Baderbräu
TypePrivate
IndustryAlcoholic beverage
Founded1988
HeadquartersChicago, Illinois
ProductsBeer
Websitebaderbrau.com

Baderbräu is a Czech-style pilsner beer first brewed in 1988 by the Pavichevich Brewing Company based in Elmhurst, Illinois. After Pavichevich Brewing declared bankruptcy in 1997, Goose Island took over production of the beer until 2002. Acquisition of the Baderbräu trademark in 2010 by entrepreneur Rob Sama led to the creation of the Baderbräu Brewing Company, which resumed brewing of the Baderbräu pilsner in 2016 until it closed in 2018.

Product description

Baderbräu is a Pilsner made with Czech and German Noble hops, a private strain of European lager yeast, and malts from the USA. The beer is made in accordance with Reinheitsgebot,[1] the German purity law of 1516 which permits only those ingredients in beer and allows no additives or preservatives. ABV: 4.8%, IBU: 38.

History

Baderbräu was originally brewed in the Chicago suburb of Elmhurst, Illinois from 1988 to 1997 by the Pavichevich Brewing Company (1988 to 1997), founded by Kenneth Pavichevich.[2] In its early years, Baderbräu won acclaim, and was called by the late beer reviewer Michael Jackson “the best pilsener I’ve ever tasted in America.”[3] By 1990, more than 200 bars in the Chicago area carried Baderbräu on tap.[4]

Later in 1990, in an attempt to increase sales, the Pavichevich Brewing Company started making medical claims about Baderbräu, which were soon dropped after an investigation by the FDA. Additionally, the company attempted distribution into Washington state, a region that already had many microbrews, which further depleted the company's focus and resources. Boston Beer Company/Sam Adams founder Jim Koch, toured the company in 1990, saying, “He (Pavichevich) could take away all my customers in Chicago and still go bankrupt in two years.” In 1997, the Pavichevich Brewing Company filed for bankruptcy[5] and was liquidated at auction in bankruptcy court.[6] An investment company called Prairie Associates acquired the Baderbräu trademark and formula then promptly sold this intellectual property to Goose Island for an undisclosed sum purported to be more than $100,000 US.[7]

In 1998, Goose Island won a silver medal with Baderbräu Pilsner for the Bohemian pilsner category in the Great American Beer Festival. Goose Island continued to brew Baderbräu until 2002.

Baderbräu Revival

In 2010, entrepreneur Rob Sama registered the Baderbräu trademark and URL, sourced the original recipe (including its proprietary yeast strain), and restarted the company. Baderbräu resumed brewing on a contract basis in 2012 with the assistance of original Baderbräu pilsner creator Douglas Babcook.[8][9] In 2014, Sama leased a vacant warehouse on Chicago's South Side and began renovations to convert it to a new brewery.[10] The brewery and taproom opened in May 2016, and closed in June 2018.[11][12]

References

  1. ↑ Pratt, Steven (1989-03-23). "A Tale of Two Breweries". The Chicago Tribune.
  2. ↑ Blades, John (1989-07-13). "Tapping A Dream". The Chicago Tribune.
  3. ↑ Rice, William (1989-11-16). "On The Defensive". The Chicago Tribune.
  4. ↑ Leatherbee, Lucy (1990-01-28). "A Little Elmhurst Beer Grows Big Enough To Fit In A Bottle". The Chicago Tribune.
  5. ↑ Murphy, H. Lee (1997-06-02). "At Lager-Heads, Baderbrau Still Hopes To Brew Recovery". Crain's Chicago Business.
  6. ↑ Lazarus, George (1997-08-06). "Taste Of Shakeout For Microbrewers In Chicago Auction". The Chicago Tribune.
  7. ↑ "Late News: Goose Island acquires Baderbrau Rights". Crain's Chicago Business. 1997-10-06.
  8. ↑ McDermott, Mark (2012-07-14). "Baderbrau Returns! Talking to the New Owner of Baderbrau Brewing Co." Archived 2019-07-14 at the Wayback Machine, ChicagoNow. Retrieved 2016-05-29.
  9. ↑ Sama, Rob (2010-04-30). "About Baderbräu". Baderbräu Website. Archived from the original on 2013-06-23. Retrieved 2013-02-13.
  10. ↑ Noel, Josh (2014-12-17). "Baderbrau Rebirth Culminates with South Loop Brewery", Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2016-05-29.
  11. ↑ Matthews, David (2016-05-29). "Baderbräu to Open South Loop Brewery by Memorial Day" Archived 2016-08-07 at the Wayback Machine, DNAinfo. Retrieved 2016-05-29.
  12. ↑ Noel, Josh. "Baderbrau heads to auction as brewery is sold off piece by piece". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
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