Falls City Brewing Company
Encyclopedia
Falls City Brewing Company is based in Louisville, Kentucky
, USA. The company operated from 1905 until 1978 and was re-organized in 2009. Falls City is currently owned and operated by Louisville entrepreneur, David Easterling, and has made a stirring comeback as a "craft" beer. The new recipe is an English-Style Pale Ale, similar to a variety that was part of the Falls City lineup in the 1930's when they had a variety of beers in addition to the famous light lager. Falls City is now available in more than 120 bars and restaurants in the Louisville area, Lexington, KY, and Indiana.
on beer production by the Central Consumers Company. Central Consumers also owned the taverns (or tied house
s) located in neighborhoods where they could be operated profitably. The brewer, acting as landlord and supplier at the same time, caused the tavern operator to be at their mercy. This practice, while common in the United Kingdom
, was later outlawed in the US.
Draft beer was introduced in 1906 and bottled beer
two years later. A small ice house was built in connection with the brewery, and ice was sold to peddlers who operated in the western part of the city. In 1911, the company purchased a five ton Morgan truck and one half ton auto car, and there was a great rivalry among the drivers as to who would be chosen to drive the two trucks. Also in 1911, the Central Consumers company tried to buy out their little competitor. A number of heated debates took place and loyal stockholders fought to retain the company.
and the company reorganized. From 1919 to 1933 the company survived as the Falls City Ice and Beverage Company by producing ice, soft drinks, and near beer. Despite no longer being able to brew beer, the company actually prospered.
, Indiana
, Tennessee
, and West Virginia
. Following Repeal, Falls City's chief competitors were Frank Fehr Brewing Company and Oertel Brewing Company, both rival Louisville breweries. Sterling Brewers of Evansville, Indiana
, began making serious incursions in the Louisville market with its popular Sterling Beer. For a time Sterling actually overtook Falls City for the number one sales position in Louisville. Ironically, Falls City overtook Sterling the number one sales position in Evansville at about the same time.
Falls City was briefly involved in auto racing. In the 1930s, Falls City was the official beer of the Indianapolis 500
. In 1973, the company sponsored future NASCAR
superstar Darrell Waltrip
in the #48 car. Falls City also went on to sponsor a 200 mile race at the Nashville Speedway
in both 1974 and 1975.
In 1977, Falls City representatives approached Billy Carter
, brother of President
Jimmy Carter
, about marketing a signature brand to capitalize on Billy's fame as the beer-drinking black sheep of the Carter family. Falls City brewed several test batches in hopes that one would meet Billy's approval and could be marketed as Billy Beer
. Carter, who had long been a Pabst Blue Ribbon
drinker, chose one of the Falls City formulas and the brewery quickly developed a marketing campaign for Billy Beer. Realizing that a regional brewery could not fulfill national demand for the product, Falls City licensed several other independent regional breweries to brew and package Billy Beer. Those breweries were Cold Spring Brewing Company of Cold Spring, Minnesota
; Pearl Brewing Company
of San Antonio, Texas
; and West End Brewing Company
in Utica, New York
. Billy Beer quickly soared as a great fad
then, just as quickly, it faded away.
and Mississippi
as well as Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Virginia and West Virginia. The Falls City and Drummond Bros. labels were sold to G. Heileman Brewing Company
of La Crosse
, Wisconsin
, and were then brewed at Heileman's Evansville, Indiana
, brewery (the former Sterling Breweries facility) and at its Newport, Kentucky
, brewery, formerly known as the George Wiedemann Brewery. G. Heileman also launched a low calorie version of Falls City, called Falls City Light. Louisville residents did not take kindly to the fact that their hometown beer was no longer being brewed in Louisville. Many longtime drinkers immediately swore off Falls City for that reason alone.
