The brewery of Saint-Louis

In 1815 the strongholds of Huningue and St-Louis were besieged by the Austrian troops. The people and the commune of St-Louis must supply the provisioning, including beer, to the troops of the archduke Jean. This is what prompted Alexandre Freund (1740-1795) to found the brewery of Saint-Louis in 1816. The construction is done with the materials from the dismantling of the fortress of Huningue. The chimney of the brewery is the first industrial chimney in the landscape of St-Louis.

François Joseph Freund (1804-1865) succeeded his father Alexander at the head of the brewery in 1840. Paul Joseph Xavier Freund (1837-1886), son of François, takes the continuation of the business and introduces in particular the low fermentation in 1861. In 1862 he built a cold cellar and a cellar of guard to Hesingue. In 1866, a steam engine "H. Lachapech" was installed. In 1873 is built a large cooler. An ice machine was acquired in 1883 and two boilers (64 m² of heating) are installed. 1884 marks the acquisition of a Linde ice machine.

In 1886, after modernizing the brewery, Paul Freund died. His wife gives the power of attorney to his eldest son Paul, said "Paul the brewer".

In 1925, the denomination of the brewery Freund became "La Brasserie de St-Louis S.A." and the production reaches 25000 hl.

In 1936, Mr Charles Freund resigned from his position as director. The Board appointed Charles Freund son as new director.

He is the last Freund at the head of the brewery. On 1 September 1938, the last of the Freunds was dismissed from his position as Director. He is replaced by Mr Vogel.

Mr Charles Freund father died in September 1939. The funeral took place on the day of the evacuation of St. Louis and the funeral convoy is insignificant. In the same year, the brewery produced 35,000 hl of beer.

 
In 1957, Mr. Louis Vogel retired. He is replaced by Mr. Henri Robert, brewing engineer. Under his leadership, two bottle pasteurizers are installed. In 1960, tired of his old material and competitors with more modern breweries, the brewery of St-Louis entrusts the prodction of its beer at the brewery "Pêcheur" (Fischer) in Schiltigheim. Thus ends the production activity of one of the oldest companies in the region.

The last bottle is dated 18 February 1960.

On April 11, 1968, at 1 pm, the oldest chimney in St Louis disappeared. It was the end of the giant who raised its tall figure for more than a century above the northern quarter of the city. With this chimney disappears the last witness of that time when they brewed good beer at Saint-Louis.

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