| Former type | Private |
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| Industry | Beverages |
| Founded | 1866 |
| Founder(s) | Julius Deglow |
| Defunct | 1966 |
| Headquarters | Covington, Kentucky, United States |
| Key people | William Riedlen; George, William and Chris Schott. |
| Products | Beers, malt liquors, soft drinks |
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Bavarian Brewing Company
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| Location: | 522 W. 12th St. Covington, Kentucky |
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| Architect: | Unknown |
| Architectural style: | Romanesque |
| NRHP Reference#: | 96000281[1] |
| Added to NRHP: | March 21, 1996 |
Bavarian Brewing Company was a brewery established in Covington, Kentucky, in 1866 by Julius Deglow as the Deglow & Company Brewery, but became known as the Bavarian Brewery as early as 1869. The brewery was originally located on Pike Street and the business expanded to include the 12th street property by 1877. The company merged with International Breweries, Inc., in 1959 and operated as Bavarian Division, International Breweries, Inc. The facility closed in 1966.[2]
Ownership of the brewery changed several times in the 1870s, always keeping the Bavarian Brewery name. In 1882, a German immigrant named William Riedlin entered into partnership with John Meyer who worked in brewery operations since 1879. Brewery operations expanded from the original location on Pike street to include several structures on the property between Pike Street and 12th Street. The brewery also comprised several ice ponds and an ice house. Ice was used in the lager fermentation process before refrigeration became available.[2]
The company incorporated in 1889 with William Riedlen as president. A number of changes were made to the facility during Riedlin's tenure including the brewery's first bottling plant built in 1892. Key bottling innovations including the crown bottle cap and pasteurization increased the shelf life of beer, enabling it to be distributed to a much wider area. Annual beer production also increased substantially during this period, from 7,341 barrels in 1870 to 216,000 barrels in 1914.[2]
Beer production was halted abruptly with the introduction of Prohibition in 1919, the year of William Riedlin's death. Although the brewery was shut down, the company continued bottling soft drinks under the name The William Riedlin Beverage Company.[2][3]
The brewery reopened after the 1933 repeal of prohibition under the leadership of M. L. Vorhees who had married Riedlin's granddaughter, Rosemary. The company struggled financially and went into receivership in 1937. The brewery and its assets were purchased in 1938 by three of Riedlin's grandsons, George, William and Chris Schott. The company thrived under its new management, operating around the clock to meet demand between 1947 and 1952. Bavarian acquired the Heidelberg Brewery of Covington in 1949 and the Bruckmann Brewery of Cincinnati in 1950.[2] Key brand names during this period included: Bavarian, Bavarian Bock, Bavarian's Old Style, Schott's Ale, and - for the Florida market - Silver Bar.[3]
By the mid-1950s, the company began losing market share to larger breweries with a national advertising presence.[3] The Heidelberg plant was sold in 1956 and the Bavarian Brewery merged with International Brewing of Detroit in 1959. By the mid-1960s, the plant was losing money and the decision was made to close it in 1966. The buildings and equipment were sold at auction by the end of 1966.[2] Primary brands during this period included: Bavarian's Select Beer, FrankenMuth Beer/Ale, and IBI Malt Liquor.[4]