The Weston Brewing Company was first established in 1842 by German immigrant John Georgian. Georgian brought the tradition of lager brewing with him when he settled in Weston. The brewery was designed to utilize ice from the river during winter and lagering cellars dug deep into the ground to create ideal conditions for his beer which needed to be stored below 60 degrees for more than six weeks. In creating the brewery, the Weston Brewing Company became one of the first lager breweries in the United States.
Upon Georgian's death in 1857, the brewery was acquired by August Kunz. The Kunz family, Joseph and Charles, were active in the brewery business in Leavenworth, KS during the same time period.
Kunz rebuilt the brewery after it was destroyed by fire in 1860 and continued to operate it until 1872 when he closed it due to financial problems. The brewery remained in an inactive status until 1885 when another Leavenworth brewer, John Brandon, an English immigrant and engineer by trade, teamed with fellow Leavenworth resident, George Mack, to reopen, the brewery.
As respective Manager and Superintendent of the brewery, Brandon and Mack negotiated a deal with famous Lawrence, KS brewer, John Walruff. Walruff with his son August, acquired the brewery in 1887.
Walruff, a native of Cologne, Prussia and machinist by trade, dabbled in politics and banking in Ottawa, KS before opening a large brewery and beer garden in Lawrence, KS.
When the Kansas Legislature passed a prohibition law in 1880, Walruff spent six years and many thousands of dollars trying to circumvent the law by claiming his products were 'medical beer' that cured stomach and other intestinal ailments.
