed after the death of a key witness. The brewery's most consequential period came during Prohibition. When national Prohibition eliminated the legal market for ordinary alcoholic beer in 1920, executive Dr. Richard H. P. Juerst attempted to keep the business operating through legal non-alcoholic products, such as cola, ginger ale, and near-beer containing less than 0.5 percent alcohol. The strategy was unsuccessful. Executives Fredrick Quinn and Bartholomew Schannel subsequently increased the alcohol content of some near-beer products beyond federal limits. The resulting enforcement action culminated in a major federal raid on August 19, 1925. The raid followed a chaotic incident involving a truck carrying approximately 100 barrels of illegal Harvard beer. Local residents attempted to take the barrels, producing a large confrontation and leaving only a portion of the shipment intact. At the brewery, workers reportedly locked the premises and attempted to destroy evidence by dumping nearly 500 barrels into the adjacent River Meadow Brook. Federal agents forced entry after hearing barrels being broken inside and seized more than 100,000 gallons of full-strength beer. The action was regarded as the largest Prohibition-era seizure in New England. Most charges against company officials were eventually dropped, although two owners and a manager received fines. The loss of its principal revenue stream contributed to the brewery's auction and transfer to a bank. A New York investment group led by Erwin Lange acquired the brewery in 1932 and restarted operations. The plant was modernized, and after Prohibition ended its bottling house was capable of producing about 1,000 barrels per day. The company marketed Green Label Lager, Harvard Full Stock Ale, Export Beer, and Porter. Its recovery was short-lived, however. Fritz von Opel acquired 97 percent of the shares, with his father holding the remainder, and Walter Guyette became general manager. In 1942, von Opel was arrested and classified by the United States government as a potentially dangerous enemy alien despite being a citizen of Liechtenstein. A German employee was also arrested for transmitting radio messages to the German government. The government seized the brewery through the Office of Alien Property Custodian. Von Opel challenged the seizure through the courts, ultimately without success. Government control continued through the 1940s and into the 1950s, while the brewery's beer lost market popularity. In 1956, the Eisenhower administration sold the property to Fort Knox Construction Company of Miami. The construction company sold it the same year to Peter Doelger, Inc. of New York for $2 million. Facing poor finances and an obsolete or uncompetitive operation, Doelger closed the Lowell brewery and removed its equipment. Fires damaged the remaining property in 1957, and much of the site was demolished in 1963 to make way for a shopping center. The company is now defunct, but its 1925 raid remains a prominent example of Prohibition resistance and enforcement in Lowell.