Some years later, the Falls City brand was purchased by a group of investors seeking to keep the Evansville brewery in operation after G. Heileman announced that it would close the Evansville brewery. The new company became known as the Evansville Brewing Company and they sought to reinvigorate the Falls City name, especially in its home market of Louisville, Kentucky. They even launched Drummond Bros. Light in an effort to attract more drinkers to that brand. Under Evansville's stewardship, Drummond Bros. won a gold medal at the 1993 Great American Beer Festival in Denver. Evansville's other brands included Sterling, Sterling Light, Drewrys, Drewrys Lite & Low, Cook's, Cook's Light, Gerst and The Eagle Malt Liquor.
Evansville Brewing ultimately closed in the late 1990s and the Falls City brand was purchased by Pittsburgh Brewing Company
which has recently ceased brewing Falls City Beer. Falls City was a regional brand that was primarily available in and around Louisville, Kentucky, and Evansville, Indiana. It was a light-bodied golden lager of the American standard or American pilsner type. It was brewed with six row malted barley
, corn
or rice
adjunct and was lightly hopped
.
For many years, Falls City was the number one brand of beer sold in and around Louisville, Kentucky. Tavern signs still hang outside taverns around town from St. Matthews
to Germantown
.
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, USA. The company operated from 1905 until 1978 and was re-organized in 2009. Falls City is currently owned and operated by Louisville entrepreneur, David Easterling, and has made a stirring comeback as a "craft" beer. The new recipe is an English-Style Pale Ale, similar to a variety that was part of the Falls City lineup in the 1930's when they had a variety of beers in addition to the famous light lager. Falls City is now available in more than 120 bars and restaurants in the Louisville area, Lexington, KY, and Indiana.
History
The Falls City Brewing Company was organized in 1905 by local tavern and grocery store owners. The name is taken from a nickname for Louisville, i.e. "Falls City," which derives from Louisville's position on the Falls of the Ohio. This company was a bit different from many breweries in the USA as it was not family owned. It was organized to break a local monopolyMonopoly
A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
on beer production by the Central Consumers Company. Central Consumers also owned the taverns (or tied house
Tied house
In the UK a tied house is a public house that is required to buy at least some of its beer from a particular brewery. This is in contrast to a free house, which is able to choose the beers it stocks freely.- Definition of "tied" :...
s) located in neighborhoods where they could be operated profitably. The brewer, acting as landlord and supplier at the same time, caused the tavern operator to be at their mercy. This practice, while common in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, was later outlawed in the US.
Draft beer was introduced in 1906 and bottled beer
Beer bottle
A beer bottle is a bottle made to contain beer, usually made of glass.Bottled beer has been in use since as early as the 16th century. Beer bottles come in various sizes, shapes and colours....
two years later. A small ice house was built in connection with the brewery, and ice was sold to peddlers who operated in the western part of the city. In 1911, the company purchased a five ton Morgan truck and one half ton auto car, and there was a great rivalry among the drivers as to who would be chosen to drive the two trucks. Also in 1911, the Central Consumers company tried to buy out their little competitor. A number of heated debates took place and loyal stockholders fought to retain the company.
Prohibition
In 1919 the brewery was closed for ProhibitionProhibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
and the company reorganized. From 1919 to 1933 the company survived as the Falls City Ice and Beverage Company by producing ice, soft drinks, and near beer. Despite no longer being able to brew beer, the company actually prospered.
Following Prohibition
Falls City beer production was resumed in 1933 and was distributed in the Ohio River Valley including KentuckyKentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. Following Repeal, Falls City's chief competitors were Frank Fehr Brewing Company and Oertel Brewing Company, both rival Louisville breweries. Sterling Brewers of Evansville, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, began making serious incursions in the Louisville market with its popular Sterling Beer. For a time Sterling actually overtook Falls City for the number one sales position in Louisville. Ironically, Falls City overtook Sterling the number one sales position in Evansville at about the same time.
