Labeled Oregon Beer Value, If Any???

[CanYaDigIt]

Got this in a box of bottles. The label is in great condition, except it's falling off. After a quick Google search I found that the cans are worth a pretty penny. Anyone know about the bottles? The back of the label and the bottle base both suggest a date of 1944. I saw one other pic so I know it's the right bottle and not a label applied to a random bottle. Also the bottle itself was made in Portland, so someone would have had to go way out of their way if it was a reapplied label. Not my style, but I know there's a lot of collectors of this era stuff. Anyone...?

 

[surfaceone]

Hello Aaron,

I don't have a clue as to value, but think it might be a good one for the Oregon or Seattle collector. There is a pretty good amount of history online.

Emil Sick, Seattle, ca. 1938

Emil Sick was quite a guy. Second generation brewer, historian, civic leader, and Baseball pioneer:

"Sicks' Rainier Brewing Co.

Later in 1933, the Canadian brewer Fritz Sick (1859-1945) and his Tacoma-born son Emil (1894-1964) leased the idle Bay View facility (3100 Airport Way S) and founded the Century Brewing Company, which over time made beers including Sick's Select and Brew 66. In 1934 they were able to purchase the property, and in 1935 they also acquired the Northwest regional rights to the Rainier brand and returned production to Seattle in a newly enlarged plant on whose roof the company eventually installed a giant red rotating "R" neon sign which became an iconic local landmark. In time the old Seattle Brewing and Malting Co.'s Georgetown plant was reconfigured as the Rainier Cold Storage & Ice complex.

The re-energized firm was subsequently recast under various names including Sicks' Seattle Brewing and Malting Company (1944-1957) and Sicks Rainier Brewing Company (1957-1970). Over time the firm launched a few other successful beer brands including: Old Stock Ale, Club Extra Pale, and Special Export Pale.

Beer and Baseball
With ever greater success backing him, Emil Sick was able to purchase the Seattle Indians baseball team in 1937. Renamed the Rainiers, the town's beloved team went on to earn several Pacific Coast League championships and launched the career of Fred Hutchinson (1919-1964), among other great players.

The following year saw the opening of a new outdoor ballpark for the Rainiers – as located on Rainier Avenue in Rainier Valley: Sicks' Stadium. It was a great venue that saw many fabled games by the Rainiers (up through 1968), the Seattle Pilots (in 1969) and even a few legendary rock concerts including the local debut of Elvis Presley (1935-1977) on September 1, 1957, of Janis Joplin (1943-1970) on July 5, 1970, and the final homecoming show by Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970) on July 26, 1970." Photo and text from here.

I believe he was best known as the owner of Rainier Beer. The neon "R" atop the brewery

was an iconic symbol in Seattle for many years. I guess it has become a 'decorator' item now.

"Rainier Beer dates back to 1878, when German immigrant Andrew Hemrich founded Seattle Brewing & Malting. After prohibition, Canadian brewers Fritz and Emil Sick licensed the name, which had been sold to a California company, and eventually acquired full ownership. For a time Sicks' Breweries Ltd. was a part of Canadian beer giant Molson; later it was a publicly traded company that included the Robert Mondavi winery.

Before he wound up his business career, Emil SICK controlled the largest number of breweries under single management in the world.

Many remember Emil SICK's stadium, Rainier Brewery and the Rainiers baseball team but Emil Sick was a dynamic civic booster and a man who could get things done. Emil chaired the committee that raised $100,000 to save St. Mark's Cathedral. As president of the Seattle Historical Society, Emil Sick led the fund-raising drive that resulted in the construction of the Museum of History and Industry. Seattle Scottish Highland Games Association. Emil was founder of the King County Blood Bank. He was Washington State Chairman for the March of Dimes. He was greater Seattle's "First Citizen in Sports" in 1963. He was president of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce and an honorary life member of that organization. In 1949, Emil Sick became the first Washingtonian to receive the Disabled American Veterans award for outstanding civic leadership.

Emil Sick died on 10 Nov 1964 at age 70." From here.

Aaron, does the label on your bottle say, "Sicks' Seattle Brewing and Malting Company?"

"Sicks' Brewing Company
(1943-1953)


In October of 1943, Emil Sick bought the Salem Brewery Association, and on 1 January, 1944, the plant was renamed the Sicks' Brewing Company. This coincided with the renaming of Sicks' Seattle Brewing and Malting Company - referred to as "Seabrew" by insiders.
The new Salem branch was completely renovated, and repainted in silver and blue. Additionally, production improvements, in the form of new storage tanks, doubled its previous capacity, and a new bottling plant (below) enabled filling 2000 cases per day. The modernized brewery then commenced production of the "Sicks' Select" brand of beer. This brands was also being produced for the Seattle market in the old Horluck Brewery, purchased by Sick in 1939, and renamed the Century Brewery. In 1951, "Brew 66" was introduced. This beer was now made in both the Salem plant, and the Century plant." Photos and history from here.


Lastly, I found "NW.......................Northwestern Glass Company, Seattle, WA (1931-19??). The letters in this mark may or may not be connected." From here.

 

[surfaceone]

 

[CanYaDigIt]

Awesome, thanks for that. Cool history. No, the label only says "SEATTLE BREWING & MALTING COMPANY". I assume it's the same company though seeing as before that it was the Salem Brewery Association. It'll go on ebay and I guess we'll see how desirable it is. Too bad it's not 50+ years younger[].

 

[DJFALLS]

The old Seattle Malting and Brewing plant is still standing in Seattle. Hope they don't tear it down. I used to drive over to it and stare at they old brick buildings. Lived in Seattle for a year on a job.