Tap Runs Dry On Old Dutch Beer
By JEANNIE WILEY WOLF
Staff Writer
An old-time Findlay drink is no more.
The production of Old Dutch Beer -- which was first made in Findlay during the early 1900s -- has been discontinued by the Pittsburgh Brewing Co.
Although repeated calls to the company were not returned, officials at the Rocking U -- where Old Dutch beer was sold until recently -- have been told that production of the beer has been discontinued.
"It was probably a lack of volume and business," said Lou Urbanski, one of the last surviving owners of the former Krantz Brewing Co. of Findlay. "A lot of people have fond memories of it. It was a very popular beer."
The brewery's history actually dates back to 1891 when Brilliant City Brewery opened its doors at the corner of Jefferson Street and Clinton Court.
According to early reports in the Republican-Courier and a history compiled by McComb antique dealer Joe Frey, the brewery was purchased seven years later by Peter Krantz for his sons, Peter Jr., Joseph and Charles. The Altmeyer brothers later bought out the Krantz family and operated the brewery until prohibition.
The facility began manufacturing ice for the retail market in 1904, the same year electricity was brought to the plant. A fire in July 1906 caused $65,000 damage, and the plant had to be rebuilt.
Frey found the first advertisements for "Old Dutch Beer" in 1914-15. The trademark old Dutch couple was apparently adapted from a painting entitled "A Friend In Need" which featured an elderly man threading a needle and a woman eating a bowl of soup. Findlay legend tells that Dr. A.H. Linaweaver, a local artist-physician, saw the original in the Louvre in Paris and did the changes.
By December 1918 -- and with the coming of prohibition in January 1920 -- the brewery was closed. The name was changed to Krantz Products Co. in May 1919 and non-alcoholic Old Dutch Beer, root beer, birch beer and ginger ale were produced. The facility closed again in 1923.
The brewery remained closed for 10 years. W.J. Altmeyer reopened it in 1933 and offered 6 percent alcohol beer for the first time in 25 years. Beer was available at the plant or for home delivery.
The operation continued on a limited regional basis until 1937 when S.J. Secor and his Toledo associates, Michael Urbanski (Lou's father), Casper Terpinski and Charles Jankowski joined forces with Altmeyer to form Krantz Brewing Corp.
"I had just finished high school," said Lou Urbanski. "I came down and worked summers during college. I learned all phases of the business."
The brewery towers could be seen from Main Street by looking east along the Blanchard River, he said. In 1950, the main office building was moved to make room for an addition at the main plant. The office building, which sits on an angle at 321 Clinton Court, is now used by CHOPIN Hall.
"Back in those days it did a fairly decent business," said Urbanski, who later became an owner in the brewery.
He recalled that the beer originally came packaged in white bottles. However, light tended to make the beer go bad so brown bottles were introduced. Cans later became popular in the 1940s, and the original beer cans were black in color, Urbanski said.
"It used to be 10 cents a bottle. Or you could buy half a barrel for $5.50 or $6," he recalled. "Back then, there was more draft beer. All of the bars had draft beer."
Old Dutch was a leading product in many areas, he added.
"It really grew from pretty humble beginnings," he said.
The brewery also sponsored the "Old Dutch Polka Revue" when television came onto the scene. The show aired on channel 5 out of Cleveland every Monday night.
"It was the first show of its kind featuring top entertainment," said Urbanski. "They served beer on the set. Everyone always wanted to go and be on TV."
The show was later expanded to an hour and continued to air until the early 1950s.
"We had an advertising agency in Cleveland they dreamed it up," he explained. "It worked well for merchandising our product."
The brewery merged with International Breweries, Inc. of Detroit in 1956 and the name was changed to IBI-Old Dutch Division. Secor and Urbanski contracted to work with the new owners for four years. At the end of that time, they both went on to other work, said Urbanski.
The local brewery was closed in 1966 and the main brewery buildings were torn down two years later. The Old Dutch, Frankenmuth and Bavarian brands were sold to Associated Breweries of Detroit. Since 1974, Pittsburgh Brewing Co. has produced Old Dutch beer.
"(Old Dutch) was a pretty popular beer. We've had regular customers who come in asking for it," Urbanski said. "I suppose someday some enterprising person from Findlay might think it would be interesting to bring it back here."
Source: The Courier
Findlay, Oh.