Falls City was briefly involved in auto racing. In the 1930s, Falls City was the official beer of the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
. In 1973, the company sponsored future NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
superstar Darrell Waltrip
Darrell Waltrip
Darrell Lee Waltrip is a 3-time NASCAR Cup Series champion , 3-time runner-up , winner of the 1989 Daytona 500 and 5-time winner of the prestigeous Coca-Cola 600 ,...
in the #48 car. Falls City also went on to sponsor a 200 mile race at the Nashville Speedway
Nashville Speedway
There are two oval race tracks near Nashville, Tennessee sometimes referred to as Nashville Speedway:*Nashville Speedway USA, a small track formerly visited opened in 1904*Nashville Superspeedway, a modern concrete oval opened in 2001...
in both 1974 and 1975.
Later brands
In 1975, Falls City launched a new brand of beer called Drummond Bros. The brand was lighter in body than Falls City and it was aimed at younger beer drinkers. The Drummond Bros. name had no historical significance. Instead, it was dreamed up as a catchy name by an advertising agency hired by the brewery. The Drummond Bros. brand was initially very successful but within a few years sales began to slow. Also in 1975, Falls City Brewing Company became the first beverage maker to use the now familiar "Sta-Tab" on its cans. Prior to this invention, most cans used pull tabs or "pop tops" that were completely removed from the can. The Sta-Tab opened the can then could be folded back against the lid. Most beverage cans now feature the Sta-Tab.In 1977, Falls City representatives approached Billy Carter
Billy Carter
William Alton "Billy" Carter III was an American businessman who promoted Billy Beer, was a candidate for Mayor of Plains, Georgia, and was the younger brother of United States President Jimmy Carter.-Early years:...
, brother of President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
, about marketing a signature brand to capitalize on Billy's fame as the beer-drinking black sheep of the Carter family. Falls City brewed several test batches in hopes that one would meet Billy's approval and could be marketed as Billy Beer
Billy Beer
Billy Beer was a beer first made in the United States of America in July 1977, by the Falls City Brewing Company. It was promoted by Billy Carter, the younger brother of then-President Jimmy Carter...
. Carter, who had long been a Pabst Blue Ribbon
Pabst Blue Ribbon
Pabst Blue Ribbon is a brand of beer sold by Pabst Brewing Company, originally established in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but now based in Los Angeles. Pabst Blue Ribbon is contract-brewed in six different breweries around the U.S...
drinker, chose one of the Falls City formulas and the brewery quickly developed a marketing campaign for Billy Beer. Realizing that a regional brewery could not fulfill national demand for the product, Falls City licensed several other independent regional breweries to brew and package Billy Beer. Those breweries were Cold Spring Brewing Company of Cold Spring, Minnesota
Cold Spring, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,975 people, 1,116 households, and 785 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,431.1 people per square mile . There were 1,145 housing units at an average density of 550.8 per square mile...
; Pearl Brewing Company
Pearl Brewing Company
The Pearl Brewing Company was an American brewery, established in 1883 in San Antonio, Texas. In 1985, Pearl's parent company purchased the Pabst Brewing Company and assumed the Pabst name...
of San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
; and West End Brewing Company
Matt Brewing Company
F.X. Matt Brewing Company is an American family-owned brewery at the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains in Utica, New York. It is the second oldest family-owned brewery in the United States, as it has been brewing beer since 1853...
in Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
. Billy Beer quickly soared as a great fad
FAD
In biochemistry, flavin adenine dinucleotide is a redox cofactor involved in several important reactions in metabolism. FAD can exist in two different redox states, which it converts between by accepting or donating electrons. The molecule consists of a riboflavin moiety bound to the phosphate...
then, just as quickly, it faded away.