Harvard Brewing Company originated in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1893 under the name Consumer's Brewing Company. Its founders were John H. Coffey, a Lowell provisions-shop owner, and John J. Joyce, who operated a local bottling business. In 1898, a group of New York businessmen purchased the brewery and renamed it Harvard Brewing Company. The new ownership brought together shareholders from across New England and New York. Joyce became president and Coffey became secretary and general manager. The brewery built a substantial regional business by selling a varied range of beers and ales. Its named products included $1000 Pure Beer Crimson Label, Dark Special, Brown Autumn Ale, Old Stock Porter, Sparkling Pale Ale, and Present Use Porter. Demand enabled the company to modernize its plant and enlarge its buildings. By 1914, its bottling house ranked among the largest in New England. The brewery's economic importance also translated into local political influence. That influence was controversial, and Joyce and other managers were arrested in connection with conspiracy allegations. The matter ended without a completed prosecution after a witness died. Harvard Brewing Company's defining historical episode occurred during Prohibition. National Prohibition began in 1920, eliminating the lawful market for ordinary alcoholic beer. Dr. Richard H. P. Juerst attempted to preserve the business by producing cola, ginger ale, and near-beer with alcohol content below the federal threshold. The substitute products did not generate enough revenue. Executives Fredrick Quinn and Bartholomew Schannel then increased the alcohol level of parts of the near-beer range beyond the permitted limit. The resulting illegal trade led to a federal investigation and a dramatic raid on August 19, 1925. Before the raid, a truck containing about 100 barrels of Harvard beer was hijacked in Lowell. Hundreds of residents rushed toward the shipment, producing a disorderly struggle in which most of the barrels disappeared. At the brewery, employees locked the doors and tried to destroy evidence by breaking and dumping nearly 500 barrels into River Meadow Brook. Federal agents from Boston initially lacked a warrant and were refused entry. After hearing the sound of barrels being smashed, they forced their way inside. Beer spilled over the entrance steps, and agents ultimately confiscated more than 100,000 gallons of full-strength beer. The seizure was described as the largest of its kind in New England during Prohibition. Most cases against company officials were abandoned, but two owners and a manager were fined between $150 and $500. The loss of the brewery's principal source of income helped drive the property into an auction and eventual bank ownership. In 1932, Erwin Lange led New York investors in purchasing and reopening the brewery. Lange became president, Walter Blumenthal secretary, and Walter Guyette a director. The plant underwent another modernization program. By 1933, after Prohibition ended, the bottling house was reported to have capacity for 1,000 barrels per day. Its post-Prohibition portfolio included Green Label Lager, Harvard Full Stock Ale, Export Beer, and Porter. Although operations initially improved, the company approached bankruptcy. Fritz von Opel bought 97 percent of the shares and his father acquired the remainder, while Guyette became general manager. The brewery's recovery was disrupted in 1942 when von Opel was arrested and imprisoned in Palm Beach, Florida, as a person considered potentially dangerous to the United States, despite his Liechtenstein citizenship. A German brewery employee was also arrested for allegedly transmitting radio messages to the German government. The Office of Alien Property Custodian seized the brewery. Von Opel contested the action through the courts and eventually before the United States Supreme Court, but the seizure was upheld. Federal control lasted through the 1940s and into the 1950s, a period in which the brewery's beer declined in popularity. In 1956, the government sold the property to Fort Knox Construction Company of Miami. Fort Knox then sold it to Peter Doelger, Inc. of New York for $2 million. Doelger closed the Lowell plant because of its poor financial condition and removed the brewing equipment. Fires in 1957 destroyed much of the remaining complex, and another fire damaged what survived. In 1963, most of the site was demolished and replaced by a shopping center. The brewery's legacy survives primarily through accounts of the 1925 raid, which illustrates both the scale of local resistance to Prohibition and the difficulties of enforcing alcohol restrictions in Lowell and wider New England.

• 1963

  Most of the brewery site is demolished

  [1]Harvard Brewing Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The former brewery land is cleared for a shopping center.

• 1956

  The government sells the property and the brewery closes

  [1]Harvard Brewing Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Fort Knox Construction Company acquires the site and sells it to Peter Doelger, Inc., which shuts the plant.

• 1942

  The United States seizes the brewery

  [1]Harvard Brewing Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The Office of Alien Property Custodian takes control after the detention of Fritz von Opel and an employee's alleged communications with Germany.

• 1933

  Post-Prohibition production resumes at expanded capacity

  [1]Harvard Brewing Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The modernized bottling house reaches a reported capacity of 1,000 barrels per day.

• 1932

  New York investors reopen the brewery

  [1]Harvard Brewing Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Erwin Lange leads an acquisition and restarts operations before Prohibition ends.

• 1925

  Federal agents conduct the major Lowell raid

  [1]Harvard Brewing Companyen.wikipedia.org

  More than 100,000 gallons of full-strength beer are confiscated from the brewery.

• 1920

  Prohibition removes the legal beer market

  [1]Harvard Brewing Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The company shifts toward soft drinks and near-beer in an effort to remain in business.

• 1914

  Bottling operation becomes one of New England's largest

  [1]Harvard Brewing Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Expansion and modernization give the company a major regional bottling facility.

• 1898

  The brewery adopts the Harvard Brewing Company name

  [1]Harvard Brewing Companyen.wikipedia.org

  New York investors acquire the business and rename it Harvard Brewing Company.

• 1893

  Consumer's Brewing Company is founded

  [1]Harvard Brewing Companyen.wikipedia.org

  John H. Coffey and John J. Joyce establish a brewery in Lowell, Massachusetts.

A regional New England brewery offering a varied portfolio of bottled and draught beers, ales, lagers, porters, and, during Prohibition, non-alcoholic beverages and near-beer.

• Beer

  $1000 Pure Beer Crimson Label

  A named beer in the company's early portfolio, reflecting Harvard Brewing Company's use of distinctive label names to sell its regional products.

• Dark beer

  Dark Special

  An early Harvard Brewing Company dark beer listed among the products that supported the brewery's expansion before Prohibition.

• Ale

  Brown Autumn Ale

  A brown ale from the company's pre-Prohibition range, positioned as one of several differentiated seasonal or style-oriented offerings.

