Albert Weinman was born in Wurtemburg, Germany. At the conclusion of his primary education, he took up an apprenticeship as a cooper. He emigrated to the new world in 1850, living first in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 1859 he moved west into America's vast prairie frontier, where he settled in Atchison, Kansas, a farming community that had been founded only four years earlier. There for over 40 years, he was the junior partner and barrel maker in the Southwest Lager Beer Brewery.
Joseph Weinmann built the brewery with Hugo Knecht. After five years Knecht left Kansas and Weinmann brought on Louis Arras. In 1867 Arras was replaced by brewer John Stamm. In 1871 Weinmann worked under partners Hermann Zibold (Ziebold) & Joseph Haegelin. When Zibold died in the summer of 1891 his widow Rosa Franz stepped in. When Haegelin died 16 months later, his widow Emma assumed the rest of the brewing responsibilities. For the next decade, Weinmann was a junior partner to the two lady brewers.
When Kansas prohibition laws finally closed the doors of the Southwest Brewery in 1902, Weinmann continued on in his cooperage. He retired at age 71 in 1903 after which his son took over the business. Albert Weinman died on the 3rd of March, 1911, at 79 years of age.
Learn more at the links below
If you see an error, please correct me. Contribute corrections, images and additional information by following the contact link. Contact
Tavern Trove seeks images and facsimiles of signatures of America’s Pioneer Brewers so as to better tell their stories. We offer honest prices for ANYTHING associated with America’s brewing history, from the beautiful to the mundane. Let us know what you have through the contact link above.