History of brewing in Rochester, New York
Rochester's brewing industry thrived from the 1820s until Prohibition.
The history of brewing in Rochester, New York, began in the early 19th century, before the city became known for Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch & Lomb. The city's robust brewing industry was fueled by local grain production, the Erie Canal, and a large influx of German immigrants. By the mid-19th century, Rochester was a major brewing center, with dozens of breweries operating and supplying markets across the Northeast.
- First known brewer
- Nathan Lyman (1819)
- Population growth
- 9,200 in 1821 to 36,000 by 1850
- Breweries in 1850
- at least 20
- Breweries in 1880
- 13, producing $1,411,000 in product
- Beer production 1901
- 470,000 barrels of beer and 105,000 barrels of ale
- Breweries in 1909
- 9 major breweries
- Surviving brewery after 1970
- Genesee Brewing Company
Lore & Background
Rochester was uniquely positioned for brewing in the early 19th century due to the grains grown in the Genesee River Valley, which made the city the world's largest flour producer by 1838. The opening of the Erie Canal in 1823 allowed easy delivery of hops from the region between Albany and Syracuse, which by 1849 produced more hops than anywhere else in the country, selling over three million pounds annually by 1855. A large influx of German immigrants in the late 1840s further spurred growth, with another dozen breweries opening in the 1850s.
Notable early breweries included Nathan Lyman's operation using water from a natural spring, and the City Spring Brewery established by Samuel Warren in 1840, which introduced pale ale to Rochester. Henry Bartholomay and Phillip Wills served the first glass of lager beer in Rochester in 1852. Frederick Miller established a brewery in 1852 that later became Flower City Brewing. The American Brewing Company, incorporated in 1889, had a capacity of 200,000 barrels by 1907 and won prizes at the 1900 Paris Exposition and 1901 Marseilles Fair.
Prohibition shuttered the Rochester brewing scene in 1919. After Prohibition, only five breweries reopened, and by 1970 only the Genesee Brewing Company remained. Today, more than a dozen independent craft brewers operate in the city, with another two dozen in Monroe County.
Reader's Guide
The brewing industry was immensely successful in Rochester by the early 20th century, with nine major breweries supplying not only the local market but the entire Northeast. Breweries were large employers and supported many other industries, including bottlers, salesmen, teamsters, ice cutters, farmers, tavern keepers, lithographers, wagon makers, and horsemen. The sale of brewery grain to farmers brought about $100,000 to local brewers. Beer was promoted by brewers and many doctors as healthy 'liquid bread.'
Prohibition ended this era in 1919. After repeal, only five breweries reopened, and by 1970 only the Genesee Brewing Company remained. The legacy of Rochester's brewing history is now carried on by more than a dozen independent craft brewers in the city and another two dozen in Monroe County, reflecting a resurgence of the industry that once made Rochester internationally known for its beer.
Did You Know?
- Nathan Lyman, the first known brewer in Rochester, used water from a natural spring near where St. Paul Street and Central Avenue meet.
- By 1850, Rochester had at least 20 breweries in operation.
- The American Brewing Company's bottled beer won prizes at the 1900 Paris Exposition and the 1901 Marseilles Fair.
- After Prohibition, only five breweries reopened in Rochester, and by 1970 only the Genesee Brewing Company was left.
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