• Porter

  Old Stock Porter

  A porter marketed during the brewery's early growth period and representative of its traditional dark-beer selection.

• Pale ale

  Sparkling Pale Ale

  A pale ale included in the company's broad early product lineup, alongside porters, darker beers, and other ales.

• Lager · 1933

  Green Label Lager

  A post-Prohibition lager marketed after the brewery reopened under Erwin Lange's investor group.

• Ale · 1933

  Harvard Full Stock Ale

  A post-Prohibition ale carrying the Harvard name and included in the company's renewed commercial portfolio after legal beer production resumed.

• Beer · 1933

  Export Beer

  A beer marketed during the brewery's post-Prohibition recovery alongside Green Label Lager, Harvard Full Stock Ale, and Porter.

• Non-alcoholic beverages · 1920

  Near-beer and soft drinks

  During Prohibition, the company produced cola, ginger ale, and near-beer designed to comply with federal alcohol limits. The legal substitute business did not generate sufficient revenue to replace ordinary beer.

• 1942

  Alien-property seizure during World War II

  The government seized the brewery after majority owner Fritz von Opel was detained as a potentially dangerous enemy alien and a German employee was accused of transmitting radio messages to Germany. Von Opel's legal challenge was unsuccessful.

  Source

• 1925

  Prohibition-era beer raid and seizure

  After the brewery allegedly distributed near-beer above the federal alcohol limit, federal agents raided the Lowell plant and confiscated more than 100,000 gallons of full-strength beer. Two owners and a manager were ultimately fined, while other charges were dropped.

  Source

• Conspiracy allegations involving company managers

  John J. Joyce and other Harvard Brewing Company managers were arrested on conspiracy allegations. The charges were later dropped after a witness died.

  Source

Read more

• 1956

  Sale of the brewery to Fort Knox Construction Company and Peter DoelgerM&A

  Background

  Political pressure led the federal government to dispose of the brewery property.

  Action taken

  The government sold the property to Fort Knox Construction Company, which then sold it to Peter Doelger, Inc. for $2 million.

  Aftermath

  Peter Doelger closed the plant and stripped out its equipment, ending the brewery's operating history in Lowell.

  Sale price paid by Peter Doelger, Inc.. $2,000,000 (1956)

  Source

• 1942

  Government control under the Alien Property CustodianStrategy

  Background

  The arrest of Fritz von Opel and a German employee created wartime concerns about ownership and communications with Germany.

  Action taken

  The United States government seized the brewery and retained control through the 1940s and into the 1950s.

  Aftermath

  Von Opel's legal challenge failed, and the brewery's popularity declined while under government control.

  Source

• 1932

  Purchase and reopening by New York investorsM&A

  Background

  The brewery had been auctioned after the Prohibition raid and the loss of its main revenue source.

  Action taken

  An investor group led by Erwin Lange acquired and reopened the brewery.

  Aftermath

  The plant was modernized and returned to substantial production after Prohibition ended, although the business later approached bankruptcy.

  Source

• 1925

  Continue production of beer above Prohibition limitsOther

  Background

  Legal near-beer and soft drinks failed to sustain the business.

  Action taken

  Executives Fredrick Quinn and Bartholomew Schannel increased the alcohol content of part of the near-beer lineup beyond federal limits.

  Aftermath

  The decision led to a federal investigation, the August 1925 raid, substantial beer confiscation, fines, and the brewery's eventual auction.

  Source

• 1920

  Shift into non-alcoholic beverages during ProhibitionStrategy

  Background

  National Prohibition eliminated the legal market for ordinary alcoholic beer.

  Action taken

  Under Dr. Richard H. P. Juerst, the company produced cola, ginger ale, and near-beer below the federal alcohol threshold.

  Aftermath

  The substitute-product strategy was financially inadequate, and later executives moved into illegal production above the permitted alcohol level.

  Source

• 1898

  Rename the brewery after an ownership changeStrategy

  Background

  New York businessmen acquired the former Consumer's Brewing Company and wanted a distinct identity among Lowell's breweries.

  Action taken

  The company adopted the Harvard Brewing Company name and reorganized its leadership under John J. Joyce and John H. Coffey.

  Aftermath

  The renamed company expanded its product range and invested in larger facilities.

  Source

1. 1Harvard Brewing Companyen.wikipedia.org