Location: 1-3 Bushwick Pl. & Meserole St. Brooklyn
Description: Founder Otto Huber was born in Germany and moved to the U.S. in 1861. Huber already had experience in the brewing industry so he quickly found a job in Brooklyn at John Schneider’s Brewery (which would eventually become Congress Brewing Co. in 1894). Huber ended up leaving this job to work at John Joerger’s Brewery, a small establishment on Meserole St. & Graham Ave. Huber would ultimately purchase Joerger’s brewery in 1866 and over the next two years he grew the business and expanded to a much larger modern facility a few blocks away at the intersection of Meserole St. and Bushwick Pl. The Otto Huber Brewery produced lager beer under their famous brand “Golden Rod” (see labels below) and had refrigeration equipment and eventually their own bottling operation in later years. Although Huber passed away in 1889 the business was taken over by his son’s and grew to become one of the largest breweries in Brooklyn by time prohibition approached. The Huber family would remain in charge of the brewery until 1925 when it was sold to Edward Hittleman.
This variant w/ large anchor & rope is rare, this is the only example I have seen.This slug plate w/ large anchor seems to be an older variation of Otto Huber bottle, each example of this variant I have seen has thick aqua glass with whittle marks an a somewhat crude construction when compared to other variations.This is a scarce variation of the Otto Huber bottle with very large anchor and heavy embossing. I have only seen a few examples of this particular variation. This is a clear variation of the Otto Huber bottle, I would have to guess it is modern compared to the other blob tops but perhaps production was limited because it seems to be a rare find.This is a rare Otto Huber variation, w/ slug plate and small anchor. The bottom is strongly embossed “Wittemann Bros, New York”. It was probably clear at one point and has turned an amethyst color due to sun exposure. Here is a slug plate variant with a thin anchor trademark. Although this seems less common I have seen them in other collections and up for sale every so often.This is a similar design to the bottle above but in quart size. It is about 12” tall 3.5” wide compared to the other variations listed here which are all about 9” tall 2.5” wide W28 embossed on bottom. Likely produced between 1885 and 1900This is a commonly seen variant w/ blob top and standard ship anchor trademarkThis example is very similar to the one pictured above however the font on the embossing is slightly larger. This may be the earliest Otto Huber crown top bottle, embossed with large lettering and anchor. Bottom is embossed “J BROS”This dark amber crown top variation of the Otto Huber bottle has large, heavy embossed “OH” on the front. It is different from many of the other variations in that the typical anchor trademark does not appear anywhere on it. Another crown top variation with “Golden Rod” embossed above the Otto Huber brewery name and trademark. Embossed “305” on the bottom This is a common variation of the Otto Huber crown top bottle, bottom is embossed “1370 A”This crown top example with anchor trademark and brewery name embossed seems to be the most common Otto Huber bottle out there. This particular variation has “12 Fl OZ” embossed at the very bottom front of the bottle and 1370A embossed on the bottom. It is likely produced between 1915 -1920This is perhaps the most recent variation shown, aqua crown top w/ “GOLDEN ROD, OTTO HUBER BREWERY, BROOKLYN, NY” embossed, the reverse side has a small anchor embossedAbove is another variation of the Otto Huber “Golden Rod” labelOtto Huber “Golden Rod” Lager Beer label. Golden Rod was a famous brand offered by OH. The popularity of the Golden Rod name/brand carried on even after the brewery was sold as the new owner called his business the “Hittleman-Goldenrod”Original Otto Huber porcelain enclosure Otto Huber Brewery Lager Beer labelOtto Huber advertisement
