Monday, December 5, 2016

Keeley Brewing Company of Chicago. 1876-1953

Keeley Brewing Company, 516 (now 462) East 28th Street, Chicago, Illinois. 
Phone: CAlumet 2030.
Not much is known about the Keeley Brewing Company. At the time of Prohibition in 1920, Chicago had well over 100 breweries. Many produced a near-beer while others bottled soda-pop during the Prohibition. Many closed and did not reopen after the the Prohibition was repealed in 1933.
Keeley chose to shut down operations in 1920. They reopened in 1933. 
Following is a timeline for Keeley:

Michael Keeley Brewery 1876-1878
Keeley Brewing Co. 1878-1920

Readdressed to 28th & Groveland Park Avenue (now Ellis Avenue), Chicago, Circa 1900
Brewery operations shut down by National Prohibition in 1920; Issued permit ILL-U-727A allowing the operation of a brewery after Repeal 1933
Keeley Brewing Co. 1933-1953
Keeley Brewing Co. Closed in 1953

Products List:
English Club Pale Beer 1933 - 1936
Keeley Malt Tonic 1933 - 1936
Olde Stout Beer 1933 - 1936
Keeley Stout 1933 - 1946
Ye Olde Inn Ale 1933 - 1946
Ye Olde Stout 1933 - 1946
Keeley Ale 1933 - 1953
Keeley Bock 1933 - 1953
Keeley Half & Half 1933 - 1953
Keeley Draught Bottled Beer 1933 - 1953
Keeley lager Beer 1933 - 1953
Olde Stout 1946 - 1950 

Labels And:
Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

7 comments:

  1. My last name is Keeley grew up in south shore not sure (doubt) any connection....How about the other side of the coin.....The Keeley Cure out of Dwight Illinois?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Keeley Institute, Dwight, Illinois & Keeley Day at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition.
      https://drloihjournal.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-keeley-institute-dwight-illinois.html

      Delete
  2. I just found a Keeley brown glass bottle in the basement of the house I just bought that was built in 1918. Very sturdy glass and 12.5oz
    I'm very appreciative of this page for information!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Replies
    1. Actually...so did mine! His name was Patrick Kelly and he was originally from County Cork, Ireland. Came to Chicago in the mid 1880s. 1866-1935

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    2. How did you figure out he worked there? My great grandfather Frederick Kircher lived on Cottage Grove and his occupation on a couple of documents is listed as saloon, so I'm wondering if this is a possibility.

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    3. My father worked there before I was born as a fireman (coal shovel-er).

      Delete

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