Sold For:  or Sign In to see what it's worth.

BETZ BEER
JOHN F. BETZ & SON INC.
PHILADELPHIA, PA

BETZ BEER TRAY

ca. 1933-1939
Depression Era

DIAMETER: 13"
RAISED RIM HEIGHT: 1/ 1/2"

MARKED:
EST. 1868
B
BETZ BEER
PHILA., PA.

Condition:
This piece is in very good used condition.
The tray has some surface scratches due to its age. These can be seen in the photo.
The design on the tray is black, red and gold.
The raised rim has a black and red checker board design around it and the red & gold Keystone logo is in the center of the tray.
This tray is a wonderful piece of Philadelphia nostalgia.

John F. Betz & Son Inc.
John F. Betz & Sons, Philadelphia was initially founded in 1775 as the Robert Hare & J. Warren Peter Brewery.
Robert Hare was the son of an English porter brewer. He emigrated with L1,500 from his father and came to Philadelphia to establish a brewery that stood at the corner of Callowhill and New Market streets and was in business by the time of the Revolutionary War. Hare was alligned with those favoring independence. When British General Howe occupied the city from 1777-1778, Robert Hare fled to Virginia leaving his brewery in the hands of British and Tory sympathizers.
Robert Hare and J. Warren are said to be the first two brewers to introduce porter brewing to the United States. On July 20, 1788, George Washington wrote to Clement Biddle, importer and merchant, "I beg you will send me a gross of Mr. Hare's best bottled porter if the price is not much enhanced by the copious draughts you took of it at the late procession." A year later Hare was a delegate to the State Constitutional Convention and in 1795 he was made Speaker of the Senate.
In 1789 George Washington presented his "Buy American" policy by stating he would drink only porter made in America. The porter Washington was drinking was that made by Robert Hare and shipped to Mount Vernon.
In 1804 the establishment became known as the Gaul Brewery and was operated by Frederick Gaul, an experienced German brewer from Frankfurt-on Main who emigrated to America prior to the Revolution.
John F. Betz came to Philadelphia in 1867 from New York, w he had been brewing for fourteen years. He took a job at the Gaul Brewery until purchasing it in 1880. Prior to Betz's ownership, only ale and porter were brewed. Betz commenced brewing lager beer as well. The John F. Betz Brewing Co. became one of the nation's largest breweries. John F. Betz became very active in the real estate market in the city. One of his other concerns was a beer garden at Riverside above the Wissahickon Creek on the Schuylkill River. He put in a line of little steamboats to carry his patrons up the river from Fairmount Dam. Betz produced an IPA of 6.5 % a.b.v. and an East India Pale Ale at 7.5% a.b.v. Betz's half-and-half was a mixture of two-year old ale and stout, and Betz's Best was a lager that was said to rival Bavarian imports. The Betz brewery was closed during Prohibition (1920-1933), reopened after Prohibition and remained in business until 1939.

The free listing tool. List your items fast and easy and manage your active items.

Items in the Worthopedia are obtained exclusively from licensors and partners solely for our members’ research needs.

Flag item for content or copyright.