National Capitol Brewing Co


Company Names, addresses, dates1:
  Richter & Schonborn, bet 13th and 14th east, D & E south (1863)
  Herman H. Richter, D south nr 14th SE (1864-1866)
  Francis J Adt, 13th and D SE (1875-1882)
  John D. Guethler, D between 13th and 14th SE (1883-1886)
  Eisenmenger & Rabe, 1345 D between 13th and 14th SE (1887)
  Henry Rabe, D between 13th and 14th SE (1888-1890)
  National Capitol Brewing Co, 1337 to 1353 D SE (1891-1917)

Company Names, addresses, dates from an alternate source4:
  Richter, 13th, 14th, D & E Sts SE (1850-1870)
  Alexander Adt, 13th, 14th, D & E Sts SE (1870-1873)
  F J Adt, 13th, 14th, D & E Sts SE (1873-1882)
  John E. Guethler, 13th, 14th, D & E Sts SE (1882-1884)
  Eisenmenger & Rabe, 13th, 14th, D & E Sts SE (1884-1886)
  Henry Rabe, 13th, 14th, D & E Sts SE (1886-1890)
  National Capitol Brewing Co, 1337/53 D St SE (1890-1917)

Notes:
 As shown above, my directory searches came up with some slightly different dates than what is in American Breweries II. In both cases, it shows that there was a brewery at that location for many years.
In 1905, 2 of their beers were named "Diamond" and "Munich". 2
A 1914 newspaper ad lists their address as 14th & D st SE and their phone number as Lincoln 507.
Albert Carry teamed up with Robert Portner and opened the National Capitol Brewing Co in 1891. F.H. Finley & Son bottled their beer. 3
Historical & Commercial Sketches of Washington, compiled by E.E. Barton in 1884, describes the brewery (then called John O. Guethler's) as covering a ground space of 200x250 feet, with a capacity of about 20,000 barrels per annum. It says he had a force of 15 to 20 men and 9 wagons used for delivering goods. It also says that a summer garden was connected to the brewery, with a sitting capacity of 1000 people. Guethler was born in 1847 in Wurtemburg Germany, and came to the US in 1876. 6

Bottles:

natcap_01 (enlarge) This is a 9" aqua BIM crown top, embossed:
shoulder: NATIONAL CAPITOL BREWING CO / TRADE / (picture of the captiol) / MARK / WASHINGTON, D.C.
base on the back: EHE CO
bottom: 335
natcap_02 (enlarge) These are similar to the above bottle except in color. Left is a 9" amber BIM crown top, embossed:
shoulder: NATIONAL CAPITOL BREWING CO / TRADE / (picture of the captiol) / MARK / WASHINGTON, D.C.
base on the back: EHE CO
bottom: 335
 Right is a 9" light-amber ABM crown top, embossed:
shoulder: NATIONAL CAPITOL BREWING CO / TRADE / (picture of the captiol) / MARK / WASHINGTON, D.C.
natcap_03 (enlarge) This bottle is the same as the ones above except for the color. It is a 9" honey-amber BIM crown top, embossed:
shoulder: NATIONAL CAPITOL BREWING CO / TRADE / (picture of the captiol) / MARK / WASHINGTON, D.C.
base on the back: EHE CO
bottom: 335
natcap_04 (enlarge) This bottle differs from the ones above in the shape (it's a lady-leg) and height.
It is a 9.5" amber ABM crown top, embossed:
shoulder: NATIONAL CAPITOL BREWING CO / TRADE / (picture of the captiol) / MARK / WASHINGTON, D.C. / CONTENTS / 12 1/2 OZ.


Other Items:
adts_01 Enlarge This is an advertisement from a circa 1880 newspaper. Brewery.
rabe_1887 Enlarge This is an advertisement from the 1887 book "Washington Hisorical sketches of the Capital City of our Country", by John P. Coffin. The book says that Rabe was in the employ of G.W. Junnemann for 22 years, and that he partnered with Mr. Eisenminger and built he larger brewery located on D street between 14th & 15th SE in 1886. It said the capacity of the brewery in 1887 was 30,000 barrels per year.5



1 Boyd's Directory for the District of Columbia (various years)
2 Advertisements in the Washington Star newspaper between 1905 and 1914
3 The Shortest Dynasty 1837-1947 by Michael Gaines
4 American Breweries II by Dale P. Van Wieren
5 Washington Historical sketches of the City of our Country by John P. Coffin
6 Historical & Commercial Sketches of Washington, 1884, compiled by E.E. Barton, p.254




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This page last updated on November 1, 2009.