Fidelio Beer History
Fidelio beer was originally known as H. Koehler Beer until the 1890’s. The brewery was located on First ave and Twenty Ninth street in Manhattan. Fidelio Beer was very popular in Manhattan and Hoboken NJ. The owner of Fidelio Brewery, Samuel Goldberger survived prohibition by marketing a near beer and also A Purity Brand Malt Tonic. After the Volstead Act was repealed Fidelio beer was more popular as most of New York’s Breweries did not survive. Fidelio was also the exclusive brewer of McSorleys Cream ale. The company went public in the 1940’s and changed its name to The Greater New York Brewery. The President of the company at that time was known as one of the greatest stock swindlers of all time and lead to the companies demise. Operations were moved to Cypress Hills Brooklyn in 1950 and ended in 1953.
Trommer's Beer History
Trommer's beer originated in Bushwick Brooklyn in the late 1890’s. It was the largest seller of ALL malt beer in the United States. Trommer’s survived prohibition in a very unique way The brewery made a near beer that was offered for sale and was a hit. Trommer’s also sponsored German immigrants and financed the immigrants to run hot dog carts all over the city as long as they sold Trommer’s near beer exclusively. In 1933 Trommer’s went back to their all Malt beer and added a bock and also an ale. Trommer’s expanded in the early 1940’s and opened another brewery in Orange NJ. 1949 started the decline of Trommer’s when a delivery driver strike crippled the New York beer industry. The strike also prevented the brewery from maintaining its very unique strain of yeast for brewing. The strain died and all the beer after that tasted very different. In 1950 Trommer’s sold the Orange plant to Rheingold. In 1951 the Bushwick plant and brand name were sold to Piels which continued brewing Trommer’s White Label until 1962