Lemp Brewery
Encyclopedia
Lemp Brewery was the original name of the brewing company that became the Falstaff Brewing Corporation
. The Lemp Brewery Complex refers to the name of the St. Louis, Missouri
property consisting of 27 buildings on a 13.7 acres (55,442 m²) pie-shaped site bounded by Cherokee Street on the north, Lemp Avenue on the west, and South Broadway on the southeast that was purchased by William J. Lemp in 1864. Founded in St. Louis, Missouri
, USA, in 1838, the brewing company existed for many years as an independent label. St. Louisian Steve DeBellis has been the owner of the Lemp Brewing Company trademark since 1988.
s which were once used for the lager
ing of beer by early German brewers. Underground caves are naturally cool, which was especially attractive to brewers before the advent of refrigeration. Several breweries were built atop these natural caves, which were altered to suit their purposes. Stone arches and brick ceilings prevented water seepage and uneven cave floors were paved with brick. In addition to being used for the storage and lagering of beer, such naturally cool places were sometimes employed as beer gardens, places for entertainment.
John Adam Lemp was born on May 25, 1793, in Gruningen, in the German province of Hessen. He came to St. Louis from Germany in 1838. He sought to make his fortune by being a grocer of a small grocery store; however he abandoned this dream when he realized his grocery store was more popular for its lager beer than for its groceries. John Adam Lemp died in 1862, with his estate being valued at $20,000. This was quite a bit of money at the time.
His son William J. Lemp took over the business and purchased the property that would become the Lemp Brewery industrial complex in 1864. This property at 3500 Lemp Avenue, still stands in St. Louis today. The Lemp Brewery consists of 27 buildings on a 13.7 acres (55,442 m²) pie-shaped site bounded by Cherokee Street on the north, Lemp Avenue on the west, and South Broadway on the southeast. The first brewhouse was constructed in 1865. When it was constructed by the Lemp Family, the Lemp Mansion
, included an underground tunnel through the natural cave system leading to the Lemp Brewery. The Lemp Family would use this tunnel to go to work.
The Lemp Brewery Complex was purchased by International Shoe Company in 1922 and they occupied the complex until approximately 1980. Although most of the buildings originally constructed by the Lemp Brewing Company remain on the property, International Shoe company had demolished a few buildings and constructed a new building in the southern corner of the property in approximately 1950. In 1975, Richard D. Pointer purchased the Lemp Brewery and renovated it into a restaurant.
The Lemp Brewery Complex currently consists of 27 buildings that have been semi-occupied by various tenants for light industrial, commercial, and warehousing uses, office space, and artist studios since approximately 1980. The extensive basements under the buildings were also used for several seasons during the 1990s as a Halloween haunted house and were rented out for rave
parties. The main building is now abandoned.
In 1939 the struggling Central Brewing Company of East St. Louis Illinois renamed itself as the Wm. J. Lemp Brewing Company. For 6 years they existed as the Lemp Brewery before changing their name again, to the EMS Brewing Co., in 1945. The brewery would soon close as a branch of Falstaff in 1949.
In 1987 St. Louis beer historian Steven J. DeBellis put Lemp beer back on the market as an American adjunct lager. The Lemp Brewing Co. currently contract brews Lemp beer through the Stevens Point Brewery in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.
Falstaff Brewing Corporation
The Falstaff Brewing Corporation was a major American brewery located in St. Louis, Missouri. With roots in the 1838 Lemp Brewery of St. Louis, the company was renamed after the Shakespearean character of Sir John Falstaff in 1903. Production peaked in 1965 with 7,010,218 barrels brewed, and then...
. The Lemp Brewery Complex refers to the name of the St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
property consisting of 27 buildings on a 13.7 acres (55,442 m²) pie-shaped site bounded by Cherokee Street on the north, Lemp Avenue on the west, and South Broadway on the southeast that was purchased by William J. Lemp in 1864. Founded in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, USA, in 1838, the brewing company existed for many years as an independent label. St. Louisian Steve DeBellis has been the owner of the Lemp Brewing Company trademark since 1988.