Sales decline
During the 1970s, sales declined and in 1978 the company posted its first ever financial losses. The Falls City board elected to cease production rather than fight the onslaught of national brands that were gaining momentum in Falls City's core markets, which by then included GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
as well as Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Virginia and West Virginia. The Falls City and Drummond Bros. labels were sold to G. Heileman Brewing Company
G. Heileman Brewing Company
The G. Heileman Brewing Company of La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA, was a brewery firm that operated in 1858-1996. It was acquired in the latter year by Stroh's, and its independent existence ended...
of La Crosse
La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse is a city in and the county seat of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. The city lies alongside the Mississippi River.The 2011 Census Bureau estimates the city had a population of 52,485...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, and were then brewed at Heileman's Evansville, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
, brewery (the former Sterling Breweries facility) and at its Newport, Kentucky
Newport, Kentucky
Newport is a city in Campbell County, Kentucky, United States, at the confluence of the Ohio and Licking rivers. The population was 15,273 at the 2010 census. Historically, it was one of four county seats of Campbell County. Newport is part of the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio Metro Area which...
, brewery, formerly known as the George Wiedemann Brewery. G. Heileman also launched a low calorie version of Falls City, called Falls City Light. Louisville residents did not take kindly to the fact that their hometown beer was no longer being brewed in Louisville. Many longtime drinkers immediately swore off Falls City for that reason alone.
Some years later, the Falls City brand was purchased by a group of investors seeking to keep the Evansville brewery in operation after G. Heileman announced that it would close the Evansville brewery. The new company became known as the Evansville Brewing Company and they sought to reinvigorate the Falls City name, especially in its home market of Louisville, Kentucky. They even launched Drummond Bros. Light in an effort to attract more drinkers to that brand. Under Evansville's stewardship, Drummond Bros. won a gold medal at the 1993 Great American Beer Festival in Denver. Evansville's other brands included Sterling, Sterling Light, Drewrys, Drewrys Lite & Low, Cook's, Cook's Light, Gerst and The Eagle Malt Liquor.
Evansville Brewing ultimately closed in the late 1990s and the Falls City brand was purchased by Pittsburgh Brewing Company
Pittsburgh Brewing Company
The Iron City Brewing Company is a beer company that until August 2009 had been located in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. On June 11, 2009, it was reported that the brewery was "moving" to Latrobe, Pennsylvania...
which has recently ceased brewing Falls City Beer. Falls City was a regional brand that was primarily available in and around Louisville, Kentucky, and Evansville, Indiana. It was a light-bodied golden lager of the American standard or American pilsner type. It was brewed with six row malted barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
, corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
or rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
adjunct and was lightly hopped
Hops
Hops are the female flower clusters , of a hop species, Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor, though hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine...
.
For many years, Falls City was the number one brand of beer sold in and around Louisville, Kentucky. Tavern signs still hang outside taverns around town from St. Matthews
St. Matthews, Kentucky
St. Matthews is the 20th largest city in Kentucky, United States and is a prominent suburb of Louisville. It is located 8 miles east of downtown Louisville in Jefferson County. It is one of the state's major shopping areas, being home to second and fifth largest malls in Kentucky St. Matthews is...
to Germantown
Germantown, Louisville
Germantown is a neighborhood three miles southeast of downtown Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Germantown is also a general term for an area of Louisville from the Original Highlands to St Joseph and Bradley neighborhoods that were predominantly settled by Germans...
.
Today
Falls City made a comeback in early 2010 with an English Pale Ale. The new upscale craft beer closely resembles an ale that was part of the Falls City lineup before prohibition. According to the company's owner, David Easterling, Falls City's reintroduction has been a huge success in Louisville, available at nearly 125 bars and restaurants in the Louisville area. Falls City is also available in Indiana and Lexington. It is scheduled to be introduced in Nashville, TN this year. Bottle production is scheduled for Q2 2011.External links
- History of the Falls City Brewing Companyhttp://www.fallcitybeer.com/history.aspx
- Falls City Brewing Company Official Websitehttp://www.fallcitybeer.com
- Buy Falls City Beer Gearhttp://store.fallscitybeer.com