Robert Portner Brewing Company


Company Names, addresses, dates1:
  Portner & Recker, 146 King c. St Asaph, Alexandria VA (1863-1864)
  Portner & Co, King & Fayette Sts, Alexandria VA (1864)
  Portner & Winteroll, 285 King St, Alexandria VA (1866-1867)
  Robert Portner Fayette corner King St, Alexandria VA (1866-1867)
  Robert Portner St. Asaph corner Wythe St, Alexandria VA (1871-1916)

Portner was also in Washington DC:
Company Names, addresses, dates2:
  Robert Portner, 626 Va Ave SW Washington DC (1877-1884)
  Robert Portner Brewing Co, 626 Va Ave SW Washington DC (1885-1890)

Since the city directories for Alexandria are sketchy (i.e. I could only find directories for 7 of the years between 1870 and 1900), this may be a more accurate representation of his breweries & dates:
Company Names, addresses, dates3
  Portner & Co, Northeast corner King & Fayette Sts, Alexandria VA(1862-1865)
  Robert Portner, Alexandria VA (1865-1868)
  Robert Portner, 600 block N St Asaph, Wythe & Washington Sts, Alexandria VA (1869-1883)
  Robert Portner Brewing Co Tivoli Brewery, Alexandria VA (1883-1916)


Notes:
Robert Portner (born 3/20/1837) voted for Abe Lincoln in 1860. He moved to Alexandria during the Civil war. After the war he sold “Tivoli” beer. “Tivoli” is “I lov it” spelled backwards. In 1894, his brewery was the largest in the South.4


Bottles (blob-tops):

