THE BEGINNINGS
- Of Bavarian Brewery
THE BEGINNINGS
- Of Bavarian Brewery
ADS - From Newspapers
LOCAL CHAPTERS
For Breweriana In Cincinnati:
BREWERIANA
WHAT IS BREWERIANA?
Simply stated, Breweriana refers to items associated with a brewery or its brands that are collectible.
More specifically, it includes items directly connected to the production, distribution and consumption of a brewer's beverages, such as barrels & kegs, bottles-cases-cartons, cans, caps / crowns, labels, openers, taps, etc. It also includes items that brewers used to promote their beverages, like advertisements, various types of signs (backlit, neons, non-lit, & specialty), back bar-figurals, coasters & napkins, clothing, corporate material, drinkware & foam scrappers, miscellaneous, patches & pins, posters & postcards, smoking accessories, stationary, trays & chargers, etc. Further, there can be specialties within certain categories, e.g. cone top or flat top type cans, and by age, e.g. Pre-Prohibition. Please click the accompanying image of various Breweriana items, all associated with the Bavarian Brewing Co.
Even though such items as lithographs, photographs, maps, blueprints and corporate minutes can also part of Breweriana, they have not been considered separately herein. Instead, they have been included and referenced under the History of the Bavarian Brewing Co., which operated for a century; from 1866 to 1966.
Simply click any of the underlined categories above to view individual items or, select the above Breweriana tab in the above menu. The origin of each category is often mentioned, and the items are presented chronologically to show their evolution. Within this website, the aforementioned Breweriana categories include items that primarily pertain only to the Bavarian Brewing Co. An exception is that some Breweriana items are also shown for the Heidelberg Brewing Company, which was acquired by Bavarian Brewing Co. and also located in Covington, KY.
WHY COLLECT BREWERIANA?
The attraction of breweriana to collectors is often connected to nostalgia. For example, it can include a local brewer, or brewers, in a city where a person grew up. It can also be associated with a beer that a person or a family member drank, or where a relative worked. Regardless, it is because a collector finds certain brewery items unique and interesting. One of the most popular areas of Breweriana has been the collection of beer cans. The popularity of can collecting began in the 1970's and exploded to about 12,000 collectors in a decade, but has since declined. However, the type of brewery items collected has widened, and its popularity is supported by the national associations mentioned below.
For anyone that becomes more interested in collecting Breweriana items, please refer to noted associations, which collectively have dozens of local chapters. If you are from the Cincinnati - Northern Kentucky area, where Bavarian Brewing Co. was located, the local Queen City Chapter is indicated below.
Many Breweriana items are on display at the Bavarian Brewery Exhibit located in the former Bavarian Brew House, which was repurposed as the Kenton County Government Center. Some of the display cases that contain such items are shown below. To view the exhibit in person, please see Visit Information.
Some of the older cans and other items associated with older breweries can be very scarce, highly collectible and quite valuable, especially those in excellent condition. For example, some Pre-Prohibition signs and early beer cans have been sold for over $25,000.
The former Oldenburg Brewery in Ft. Mitchel KY, was the site of the American Museum of Brewing History and Arts. Most of the museum's collection was reportedly purchased for about a million dollars by Miller Brewing Co. Oldenburg was established in 1987 and was one of the early "craft" or microbreweries located not far from the Bavarian Brewery. But the brewery closed in 2001 and its structure was demolished in 2013.
PLEASE DONATE
If you have any Bavarian Brewing Co. items you'd like to donate or loan, please Contact Us.
