Token - Gunther Brewing Co (Good Luck) ND

Reverse

3 pointed crown, text above and below

Script: Latin

Lettering:
HEAD
GOOD LUCK
FROM
Gunther
GUNTHER BREWING CO. BALTO. MD.

Edge

Plain

Comment

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunther_Brewing_Company

Gunther Brewing Company is a historic brewery industrial building complex, located in the Canton neighborhood of southeast Baltimore, Maryland, (United States). The site comprises 15 masonry buildings. The main structure is a five-story brick "L"-shaped Romanesque Revival-style brew house with a two-story brick ice plant built about 1910 and one- and two-story boiler room. Additional brew houses built in 1936 and 1950 are also on the property. The later Tulkoff factory and warehouse was built about 1964. It was home to the George Gunther, Jr. Brewing Company, founded in 1900. By 1959, it was the second largest brewery in Baltimore, one of the major centers of brewing in America, when it produced 800,000 barrels per year and employed approximately 600 people. Hamm's Brewing Company bought the Gunther Brewing Company in 1960, and later became part of Miller Brewing Company. The brand was acquired just three years later by the F. & M. Schaefer Brewing Company in 1963, the plant in Canton was closed in 1978. The Tulkoff company briefly used the factory for their sauce products at the conclusion of all brewing operations.

Museum logo
JMM Website
Home
Keyword Search
Advanced Search
Random Images
 
Email This PageSend Feedback
Name Gunther Brewing Company
Details Gunther was a long established Baltimore brewery, with a heritage that pre-dated Prohibition (when it was spelled "Guenther"). The brewery operated until 1959, when it was purchased by Theodore Hamm, a large Minnesota-based brewery. Hamm was attempting to expand its territory into the East and bought Gunther as its first outpost. Rather than continue to brew Gunther for local customers and introduce it's own brands over time, Hamm's instead eliminated Gunther's brand immediately (negating all the local loyalty). Hamm's only stayed for three years before selling the brewery and brands to Schaefer, a large Brooklyn-based brewer. Schaefer reintroduced Gunther as one of its budget brands and won back some of the local customer base. Schaefer itself continued in operation until 1976, when its operations and brands were sold.
[From http://heritage575.tripod.com/gunther_history.html]

Gunther Brewing: 1881-1959
Gunther Brewing was once the most popular brewer in Baltimore, a city that had a very active brewing industry. Gunther Brewing, originally spelled 'Guenther' was founded by Bavarian native George Guenther in 1881 soon after he reached the U.S.. At first he did all the work himself, including brewing and delivering the beer to local buyers around his small brewery. The brewery expanded over the next decades, growing from a capacity of a few thousand gallons to 100,000 barrels a year by Prohibition. The brewery was called "Bay View Brewing" in the 19th century, but with the new (20th) century it became George Gunther Jr. Brewing Company..

By 1900 the brewery was established at 3rd Street (now Conkling and Toone Streets). During the period 1920-1933 the brewery stayed in business brewing near beer as the George J. Gunther Mfg. Company. They restarted after Prohibition first as Gunther's Breweries, Inc. (1932-1935) then as Gunther Brewing. It became one of Baltimore's largest brewers, with a healthy rivalry going with the nearby National Brewing Company, both based across the street from each other on opposite sides of O'Donnell street on "Brewery Hill."

Gunther trucks in Miami, Florida. late 1940s? From the American Truck Historical Society.
Gunther was an early proponent of canning beer, and its first cans are now VERY rare. They expanded their market out of Maryland moving both north and south. In the 1930s and 40s they sponsored one of the area's most popular radio quiz shows, "Quiz of Two Cities." (Its history is on a separate page) By the 1950s Gunther Brewing company was the largest brewer in Baltimore and sponsored several local teams, including the Orioles. Their advertising slogan was "What's the good word? Gunthers!" They kept expanding, adding $7 million in plant improvements from 1954-1959. However, like every other medium or small sized brewer, Gunther was feeling the pinch of competition from the large national brewers, and from would-be nationals like Hamms.
Gunther and the Orioles

Gunther was one of the Orioles' original sponsors when the team moved to Baltimore in the 1954 season. Already a sponsor of local football and basketball team Gunthers quickly jumped on the baseball bandwagon. When Baltimore's acquisition of the St. Louis Browns was announced in 1953 The brewery immediately ran a full page ad welcoming the team to Baltimore. Gunthers also announced that they would award a new 1954 Cadillac to whichever Oriole player was voted "most valuable" by the local fans. Weekly prizes would also be awarded to the "best bird of the week." In December 1953 they sponsored a four-hour telethon to sell season tickets. They also sponsored an Orioles Bandwagon truck (see below) which drove around Baltimore playing the song "Get on the Oriole Bandwagon" and passing out information on buying tickets. [From rustycans.com]
https://jewishmuseummd.pastperfectonline.com/bysearchterm?keyword=Gunther%20Brewing%20Company