Coors Brewing Company: Celebrating 125 Years of Brewing Excellence
German immigrant's small brewery grew into nation's third largest
April, 1998The history of Coors Brewing Company is a true example of the American dream. It's the real-life story of Adolph Coors, a young brewer's apprentice, who at age 21 left Germany to go to America in search of opportunity and a better life, stowing away on a ship. Adolph arrived in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1868 with no money and no job, only ambition and persistence to one day have a brewery of his own. After searching the country for the finest water, Adolph established the Coors Brewing Company in 1873 in Golden, Colorado, with its flagship brand -- Original Coors. Today, 125 years later, the company that bears his name is the third largest brewing company in the nation. It's a dream come true.
Following are highlights in Coors' history.
1873 Three years before Colorado became the 38th state, Adolph joined with Jacob Schueler to open "The Golden Brewery" making its flagship brand Original Coors.
1880 The company was so successful that Adolph was able to buy out his partner and become the brewery's sole owner.
1890 The brewery's annual output had grown to 17,600 barrels, up from just 3,500 barrels 10 years earlier.
1916 Prohibition shut down the brewery. Working with his three sons, Adolph found ways to keep the brewery open and operations profitable through the production of ceramics and malted milk during what became 18 long, dry years
1933 - 1955 Out of 1,568 operating breweries in 1910, Coors was one of 750 breweries to reopen in 1933, under the leadership of Adolph's son, Adolph, Jr.
Until prohibition, Coors beer was distributed in just a few isolated markets, including Denver, San Francisco, Wyoming and New Mexico. In the six years following repeal, Coors expanded its market to include 10 Western states.
The slogan "Brewed with Pure Rocky Mountain Spring Water" appeared for the first time which would last for the next 50 years.
By 1955, sales continued to climb, topping I million barrels.
1959 Coors introduced the country's first all aluminum beverage can. The company also launched a recycling revolution by offering a penny for every can returned to the brewery.
1960s-1970s Ongoing technological innovations went hand in hand with the company's growth during the l960s and 1970s and several subsidiary companies were created during that time to expand and market those technologies.
Coors transition from a regional to international brewer began in the 1970s when the company began expanding to new markets. Until then, Coors produced only one beer, Original Coors, for distribution in just 11 Western states.
Coors limited distribution left consumers in the eastern United States clamoring for a taste of the Rocky Mountains' finest beer, and many of them went to great lengths to experience what became the "the Coors mystique."
-Former President Ford was known to return from Colorado with several cases of Original Coors on Air Force One.
-The movie "Smokey and the Bandit" starring Burt Reynolds and Sally Field debuted featuring Reynolds bootlegging Original Coors across the Mississippi River.
1978 Coors introduced the popular Coors Light brand - dubbed the Silver Bullet.
1981 Coors distribution crossed the Mssissippi River.
1991 Coors products are available in all 50 states.
1991 Coors becomes the third-largest brewer and experiences the fastest volume growth rate in the industry.
1993 With the national expansion complete and looking toward a new century, Leo Kiely was appointed as president and chief operating officer of Coors Brewing, the first non-family member to hold that position. He reports to Chief Executive Officer Peter Coors.
1996 Coors relaunched the Original Coors brand with new graphics on cans and bottles. Original Coors wins a gold medal as the best-tasting American Premium Lager at the 1996 Great American Beer Festival.
Today Coors Brewing Company's annual brewing production exceed 20 million barrels (1 barrel equals 31 gallons).
The Coors portfolio includes more than 20 products such as:
Original Coors
Coors Light
Coors Extra Gold
Killian's Red
Killian's Irish Honey
Zima
Blue Moon specialty beers
Coors NA
Keystone and Keystone Light
Over ten million consumers have sampled the freshest beer at the Coors Brewery in Golden since 1875 when Coors built its first beer garden. Official brewery tours started in the 1940s. Today, the Coors Brewery Tour ranks as one of the Colorado's top 10 tourist attractions.
Original Coors is celebrating 125 years of brewing excellence.
