THE BLUEFIELD BREWING COMPANY 1904-1914

Don't think that the only bottling that was going on in Bluefield, WV was based around sodas, there was also quite a bit of alcohol flowing in the Bluefield / Pocahontas area. The American manufacturer and Iron World January 1, 1903 edition reported that "John Husband, Frank Husband, W. H. Boyer, of Mount Pleasant, Pa., and W. L. Byers, of Greensburg, Pa., have organized the Bluefield Brewing Company, and will install a large plant at Bluefield, W. Va."(1) W. H. Boyer is listed in the 1904 Bluefield City Directory as Manager of the company.(2)

They appear to have been located on Bluefield Avenue where Locust Street crosses it.(2) According to a March 3, 1907 advertisement in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph they bottled Bluefield Export Beer, El Capitan, Bock, and Polsener Beer.(5) They would open a distribution location in Pocahontas, VA on Railroad Avenue near Center Street.(2) The company would cease dealing with alcohol altogether after West Virginia went dry on July 1, 1914.(5)

In the 1915-16 Bluefield City Directory they are listed under ice manufacturing(2), the brewery itself was converted into an ice cream factory(3) for Southern Maid Ice Cream(4), and they are using part of the building for cold storage.(3) Today the Bluefield Daily Telegraph is located on the site.(4)

This is a post card showing what the building looked like.

A Bluefield Brewing Company bottle

Close up of Bluefield Brewing Company logo

Bluefield Brewing Company bottle opener

This is a post card advertising two of their brands.

An etched glass promoting El Capitan beer from the Bluefield Brewing Company.

One of the last advertisements for the Bluefield Brewing company around June of 1914 just before the drought date for West Virginia on July 1, 1914.

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