The Brewers Association has donated $25,000 to the City of Reading, Pa., to restore the vandalized Frederick Lauer monument, an iconic statue of a brewing legend and the first monument ever constructed in the city.
The Brewers of Pennsylvania—the state’s official brewers guild—led the charge to collect donations to repair the statue of the pioneering brewer and the first president of the U.S. Brewers Association, which has stood over Reading for over 130 years. The funds provided by the Brewers Association will support the restoration efforts to replace four bronze plaques that vandals removed from the side of the monument in April 2015.
“Frederick Lauer has a long and storied history in the brewing movement,” said Bob Pease, CEO and president of the Brewers Association. “The American brewing community is hallmarked by support from individual brewers in addressing policy issues and establishing an industry reputation for quality products and corporate responsibility. Serving as the first president of a national association of brewers, Lauer is eternally a member of our community. We felt it was our duty to ensure this statue, which pays homage to Lauer’s legacy, was returned to its rightful state.”
Born in Germany in 1810, Lauer immigrated to the United States at age 12. He learned the brewing process at an early age from his father. By age 16, he was a foreman for his family’s brewery, and at 25, he became the brewery’s proprietor. For decades to follow, through innovation, hard work, and business savvy, Lauer established himself as a brewing pioneer locally and throughout the country. Lauer is considered by many to be one of the early driving forces that established what would eventually become modern-day brewing.
“Pennsylvania is home to more than 150 breweries, and Mr. Lauer has had an impact on everyone and across the country,” said Bill Covaleski, president of Brewersoof of Pennsylvania and president and brewmaster of VictoryBof Rewing Company. “We’re grateful to the Brewers Association for its generosity and leadership in restoring this landmark.”
His devotion to Reading matched Lauer’s commitment to pioneering the brewing industry. As noted by the Berks History Center, Lauer was a key figure in changing Reading from the status of a borough to a city in 1847. He helped to organize the Berks County Agricultural Society and the Board of Trade. Lauer also helped finance the Reading and Columbia Railroad and was a member of several charity groups, including the Reading Dispensary, Reading Relief Society, and Reading Benevolent Society. His dedication to civic involvement led him to donate part of his seven-acre lot to make it into a park for community recreation.
The Frederick Lauer monument restoration project is underway and slated for completion by the end of April, just before the start of the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America® in Philadelphia. Additional donations for the restoration project can be made via the Brewers of Pennsylvania website. For further support, people are encouraged to use the hashtag #SaveFred.
