(Anheuser-Busch would later capitalize on this idea by creating a series of theme parks called Busch Gardens.) Many resembled elaborate amusement parks. As they developed in American cities during the 1840s through the 1870s, music, games and other entertainments often were part of the draw. He says it made them “suitable and safe places to convene” to discuss politics and current affairs.īeer gardens were sprawling, family-friendly outdoor spaces that encouraged patrons to linger. These drinking establishments were well-lit and served familiar lager beer, instead of ales or whiskey common in Irish American saloons. In his 2007 book, Beer and Revolution: The German Anarchist Movement in New York City, 1880–1914, historian Tom Goyens describes these institutions as “clubhouses of trade-union locals, singing societies or mutual-aid organizations.” They cemented community and ethnic identity for immigrants. In the late 1800s into the early 1900s, these were also de facto community centers, childcare facilities, and places for political speeches and other civic and organizational activities. One notable and distinctly Czech contribution to America’s beer scene are Pilsners, a pale lager style introduced in 1842, named for the Czech city of Pilsen.įor immigrants from Germany and Bohemia, beer halls and beer gardens offered a taste of home. “It’s the same drinking culture, the same atmosphere, the same food,” even the same chestnut trees shading the tables below, he says. Yet, the bordering regions had almost identical beer cultures, says Evan Rail, a Prague-based beer expert and Wine Enthusiast contributor. Historically, Bohemia was under Austrian rule, while Bavaria was part of Germany. One of the oldest and best-known surviving beer gardens, New York City’s Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden, is still owned and run by descendants of the community. Immigrants from Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic, also brought beer and beer gardens to the U.S. Anywhere Germans settled, you’d find these establishments.” Photo courtesy Great Lakes Brewery, Cleveland Ohio “The setting in which they enjoyed this lager beer: beer gardens or beer halls. “This new, entrancing style of brewing, light and effervescent and clear, was different from the English ales that preceded them,” says McCulla. German immigrants also introduced many to lager-style beers, an easy-drinking alternative to ales, porters or stouts. Many of these German immigrants had expertise in brewing beer on larger, often industrial scales. Particularly associated with Munich and the southern German state of Bavaria, beer halls are indoors typically, while beer gardens are “communal, airy, outdoor settings,” she says. “The histories of beer halls and beer gardens are linked,” says Theresa McCulla, curator of the American Brewing History Initiative at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. Soon, beer gardens and beer halls opened to serve those communities. Many brought beer-making traditions with them.
to escape religious persecution, political unrest or agricultural scarcity.
In the 1800s, people from Germany and Eastern Europe emigrated to the U.S. The appeal of drinking beer outdoors is eternal, but beer gardens are a relatively recent arrival in the United States. Decorative Wine Racks & Modular Systems.