Bottle 19 (enlarge) This is one of the few Portner bottles marked "Washington" vs. "Alexandria". It is a 10" amber lady-leg with an applied blob top, embossed:
front: R. PORTNER / WASHINGTON, D.C.
back: KEEP THIS BOTTLE ALWAYS / STANDING
Bottle 7 (enlarge) This is another one of the few Portner bottles marked "Washington" vs. "Alexandria". It is a 9" blue-aqua blob top with remains of the metal wire around the blob and a crudely formed bottom, embossed:
front: R. PORTNER / WASHINGTON, D.C.
Bottle 8 (enlarge) This is a 9.2" green bottle with an applied blob top and no embossing except on the bottom, where it is embossed:
bottom: R. PORTNER / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA
Bottle 12 (enlarge) This is a 9.2" green bottle with an applied blob top, embossed:
front: ROBERT PORTNER / BREWING Co. / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA
back: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO / BE SOLD
Bottle 9 (enlarge) This is a 9" amber bottle with a baltimore-loop top, embossed:
round slugplate: ROBERT PORTNER / BREWING Co / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA VA
back: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO / BE SOLD
Bottle 13 (enlarge) This is a 7.2" amber bottle with a blob-top, embossed:
round slugplate: ROBERT PORTNER / BREWING CO / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA VA
portner_01 (enlarge) These are similar bottles. Left is a 9.2" aqua blob-top with a metal lightning stopper, embossed:
round slugplate: ROBERT PORTNER / BREWING CO. / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
back: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO / BE SOLD
bottom: KARL HUTTER / 20 / NEW YORK
Right is a 9" aqua baltimore-loop top embossed:
round slugplate: ROBERT PORTNER / BREWING CO. / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
back: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
bottom: A
portner_34 (enlarge) These are similar bottles, both with cermaic stoppers that say "R. PORTNER BREWING Co. Alexa Va TRADE MARK TIVOLI".
Left is a 9.2" aqua blob-top (with holes in the blob for the wires that hold the stopper). It is embossed:
round pattern: ROBERT PORTNER / BREWING CO. / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
back: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
Right is a 9.3" blue-aqua blob top top embossed:
round pattern: ROBERT PORTNER / BREWING CO. / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
below round pattern: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
portner_32 (enlarge) These are similar to the bottles above, but they say "HYGEIA" instead of "TIVOLI". Left is a baltimore-loop top, and right is a blob top.
They are both 10.5" aqua bottles embossed:
round slug plate: ROBERT PORTNER / BREW COMP / TRADE / HYGEIA / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
back: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
bottom: I
portner_16 (enlarge) This is similar to the above bottles, but the letters make sharp angles at the top & bottom of the triangle. It's a 9" aqua blob top embossed:
round slugplate: ROBERT PORTNER BREWING CO / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA VA
Bottle 17 (enlarge) This one is only 7.3" tall. It's an aqua blob top embossed:
round slugplate: ROBERT PORTNER / BREWING CO / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
Bottle_30 (enlarge) This is a 7.8" aqua blob top with a bulge in the neck, embossed:
round slugplate: ROBERT PORTNER / BREW COMP / TRADE / HYGEIA / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
back: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO / BE SOLD
Note that the trade mark on this one says "HYGEIA", not "TIVOLI". The "HYGEIA" trade mark was for soda4.
Bottle 10 (enlarge) This is unusual because it says "Rob" instead of "Robert". It's a 9.3" aqua blob top embossed:
round slugplate: ROB PORTNER / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
Bottle_24 (enlarge) This is unusual because it just says "R." instead of "Robert". It's a 9.1" aqua blob top embossed:
round slugplate: R. PORTNER / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
back: THIS BOTTLE / IS NEVER SOLD
bottom: KARL HUTTER N.Y.
Bottle_33 (enlarge) This is a 10.5" aqua blob top (with a swirly manufacturing defect) embossed:
front: ROB PORTNER / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
back: TIVOLI / CABINET / BEER
I don't know what "cabinet beer" is - can anybody tell me?
portner_21 (enlarge) This is a 10.2", aqua blob top embossed:
front: TIVOLI / CABINET / BEER
It does not say "Portner" on it anywhere, but it's embossing is identical to the embossing on the back of the bottle shown above, so I assume it's a Portner.
Bottle 28 (enlarge) These are 7" hutchinson bottles. The one on the left is aqua and is embossed:
round slugplate: ROBERT PORTNER / BREWING CO. / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
The one on the right is sun colored amethyst, and is embossed:
round slugplate: ROBERT PORTNER / BREWING CO. / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
back: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
bottom: O D
Bottle_29 (enlarge) This is an aqua 6.7" hutchinson bottles embossed:
round slugplate: ROBERT PORTNER / BREWING CO. / TRADE / HYGEIA / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
bottom: 25
Bottle 2 (enlarge) This is an 8" aqua hutchinson bottles with a round bottom (it wont stand upright). Some say round bottoms were to force you to keep the bottle on it's side to keep the cork from drying out - but the fact that this is a hutch (did not use a cork) makes me think there was another reason. Round botoms provide more strength to handle the pressures of carbonation, but by the hutchinson era I would expect that was no longer a concern. Anybody got a better theory?
It is embossed:
round slugplate: ROBERT PORTNER / BREW. COMP. / TRADE / HYGEIA / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
Bottle_26 (enlarge) This is a sun colored amethyst 7" hutchinson bottle with a baltimore-loop top, embossed:
front: ROBERT PORTNER / BREWING CO. / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
back: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
It's hard to tell from the photo, but this bottle is very lopsided.
Bottle_27 (enlarge) This is an aqua 7.2" hutchinson bottle with a baltimore-loop top, embossed:
round slugplate: ROBERT PORTNER / BREWING CO. / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
back: REGISTERED NOT TO BE SOLD
It looks like maybe the top was replaced, like maybe it started out as a hutchinson, then the top was replaced with a baltimore loop.
Bottle 6 (enlarge) This is an 8.5", BIM, amber bottle with a "rope" design on the edges, embossed with:
front: PORTNER'S / TRADE MALT MARK / EXTRACT



