Just got my postcard last weekend for the Hamm’s Club Brewery Show taking place in the old Hamm’s Brewery Parking Lot at 707 Minnehaha Ave, E. in St. Paul, Minnesota. Admission is $3.00
The Hamm’sBrewery at one time had railroad service for their power plant and grain elevators. It is a very interesting complex for modelers interested in breweries as there were over 40 buildings at one time. The grain elevators as well as a few other brewery buildings to the north were torn down in 2001. Phalen Blvd now runs through that area.
Theodore Hamm established Hamm’s Brewing Co. in 1865 after receiving it as collateral from a defaulted loan. It was one of several based in the Twin Cities. By 1965 Hamm’s was selling over 3 million barrels a year and was the eighth largest brewer in the U.S. (this was one of I think 3 brewing locations for Hamm’s). The brewery itself was sold and even traded a few times between 1965 and 1997. When under the control of Stroh’s production was finally shut down at that location on September 30, 1997. It is now abandoned with only a few buildings being used for other purposes. The main brew house and storage on the south side of Minnehaha is being gone through for salvage (very actively as you can see cars and piles of new junk on the west side quite often). Like with most breweries, plans for new uses come and go. The thick brick and concrete walls (to prevent mass destruction if there were an explosion) make it hard to renovate for other uses.
Acquired in 1999, Hamm’s is now brewed by MillerCoors.
The research behind Hamm’s is not too complete on the Web. I think I should make that a research priority over the next year.
Hamm’s Club Brewery Show
September 19, 2009
9am – 3pm (yes same date and time as the model railroad show I mentioned in my previous post)
Hamm’s Brewery Parking Lot, 707 Minnehaha Ave, E.
Admission $3.00
Hamm's Brew House
More Hamm’s Brewery pictures on my RR-Pics
