The Port Washington Star
March 20, 1897

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The art of brewing may be traced back to the ancientEgyptians, and all who were privileged to observe the beautiful floats gotten upby the Milwaukee breweries, at the time of the semicentennial of that city, representingthe different stages passed through before the amber fluid was fit for use, can appreciatethe labor attending the brewing of beer.

In 1850-'51 Jacob Moritz, the son of an extensive wholesale brewer of Bieverich,Nassau, and a man by the name of Kern, also from the Fatherland, emigrated to thiscity, then a diminutive hamlet, purchased land of Solon Johnson, who was a real estatenabob, and owned the greater part of the land lying north of the village, and erectedthe first brewery in this part of the state; since which time they have assumed amushroom growth and one cannot travel distant scarcely ten miles without runningacross on.

The Lakeside Brewery of G. Biedermann & Co. occupies the site of the originalbrewery built and started by Jacob Moritz.

Beer was a novelty in this section at that time, and was then considered quite aluxury, as genuine "corn juice" sold for twelve cents a gallon. The beveragewas called "Lager Beer" as it was stored away in quantities after the brewingin great underground cellars with imposing arched entrances - the long it lay, thericer it became.

Old settlers remember when the proprietor, Jacob Moritz, met with a heavy loss throughmiscalculation during the various stages of its manufacture, and the whole season’sbrewing had to be thrown away, or in brewing vernacular, he had to "let it allrun."

Another old stager remembers well the trips the family dog made up the lighthousehill every week, drawing an eighth of beer on a small wagon to some of the hill residents,from the "Moritz Brewery." Moritz came her a single man, and, after hebuilt and equipped his brewery, returned to New York, where he was met by his sweetheartwho had crossed the ocean to unite her destiny with that of the young capitalist.They were married in New York City, came to this city and remained until the earlyseventies. A family of eleven children was raised here, who, with the exception ofone, are all living, prosperous, respected citizens of their various homes.

In 1873, Moritz returned on a visit to his native place, Bieverich, Nassau, and ashort time after was drowned in the Rhine. After this, the oldest son, Louis, conductedthe business for a time, when they finally sold out to Nic. Welter. On the eighthday of December, 1875, the brewery burned down. It was immediately rebuilt by Welter.Soon after this, it passed into the hands of Mallinger, and from his management tothat of The Ozaukee County Malting Company, who had Frederick Knaepple run it, andafterwards the late Henry Dix. The beer brewed at this brewery had acquired the reputationof "the best lager beer in the county."

In 1881, the brewery fell into the hands of its present owner, Mr. G. Biedermann,who has steadily added improvements from year to year, adding to the original building,so that today there is nothing of the Moritz brewery left. Mr. Biedermann believesin keeping abreast of the times and has recently bored a valuable artesian well.He also has added bottling works, with new artificial cooling apparatus pumps, andeverything up to date in its equipment. He has built a handsome new residence, bottlinghouse, ice house and office (which the accompanying cut shows off to good advantage).

The establishment employs a number of skilled workmen, and has increased the outputfrom 1000 to 6000 barrels per annum.

"Biedermann's Lakeside Beer" is sold for home consumption exclusively,that is, it is not shipped to other states. Several teams are kept busy deliveringto the towns and villages throughout the county the amber beverage that "soothes,but does not intoxicate." Mr. Biedermann has shown himself an enterprising businessman, placing "Biedermann's Lakeside Brewery" among the solidly establishedindustries of our thriving, growing city.

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