Bottles (crown-tops):
portner_18 (enlarge) This is a large sized (10.5"), aqua BIM crown top bottles embossed:
front: ROBERT PORTNER / BREWING CO / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA. / THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
bottom: 1545
Bottle 4 (enlarge) These are BIM crown top bottles. Left is 8" and sun-colored-amethyst, middle is 7.5" and clear, right is 8" and aqua. They are embossed:
round slugplate: ROBERT PORTNER / BREWING CO. / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
back: THIS BOTTLE / NOT TO BE SOLD
Bottle_25 (enlarge) This is a clear 8.2" BIM crown top bottle embossed:
oval slugplate: ROBERT PORTNER / BREWING CO. / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA./ THIS BOTTLE NOT TO BE SOLD
back: REGISTERED
Bottle 11 (enlarge) These are BIM crown tops embossed:
round slugplate: ROBERT PORTNER / BREWING CO / TRADE/ TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
Left is 8.3" tall and SCA, right is 8.4" tall and light aqua with the lightning stopper intact.
Bottle 5 (enlarge) These are BIM crown top bottles. The one on the left is 9.3" and aqua; the one on the right is 9.5" and slightly sun-colored-amethyst. They are embossed with:
shoulder: ROBERT PORTNER / BREWING CO. / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
Bottle 3 (enlarge) This is a 9.5", machine-made, amber crown-top bottle, embossed:
shoulder: ROBERT PORTNER BREWING CO. / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
Bottle 23 (enlarge) This is similar to above, except it's BIM and it has a mistake - it says "PA" instead of "VA":
shoulder: ROBERT PORTNER BREWING CO. / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, PA.
Bottle 22 (enlarge) This is a 9.5" BIM clear crown-top bottle with the same embossing on the shoulders as the bottles above:
embossed on the shoulder: ROBERT PORTNER / BREWING CO. / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
printed on the label: ROBERT PORTNER BREWING CO / TIVOLI HOFBRAU / PALE EXPORT / BEER/ Alexandria Virginia
portner_15 (enlarge) This is a similar to the above bottles, except the printing is at sharp angles, vs. an arched pattern. It is 9.2", BIM, aqua crown top bottle embossed:
shoulder: PORTNER BREWING CO / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
portner_31 (enlarge) This is a 8.8", BIM, clear crown top bottle embossed:
oval pattern: ROBERT PORTNER / BREWING CO / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
It's one of the few Portner bottles that doesn't say "TIVOLI" or "HYGEIA".
portner_14 (enlarge) This is a 9.5", BIM, SCA crown top bottle embossed:
oval slugplate: MALT BEVERAGE / PORTNER BREWING CO / ALEXANDRIA, VA.



Ceramic Bottle Stoppers:
portner_cap_01 (enlarge) This is a ceramic stopper. It is marked as follows:
top: R. PORTNER BREWING Co. / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / Alexa Va
bottom: AKT BES. F. GLASINDUSTRIE / GERMANY / CREDDER
portner_cap_02 (enlarge) This is another ceramic stopper. It is marked as follows:
top: R. PORTNER BREWING Co. / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / Alexa Va
bottom: PAT'D FEB. &, 1893
portner_cap_03 (enlarge) This is another ceramic stopper. It is marked as follows:
top: R. PORTNER BREW'G CO. / TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
bottom: DREYFUSS BOTTLE & STOPPER Co N.Y. / PAT'D / OCT. 15 / 1895

Mugs and glasses:
I bought this old ceramic beer mug on eBay. It says:
Robert Portner Brewing Co.
TRADE TIVOLI MARK
ALEXANDRIA, VA. U.S.A.
Go-withs (enlarge)
This 8-ounce glass is etched:
"R. PORTNER BRG. Go / TIVOLI / ALEXANDRIA VA"
glasses_02 (enlarge)
These are 7-ounce etched glasses. The left one is etched:
"ONE GLASS / Portner's / BEER / Table Tea / (graduation marks)"
The right one is etched:
"ROBERT PORTNER BREWING Co / HOFBRAU / PALE EXPORT / Lager Beer / BAVARIAN HOPS. CANADIAN MALT. / TIVOLI / Alexandria Virginia"
glasses_01 (enlarge)
This is a 6-ounce etched glass, etched:
white etching: PORTNER's / HOFBRAU / EXPORT / ALEXANDRIA, VA.
orange pyroglaze: TRADE / TIVOLI / MARK
glasses_03 (enlarge)

