Bavarian Brewing Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Brewing |
| Founded | 1866 in Covington, Kentucky, United States |
| Founder | Julius Deglow |
| Fate | Acquired by International Breweries, Inc. in 1959; closed in 1966 |
| Headquarters | Covington , United States |
| Products | Bavarian Beer, Riedlin Select Beer, Riedlin Blue Ribbon Beer, Bavarian Master Brand, Bavarian Bock Beer, Schott's Ale |
| Parent | International Breweries, Inc. (from 1959) |
Bavarian Brewing Company was established in 1866 in Covington, Kentucky by Julius Deglow and became known as Bavarian Brewery around 1870. Originally situated on Pike Street, the brewery relocated to 12th Street within ten years. John Meyer took ownership in 1881, and a year later, William Riedlin acquired a stake. From 1884 onward, the business operated under the name Meyer & Riedlin, and in 1889 it was incorporated as Bavarian Brewery Co., led by Riedlin. Remaining a family-run enterprise until its 1959 purchase by International Breweries, Inc. (IBI), it continued brewing its signature beer through the Bavarian Division until its closure in 1966.
The brewery structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996 and later transformed into a venue for dining, drinks, and entertainment, known as Brew Works at the Party Source and Jillian's until 2006. The Brew and Mill Houses built in 1911 were repurposed into office facilities for the Kenton County Government Center, which opened in 2019. This site includes a Bavarian Brewery Exhibit and is supported by an official Bavarian Brewery website.
Early history
Founded initially as DeGlow & Co., the brewery experienced multiple name changes by 1868—such as DeGlow, Best & Renner—before adopting the Bavarian Brewery Co. title around 1870. Ownership changed hands several times until John Meyer assumed control in 1881. In 1882, German immigrant and businessman William Riedlin, who had established Cincinnati’s Tivoli Hall saloon, joined forces with Meyer to form Meyer-Riedlin Brewery in 1884. By 1889, it was incorporated as Bavarian Brewing Co., Inc., with Riedlin serving as President and eventually taking full ownership. Their beer offerings included Bavarian Beer, Riedlin Select Beer, and Riedlin Blue Ribbon Beer.
The original brewery on Pike Street featured ice ponds and lager cellars and expanded over time to encompass malt and brew houses, boiler and engine rooms, plus wagon sheds. Following incorporation, substantial investments were made: a bottling plant opened in 1892 introducing advancements such as the crown bottle cap and pasteurization techniques that prolonged beer freshness and facilitated broader distribution. An ice plant producing 100,000 pounds daily supported lager fermentation; surplus ice was sold commercially or provided free to saloons carrying Bavarian products. By 1914, the brewery spanned six and a half acres with modernized facilities including a new ice plant doubling output to 200,000 pounds daily, a stock house, and updated brewing machinery. Annual beer production increased dramatically from 7,341 barrels in 1870 to 215,000 barrels by 1914, establishing it as Kentucky’s largest brewery.
Production halted suddenly in November 1918 due to Prohibition laws; however, storage and sales persisted until mid-1919. To maintain operations during this period, the company shifted focus to bottling non-alcoholic beverages under the William Riedlin Beverage Company name. After William Riedlin’s death early in 1919—and shortly after his son’s passing who had briefly served as Vice President—the brewery concentrated on near-beer, malt extract, and other non-alcoholic products. By the mid-1920s, all operations ceased entirely and equipment was sold off.
Post-Prohibition Era: 1930s and 1940s
Following the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, Bavarian Brewing Co. resumed operations in 1935 under the leadership of M. L. Vorhees, who was affiliated with the founding Riedlin family. Financial challenges resulted in the company entering receivership by 1937, after which William C. Schott and his brothers—entrepreneurs connected to the brewing sector through their cooperage enterprise—acquired it. The brewery was formally incorporated under the Schott family in 1938, with George Schott assuming the presidency by 1939. Later, in 1945, Louis Schott became president while William R. Schott took on the roles of Secretary and Treasurer.
The brewery’s portfolio featured key offerings such as Bavarian Beer (draft), Bavarian Master Brand (bottled), Bavarian Bock Beer, and Schott's Ale. From 1947 through 1952, the operation maintained continuous production to satisfy market demand. During this timeframe, strategic expansions included acquiring the Bruckmann Brewery Plant in 1948 and Heidelberg Brewery in Covington in 1949, along with enlarging warehouse capacity in Cincinnati.
The 1950s and 1960s
In 1952, Bavarian Brewing increased prices to offset the expenses associated with running two facilities, which caused output to decline from 350,000 barrels to just over 200,000 barrels by 1953. To reduce expenditures, production was consolidated at the primary plant; surplus assets such as the Heidelberg facility and a warehouse were divested by 1955. Leadership changes followed with William R. (Bill) Schott stepping into the presidency and Louis L. Schott serving as Secretary/Treasurer.
Confronted by competition from national brewers like Anheuser-Busch—who introduced Busch Bavarian Beer in 1954—Bavarian Brewing initiated a trademark lawsuit aimed at protecting its brand within its regional market. Although the court prevented Busch beer sales in Bavarian’s local area, no exclusive trademark rights or financial damages were granted. In an effort to increase market presence, Bavarian rebranded Old Style Beer to Bavarian's Select Beer in 1957 and launched a marketing campaign featuring a local spokesperson.
By 1959, Bavarian merged with International Breweries Inc. (IBI). William C. Schott retired at this time, while Bill Schott became Executive Vice President of IBI and continued managing the Bavarian plant. IBI invested half a million dollars upgrading bottling equipment and expanded product offerings bottled at Bavarian’s facility to include FrankenMuth and Old Dutch beers. However, attempts to extend distribution through IBI’s other plants achieved limited results; by 1964, Bavarian was incurring annual losses of approximately $500,000.
Unable to compete effectively against larger national breweries, Bill Schott left in 1965, marking the end of family involvement after over eight decades. In 1966, IBI exited the brewing business and rebranded itself, closing the historic Bavarian Brewery location in Covington that same year.
Historic and Contemporary Uses of the Site
The iconic Bavarian Brewery edifice—recognized for its Romanesque "castle-like" design and prominent visibility from Interstate 75 near downtown Cincinnati—fell into decline over a span of thirty years. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996 and experienced a brief revival under Ken Lewis as Brew Works at the Party Source. Later, Jillian's operated the building as a restaurant and nightclub for eight years until ceasing operations in 2006. In 2008, Columbia Sussex—a casino and hotel operator—purchased the property with plans to convert it into a casino contingent on changes to Kentucky gambling laws. When those legislative changes did not materialize, Columbia Sussex attempted to demolish the main brewery structure despite existing preservation agreements, triggering a "Save the Bavarian" preservation campaign.
At the same time, Kenton County was seeking new administrative office space due to outdated existing facilities. After evaluation, the county acquired the brewery site in 2016 for governmental use. The original Brew and Mill Houses were restored and integrated with newly constructed buildings to create the Kenton County Government Center, which officially opened in 2019. This complex features a Bavarian Brewery Exhibit that presents over a century and a half of brewery history and artifacts, successfully combining historical preservation with modern governmental functions.