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1933 to 1949
Over on the east side of Toledo Ohio, at Oak and
Front Street stood the building that once housed the Home Brewing Company which later was taken over by the Koerber Brewing
Company, makers of the "beer with the clean taste." These building were destroyed by fire in 1954,some five years after Koerber
stopped making beer there.
The last bit of Koerber’s history went under the wrecking ball in November of 1954, battering down the walls
of the fire-damaged structure. A True piece of Toledo history is gone forever.
| (William G. Koerber and wife Ida Mae) |
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Our thanks
go out to Joan Koerber-Walker granddaughter of William G. Koerber president of Koerbers Brewery for the photo and this great
story.
As you can see from the photo , William G. Koerber
had a very close resemblance to another well know figure of that era – Al Capone. The resemblance was so strong
that at a Brew Masters Convention in Atlantic City, Bill and some other prominent Brew Masters – who shall remain nameless
– dressed up like Al Capone and his gang and went strolling down the boardwalk. Soon they were getting attention
and a rookie police officer arrested “Al” and his gang and brought them all down town. The Chief of Police
was called in to the operation – by now late in the evening. He recognized that this was not Public Enemy Number
One. Grandpa may have been a ringer for Capone but the gang was not even close. The Chief called the
hotel and had their wives come and get them. Our “gang” of brew masters enjoyed it so much they had to do
it again the next year. And – YES – they got hauled in again! They thought it was a riot. The
Chief and their wives did not. AND that was the end of that!
(Photo and story courtesy Joan Koerber-Walker….
Granddaughter of William G. Koerber)
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