About
The brewery is built upon a complex of natural caveCave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
s which were once used for the lager
Lager
Lager is a type of beer made from malted barley that is brewed and stored at low temperatures. There are many types of lager; pale lager is the most widely-consumed and commercially available style of beer in the world; Pilsner, Bock, Dortmunder Export and Märzen are all styles of lager...
ing of beer by early German brewers. Underground caves are naturally cool, which was especially attractive to brewers before the advent of refrigeration. Several breweries were built atop these natural caves, which were altered to suit their purposes. Stone arches and brick ceilings prevented water seepage and uneven cave floors were paved with brick. In addition to being used for the storage and lagering of beer, such naturally cool places were sometimes employed as beer gardens, places for entertainment.
John Adam Lemp was born on May 25, 1793, in Gruningen, in the German province of Hessen. He came to St. Louis from Germany in 1838. He sought to make his fortune by being a grocer of a small grocery store; however he abandoned this dream when he realized his grocery store was more popular for its lager beer than for its groceries. John Adam Lemp died in 1862, with his estate being valued at $20,000. This was quite a bit of money at the time.
His son William J. Lemp took over the business and purchased the property that would become the Lemp Brewery industrial complex in 1864. This property at 3500 Lemp Avenue, still stands in St. Louis today. The Lemp Brewery consists of 27 buildings on a 13.7 acres (55,442 m²) pie-shaped site bounded by Cherokee Street on the north, Lemp Avenue on the west, and South Broadway on the southeast. The first brewhouse was constructed in 1865. When it was constructed by the Lemp Family, the Lemp Mansion
Lemp Mansion
The Lemp Mansion is a historical house in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. It is also the site of three suicides by Lemp family members after the death of the son Frederick Lemp, whose William J. Lemp Brewing Co. dominated the St. Louis beer market before Prohibition with its Falstaff beer brand...
, included an underground tunnel through the natural cave system leading to the Lemp Brewery. The Lemp Family would use this tunnel to go to work.
The Lemp Brewery Complex was purchased by International Shoe Company in 1922 and they occupied the complex until approximately 1980. Although most of the buildings originally constructed by the Lemp Brewing Company remain on the property, International Shoe company had demolished a few buildings and constructed a new building in the southern corner of the property in approximately 1950. In 1975, Richard D. Pointer purchased the Lemp Brewery and renovated it into a restaurant.
The Lemp Brewery Complex currently consists of 27 buildings that have been semi-occupied by various tenants for light industrial, commercial, and warehousing uses, office space, and artist studios since approximately 1980. The extensive basements under the buildings were also used for several seasons during the 1990s as a Halloween haunted house and were rented out for rave
Rave
Rave, rave dance, and rave party are parties that originated mostly from acid house parties, which featured fast-paced electronic music and light shows. At these parties people dance and socialize to dance music played by disc jockeys and occasionally live performers...
parties. The main building is now abandoned.
In 1939 the struggling Central Brewing Company of East St. Louis Illinois renamed itself as the Wm. J. Lemp Brewing Company. For 6 years they existed as the Lemp Brewery before changing their name again, to the EMS Brewing Co., in 1945. The brewery would soon close as a branch of Falstaff in 1949.
In 1987 St. Louis beer historian Steven J. DeBellis put Lemp beer back on the market as an American adjunct lager. The Lemp Brewing Co. currently contract brews Lemp beer through the Stevens Point Brewery in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.
See also
- Fall of the Lemp Family
- ProhibitionProhibitionProhibition 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...
- Caves of St. LouisCaves of St. LouisThe Caves of St. Louis, Missouri, USA have been important in the economic development of the city. The young St. Louis was built upon a complex of natural caves which were once used for the lagering of beer by early German brewers...