Postcards:
This is a postcard with caption "Portner Tower, Manassas, VA". Portner owned a mansion in Manassas named Annanburg, which included this 3-story sandstone tower in the front yard. Tower was built in 1892 and torn down in 1978. 4 postcard (enlarge)
This is a postcard with caption "Annaburg Residence of Mrs. Robt. Portner, Manassas, Va.". postcard3 (enlarge)
This is a postcard with caption "No. 1 - Prince William Hotel, Erected by Mr. Robert Portner at a Cost of $50,000, Manassas, Va.". It's postmarked June 23, 1906. postcard2 (enlarge)
This is a postcard with caption "Annaburg - Home of Mrs. Robert Portner, Manassas, Va." postcard4 (enlarge)

Letters and receipts:
This is a letter from Febuary 22nd, 1893. The letterhead shows the Portner brewery. It also lists the cities where the Portner "Depots & Botting Establishments" were. It has "Alexandria VA" crossed out and replaced with "Charleston SC", and it looks like it is signed with the name "Otto Banck". letter_01 (enlarge)
This is a letter that is postmarked 1898. It has a picture of the Portner brewery in Alexandria VA. go_withs4 (enlarge)
This looks like a receipt but has a letter on the back. The letterhead is from the Southern Depot at 83 Main Street, Norfolk VA, but mentions the Alexandria brewery and the principal depot at 624-28 Virginia Ave, Washington City D.C. The letter on the back is dated "April 28/78". The hadwriting is too hard for me to decipher. go_withs3 (enlarge)
This is a receipt for 16 Dozen Soda Waters for $5.60. Date is August 10, 1908. go_withs2 (enlarge)


Labels:
This is a red, black & white label. It says:
GUARANTEED UNDER THE FOOD AND DRUGS ACT, JUNE 30, 1906. / Serial No 18564 / NON-INTOXICATING / SMALL (picture of George Washington holding a beer) BREW / BEVERAGE / REGISTERED / A mild fermented and carbonated infusion of Malt / and Hops containing less than two per cent of Alcohol. / PREPARED BY / PORTNER MALT EXTRACT COMPANY / ALEXANDRIA, VA. U.S.A.
label_01 (enlarge)


Other Paper Items:
This is a page from an unusual book I have. The book has pictures of Vessels of the United States Navy, but it is also an advertisement for Robert Portner's beer. The list of Navy ships in the back has vessels that had their "Keel Laid" between 1862 and 1896, so it was probably published in 1897. Navy Advertisement (enlarge)
This ad came out of a book or magazine. It advertizes Hofbrau Lager Beer. go_withs5 (enlarge)
This booklet says "Complements of Robert Portner Brewing Co Alexandria VA" on the cover, and was originally blank inside except for the 2 pages shown in the picture. It was owned by "M.E. Putnam, Battery C. 2nd Art., Fort Screven, Tybee GA". Mr. Putnam seems to have been a merchant, as the book mostly lists items he sold to various people. It also lists some info about his daughter and her children (birthdays he had to remember?). portner_booklet (enlarge)

Miscellaneous Stuff:
This is a 5" diameter tip tray. It advertizes Portners HOFBRAU Lager Beer, made with Bavarian hops and Canadian malt. tip_tray (enlarge)
This is a corkscrew that says:
front/back: COMPLIMENTS OF / ROBERT PORTNER BREWING CO. / J.W. GIBSON, Mgr / DANVILLE, VIRGINIA
bottom: NEED NOT PULL KEEP TURNING
corkscrew (enlarge)
This is a token, probably made of brass. I don't know what it was for, or how it was used. It says "R.PORTNER" on the front and has a "V" (Roman Numeral 5?) on the back. Email me if you know anything about this token. portner_token (enlarge)



1 Boyd's Directory for the Alexandria Virginia (various years)
2 Boyd's Directory for the Washington DC (various years)
3 American Breweries II by Dale P. Van Wieren
4 The Shortest Dynasty 1837-1947 by Michael Gaines



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This page last updated on January 17, 2010.