Pacific Brewery

Since John's post showing Buffalo Brewing Co's beer service at the 1894 Mid-Winter Fair in San Francisco touched on Sacramento's best known brewery, I thought that it would be a good time to discuss another lesser known brewery from our capital city.

The Pacific Brewery was first opened at the northwest corner 9th and P Sts in 1858 by J.B.Kohler, G. Ochs, and P. Lorenz. Kohler died in 1859 and Lorenz in 1862. Ochs operated the brewery by himself until it was purchased by L. Knauer and Son in 1869. The father died in 1881, leaving his son, Fred, to operate the business. F.C. Knauer was an astute businessman and expanded the brewery, improved the machinery and hired more workmen. He did an extensive business around the Sacramento area, providing barrel goods to his customers. The brewery ran successfully until 1898, at which time it closed it's doors for good. Why it closed we'll never really know, but it was probably due to the efforts of competitors and the fact that they produced no bottled beer. By that time, beer in bottles was popular and Buffalo was at the forefront of this consumer demand. Many other local bottlers were agents for other breweries throughout the West and across the US.


Pacific Brewery advertising and ephemera remains non-existent, with only a single advertising sign and a handful of glasses surviving. This circa 1890s piece is unique and thankfully graces our wall. It retains both tin bands but has no date, other than a pencil name at the bottom, 502 O'Farrell, '89. The subject of three lovely young women recalls the sirens of Greek mythology who attempted to lure Odysseus onto the rocks with their melodious song.