Thirteen men from the Columbus Town Company turned their eyes to the west. By the spring of 1856, they stood beside the banks of the great Loup River and gazed out at a landscape of rich black soil. By May 1856, the outline of the town had been drawn and the framework of the town was laid out. Calling it Columbus, after the capital of Ohio, it was destined to become a city to reckon with. From the original 13 founders, to its present day form, Columbus holds a history as rich as its soil. One of those original 13 founders of Columbus, Charles Bremer, would take on the risk of opening the very first brewery in Nebraska outside of Omaha.

Brewery Location – Seventh and 670/672 15th Avenue, Columbus, NE

Charles Bremer and the Cross Keys Brewery 1864-1875

Charles Bremer born Westphalia, Prussia, was one of the first brewers of the state, having built an establishment known as the Cross Keys brewery for the manufacture of beer at Columbus in 1864, continuing the business until his death on September 19, 1875. The beer however apparently had not received good reviews with the local populace in Columbus. Reports in the Columbus Era newspaper indicated that Mr. Bremer couldn’t sell the beer. The beer was sour, too foamy and didn’t make a man half as drunk as Krug’s or Metz beer from Omaha.

John H. Kersenbrock, Joseph Henggeler, and the Star Brewery 1876-1880

John H. Kersenbrock born in Germany came to the U.S. and at 18 went to work in the Anheuser-Busch brewery in St Louis. He formed a partnership with his brother-in-law Joseph Henggeler. The newspaper ads stated that John H. Kersenbrock & Henggeler of the Star Brewery, had thoroughly refitted the old Charles Bremer brewery and added a large and commodious beer cellar, ice house and all the latest and greatest attachments.

Joseph Henggeler & George Wandel 1880-1882

Mr. George Wandel was a saloon and billiard hall owner but sold his saloon in 1880 to go into the brewery business with Joseph Henggeler. Business most have been difficult and the partnership was dissolved through mutual consent by May 1882.

Joseph Henggeler 1882-1888

Mr. Henggeler tried to make it on his own after two failed attempts with other business partners. In Jan 1883, it was reported that Henggeler would begin bottling his own beer and other manufactures in spring 1883. It was reported in Aug 1887, that Henggeler was expected to commence the erection of a new brew and malt house made of brick. A 30-horsepower engine was to be installed and the brewery would be run by steam. However, by early 1889, much of the brewery equipment was sold at an auction to pay for outstanding debts.

John H. Kersenbrock & George Mack, The Columbus Brewery 1888-1896

In early July, the Columbus Brewery hosted a Grand Opening. On Aug 28, 1890, the Columbus Telegraph reported that Mr. Kersenbrock had invented a device to be used in bottling beer. It consisted of an apparatus from drawing beer from the large casks in the vaults of the brewery, steaming it and then cooling it before it reached the bottles. The brewery seemed to pick up steam (no pun intended) and gain a broader distribution of beer. However by May 1, 1896, the partnership of Kersenbrock & Mack was dissolved.

H. Kersenbrock and Martin Jetter 1896-1905

The Dec 6, 1901, Columbus Telegraph reported that the Columbus (also seen as Columbia Brewing Company in multiple publications during this timeframe) Brewery with J. H. Kersenbrock as the proprietor was selling beer in kegs. Reporting indicated that by Sept 2, 1904 that J. H. Kersenbrock had in fact sold the brewery. The Columbus Telegraph however reported on Sept 9, 1904 that it was misreported and that the sale was off. It was until March 1906, that the actual sale was consummated with Mr. Walter and Mr. Rambour.

Columbus Brewing Company 1905-1917

Under the strong management and distribution skills of Mr. Walter and the brewmaster skills of Mr. Rambour, there were high expectations for the newly incorporated Columbus Brewing Company to be a success. Mr. Rambour originally from Germany, began work in the U.S. at the Muehlebach brewery in Kansas City. He moved three other times to work at breweries until the opportunity came up to form the partnership with Walters. Those breweries included his own brewery “The George Rambour Brewery” in Schuyler, NE from 1904-1906. On Nov 21, 1913, it was reported that improvements were started at the Columbus Brewing Company. The old ice house was torn down and larger new stables were erected. After the completion of those initial upgrades, the brewery was to begin on new bottling works where Columbus beer was to be bottled.

