Gunther Brewery

Gunther Brewery is the best known beer in Baltimore in the early 20th century. It was founded by George Gunther, Jr. in 1900. By 1959 it was the second largest brewery in Baltimore, when it produced 800,000 barrels per year and employed approximately 600 people.The site of the brewery is located on Brewers Hill in Southeast Baltimore. The boundaries of Brewers Hill are: Fleet Street on the North, Dillon Street on the South, Conkling Street on the West, and Haven Street on the East.

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Hamm's Brewing Company, a large Minnesota-based brewery, bought the Gunther Brewing Company in 1960. Hamm was attempting to expand its territory into the East and bought Gunther when it first went into sale. Rather than continue to brew Gunther for local customers and introduce its own brands over time, Hamm's eliminated Gunther's brand immediately. That didn't work well for Hamm since it betrayed the trust and ultimately the local loyalty of Gunther enthusiast.
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Hamm's Brewing Company only stayed for three years before selling the brewery and brands to F&M Schaefer Brewing Company, a large Brooklyn-based brewer in 1963.
While promoting their brand of beer, they reintroduced Gunther as one of its budget brands and won back some of the local customer base. Schaefer itself continued in operation until 1976.
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