George Basserman

George Anton Basserman
Born	1832 Germany
Died	1887
Occupation	Brewery proprietor
Years active	Late 19th century
Known for	Owner of Rock Brewery in New Haven, Connecticut

George Anton Basserman (1832–1887) was a prominent brewery proprietor located in New Haven, Connecticut’s Cedar Hill area during the latter part of the 19th century. Originally from what is now Germany, he relocated to New Haven in 1851.

Basserman operated the Rock Brewery,, situated at the junction of State and Rock Streets. To facilitate beer storage, he carved out a cellar beneath East Rock, which measured 200 feet in length, 24 feet in width, and 16 feet in height. The brewery’s annual output ranged between 15,000 and 20,000 barrels. The complex featured a substantial bottling facility alongside a three-story structure—constructed partially from stone—measuring 185 by 50 feet, complemented by adjoining sheds and barns spanning 688 by 50 feet. A distinctive feature of the site was its authentic German-style beer gardens located next to the brewery. Although a fire in the 1890s destroyed much of the establishment, a portion of the original wall still stands. Opposite the brewery, Basserman developed housing for his workers, which later became known as the George Basserman Building.

In 1886, Basserman was convicted for vending lager without the necessary license in Hamden, Connecticut.

He was married to Johannette and had a son named George Anton Basserman II. Following his father’s passing, G.A. Basserman II sold the Rock Brewery in 1888 to John M. Manning from Buffalo, who intended to enlarge the operation until it was halted by fire.

Basserman’s granddaughter Anna married William Hall in 1914; the Hall family remains proprietors of several properties within Cedar Hill.

External links

• NY Times article featuring George Basserman, 1876 – Coverage of brewery owners opposing IRS restrictions.
• Directory listing for Rock Brewery, 1874, p. 260
• Enterprise Hall of Fame – George Basserman