The History of the Kegerator: Parts 3 and 4

Part Three: Beer and Early Refrigeration

In the days of early refrigeration, around the 1850-1900s, the cold air engine was only beginning to emerge. The way most folks kept things cold was with ice in a basement lined with straw for insulation. Ice had to be imported from cold regions, and ice houses held massive and melting blocks for the public to buy and haul away to their basements in iceboxes that were very different from the iceboxes we think of today. Over a hundred years later, you can still see the evidence of the connection between beer and icehouses.

Fortunately, for the beer barons, the advancement of refrigeration technology began to accelerate. In fact, it was the same year that the first American Lager was brewed, in 1842, that an American physician, John Gorrie, designed the first system for refrigerating water to produce ice. His system was a failure commercially, but his research paved the way for others. By 1856 refrigerating systems began to be commercially produced.

The vapor compression refrigeration systems were amongst the first to be used in commercial breweries. By 1861 a dozen of these systems, invented by Alexander Twining, were in operation in both breweries and meat packing houses. The next phase was the Frenchman Ferdinand Carre’s aqua ammonia system of manufacturing ice. Building or working with refrigeration during the late industrial revolution could be considered a very dangerous line of work. All of this was brand new technology, and the kinks weren’t really worked out until the invention of Freon as a coolant. Before this, highly pressurized units piping dangerous, mostly deadly chemicals such as Ammonia, sulphur dioxide, and ethyl ether were leaking vapors and gases that would jeopardize the health of workers.

Some brewers still used ice to lager their beer at this time. Adam Lemp, of St. Louis, is one example of a fellow with an interesting solution to lagering. His problem was a limited space with which to store his beer during the lagering process. His solution was to utilize a newly discovered natural limestone cave, located just south of the city (now it is at the northwest corner of Cherokee and De Menil Place). The cave’s temperature was controlled by ice chopped from the Missouri River and over 3,000 barrels of beer had been aged in that cave during its first year of operation as a warehouse...

Breweries had become the largest users of commercial refrigeration units by the 1870’s. Some brewers, such as Thomas Lemp and his lagering cave, still relied on ice harvesting. The ice-harvesting industry was starting to have troubles, specifically with sanitation: sewage and pollution had begun to make itself evident in natural ice. This became a problem in the metropolitan areas, and eventually breweries, that still relied upon ice harvesting. They had to turn to applications of the new refrigeration technology. In turn, the new amount of capital invested into such technology produced more modern and consumer level refrigerators and icemakers.

Meanwhile, freight cars were being developed that used air-cooling and ice boxes to ensure coolness in the car during transport. The combination of new technologies from various fields made the national marketing of beer and other perishable products possible at a scale previously unknown. In 1895, a process for the large-scale production of liquid air was developed, making refrigeration finally safe for the home… paving the way for liquid oxygen for use in household refrigerators, thanks to the inventions of Carl von Linde.

We can see that all these trends culminated in what is now perceived to be the standard in real ale appreciation: the draft ale. One can surmise that by 1900 one could enter most common houses in the western world and receive a pint of draft beer similar in character as one could today: chilled, served from a keg (most likely still a wooden keg back then), pressurized, carbonated, and with a nice head about it. One of the biggest differences is that in the modern age, this fine, full draft beer experience can be had in your own home, with a kegerator.

Part Four: Beer Barons and Cold Beer

The first beer brewers in North America to brew on a large commercial scale were the German immigrants. The most successful of these came to be known as the “Beer Barons”, and during the second industrial revolution, these beer barons worked hand-in-hand with the inventors that were pioneering the field of refrigerating technology. Without their entrepreneurial enthusiasm, we may never have had what has come to be known as the modern kegerator.

The main problem the beer barons were trying to overcome was expanding their territory. The beer they produced was a fine product, but getting it out while it was still fresh was a challenge. The railroad was making things easier, as well as designs for air and ice-cooled rail cars, but beer could only be kept cold as long as the ice lasted. A need arose for an unlimited supply.

By the mid-1870s, over 2,500 breweries were operating in the United States. The nation's beer production increased from about 10 million barrels (31 gallons per barrel) to nearly 40 million barrels per year between then and 1900. Those brewery owner/operators that once spent 18-hour days bent over malting ovens and brew kettles began to be rewarded for their efforts, with loyal followings of fresh European immigrants who could find brewery employment through familiar and cultural ties.

Adolphus Busch was one of the most forward-thinking of the Beer Barons, and his company still shows the momentum of his efforts. In order to promote his national “Budweiser” brand from coast-to-coast, he had rail cars custom made that would keep his company’s beer cool during transport, and established an extensive network of ice houses to store his beer in a manner that it would retain its freshness. He toured relentlessly to promote his beer with special events and promotions.

One of the most inventive promotions for Busch’s beer was the position of “beer collector”. These agents would visit saloons where Busch’s beer was sold and, once a month, buy rounds of Busch’s beer for the patrons. This boon would be delivered in proportion to the amount of company beer that the saloon purchased, and so propagated both an increasing customer base and a product association with spontaneous celebration. Sounds like a fun job, too!

Many breweries were either content with their local clientele or unwilling to invest in the “newfangled” ice and cold air machines found their business flagging as the beer barons overtook the market with their states-wide and national brands. Even the beer barons themselves soon found that the corporate business model was beating them out from an investment-capitol angle, and soon started selling out ownership as stock companies.

By 1914 there were only 1400 breweries left in the United States due to a variety of factors: fierce commercial competition, price wars with foreign companies, and consolidation of resources. At the same time, due to increases in understanding of cooling technologies, cold beer was getting ever closer to the home.

The Beer Barons of the second industrial revolution contributed much to the financial impetus toward technological advancements that, in the end, brought us the kegerator. Although, by the end of their era, their product became bland and flavorless compared to the craft-brewed traditions that they came from. With the home brew resurgence of the last twenty years, and the knowledge of cooling technology culminating from all those years, the beer connoisseurs of today reap all of the benefits of both worlds.

Stay tuned for part five where I’ll talk about Prohibition and Cold Beer. In the meantime, check out Kegerators.net for information on draft beer dispensers and other fun draft beer tidbits.

- by Christian Lavender

Founder of Beer Interactive, an online beer marketing company, Christian brings years of draft beer dispensing experience from his successful Internet properties Kegerators.net and BeerBulletin.com

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