Newport in Campbell County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)
Barrels of Beer
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 30, 2021
1. Barrels of Beer Marker
James Smith brewed an English style beer in Newport as early as 1798. In the 1840s and 1850s German immigrants introduced the new style lager. Although several breweries operated in Newport after the Civil War, the one established by George Wiedemann not only dominated locally but emerged as the largest brewery in the United States south of the Ohio River.
In its grand complex straddling Columbia Street, Wiedemann achieved a capacity of over 100,000 barrels of Standard, Bohemian, and Mόnchen beer each year. Although the brewery reemerged, unlike other local breweries after Prohibition, it could not hold off the national breweries and was sold in 1967 to the G. Heileman Brewing Company of La Crosse, Wisconsin which closed Wiedemann in 1983. The iconic factory was torn down in 1987.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1798.
Location. 39° 5.453′ N, 84° 30.122′ W. Marker is in Newport, Kentucky, in Campbell County. It can be reached from Riverboat Row, on the right when traveling north. Marker is on the Newport Levee trail. Touch for map.
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Kentucky’s Outer Bluegrass. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Ohio River Valley. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Bridging the Licking (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Welcome to the Dan Beard Riverwalk Trail (about 400 feet away); Newport Barracks (about 500 feet away); Licking River (about 500 feet away); a different marker also named Newport Barracks (about 500 feet away); Defending the Valley (about 600 feet away); Fort Thomas (about 600 feet away); James Taylor, Newport's Founder (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Newport.
Regarding Barrels of Beer. The Wiedemann brand was resurrected in 2014 as a local craft brewery
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 30, 2021
2. Barrels of Beer Marker
Also see . . .
1. Wiedemann Brewing Company, Newport Kentucky. Historic Structures website entry:
History and photographs of the now-gone brewery (Submitted on June 6, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
2. George Wiedemann. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on June 6, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
Barry Peper / Public domain, circa 1933
3. George Wiedemann Brewery Complex, Bottling Shop
Credits. This page was last revised on June 28, 2024. It was originally submitted on June 6, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 385 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 6, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
