Downieville Brewery

The Bosch Brewery, as it was also know is believed to be the first brewery in Downieville. Mr. Borge was the original builder and operator in 1854. In 1856 he sold it to Scamman, Shultz and Rapp. They sold it to Ferdinand Bosch in 1858.<br><br> Bosch conducted business for many years producing the highest grade beer in town. Improvements were made including a turbine wheel installed in 1881, used to run a small malt mill. A cave behind the brewery served as a storage refrigerator. Beer wagons ran to Goodyear’s Bar, Forest City and Allegheny.<br><br> In 1898, Bosch sold the business to John Woessner. Upon Woessner’s death in 1910, the building was willed to Bessie Taylor Zwiefel and Henry J. Zwiefel, a bartender at the Forest City Brewery. They operated a laundry on site until 1942. the building was sold to Norah G. Cameron. <br><br> A succession of owners followed until 1994 when Rick and Cherry Simi purchased it and are restoring the old Downieville Brewery.<br><br> <i>Editors note: The errors seen in the text are on the marker</i>