The Famous Anaheim Brewery

The brewery in 1906.

Bavarian-born, Anaheim resident Friedrich Conrad started his first brewery, the California Brewery at 113 Adele Street between Lemon and Los Angeles (now Anaheim Boulevard) Streets.  The brewery was so popular that on May 24, 1888, Conrad purchased 10 more acres on Broadway in West Anaheim.  There he built a vast brick building and named it the Anaheim Brewery, famous for its "Anaheim Beer."  

Anaheim Brewery's founder Friedrich Conrad

On the west end of the brewery, Conrad established a little park with trees, tables and benches, and a central pavillion.  The park was known as Tivoli Gardens, and later Columbia Gardens.  The park quickly became a popular gathering place for picnics, with people bringing their own food or buying sandwiches and beer at the brewery.   The Anaheim Gazette noted in 1890 that Conrad's beer "appears to be fully equal if not superior to the celebrated Anheuser beer of St. Louis.  Besides it is a stictly Orange County product and all who are in the habit o using beer should give it a trial if only to encourage home industries."


In 1904 Conrad sold the Anaheim Brewery to the Joseph and Anton Hessel who renamed it Union Brewing Company.  The family continued to make beer until National Prohibition closed the taps in 1920. 

(left to right) standing: Joseph Hessel, unidentified Hiltscher, Anton Hessel, unidentified Hiltscher, unidentified Hiltscher; (left to right) seated: unidentified Bennerscheidt, Leonard Hessel, Frank Hogle, unidentified. (1910)

Happily, after a ninety year hiatus, Famous Anaheim Beer is back again, with six delicious hand-crafted brews on tap, including Anaheim 1888.