Columbus Beverage Company 1917-1933

With the onset of Prohibition by May 1917, the Columbus Brewing Company now incorporated as the “Columbus Beverage Company” decided to continue with the production of a “near beer” that was expected to have the color, flavor, foam and other properties of real beer but would be non-alcoholic. The “Colombo” beverage became a reality by May 11, 1917, shortly after the start of Prohibition. Colombo had 3.2 percent alcohol instead of the more than 5 percent of alcohol in beer before Prohibition. The drink contained less than one-half of one percent of alcohol be resembled beer in color, foam and taste.

Columbus Brewing Company 1933-1952 George Rambour Proprietor

Products:

Pawnee Dark Beer 1933 – 1935

All-American Draught Beer 1933 – 1936

All-American Light Beer 1933 – 1936

All-American Draught Bock Beer 1933 – 1950

All-American Beer 1933 – 1952

Bock Beer 1933 – 1952

Holiday Special 1933 – 1952

George Rambour weathered the storm and outlasted the Prohibition era to come out on the other side ready to start brewing again for all to enjoy in Columbus. The trucks filled with beer promptly rolled out a 1201am on Aug 10, 1933 when permission was granted for the sale of beer. Ads for All American Pale and Pawnee dark began to appear in the local Columbia papers. Columbus Brewery’s brands, All-American and Pawnee, were primarily sold locally and almost exclusively within a 50-mile radius of the community. The brewery remained successful throughout the 1940s. It was July 11, 1950 at a Columbus Chamber of Commerce luncheon, that George Rambour announced that he was ready to turn over the task of brewmaster to a younger person. He had the new brewmaster and director of sales, Karl P. Grabner. The nation’s tax laws later played a role in the demise of the brewery. The ice produced for the chicken slaughterer was shipped with the meat products across state lines, with the Internal Revenue Service ruling it interstate commerce and seeking back taxes. The tax obligations were quite a burden on the business, which also was a factor in the Rambour family pulling out and selling.

Columbus Brewing Company 1952-1954 Ronald John Fairbairn Proprietor

Products:

Ronz Beer 1952 – 1954

La Rosa Beer 1952 – 1954

The Columbus Telegram announced March 1952, that the brewery was under new management by Ronald J. Fairbairn born in Tottenham, UK. A prize of a $50 War Bond for naming the new beer to be produced by the Columbus Brewing company was offered Mar 31, 1952. The Winner, Mrs. Walter Schreiber name for the beer was Ronz as in a play on words for “Ron’s” beer suitably named after the manager Ronald J. Fairbairn. A new bottling shop for production of bottled pints and canned beer, to add to the production of keg beer and bottled half-gallons was expected to be built in the summer of 1952 with much of the new equipment coming from the Billings Brewery Company in Montana. It wasn’t until Dec 9, 1952, that cans of Ronz beer in cone top form finally made their way to market. The brewery had the capability to produce 1,500 cases of 24 cans each per day. Ronz beer was available in 12-ounce cans, 12-ounce bottles, half gallons and kegs. The venture however did not last long and within two years beer brewing had ceased and by March 1954 and was changed back to the Columbus Beverage Company. When beer production in 1954 ceased at the original brewery location of nearly 100 years, beer was never again brewed at the plant.

The building remains today, much intact with its classic Tudor exterior showing off the signs of age and wear. Free beer and good times made Columbus a merry place during the Columbus Brewing Company’s time of making its brew. What was once a booming industry in the late 1800s and early 1900s now is an empty building at Seventh Street and 15th Avenue with walls that can only echo its heyday.