Mark W. Rummel posted this photo on April 2, 2013 in the Facebook Group “You know you are from Sebewaing, MI when …”.  He said “Here’s a Sebewaing Brewing Company picture I’ve never seen before, for sale today on eBay. It’s a parade float with both Sebewaing (Pheasant) Beer and Brewer’s Best brands shown on the old horse-drawn cart. I believe this is from Sebewaing’s 1953 Centennial (I was there, but only 3.)

The eBay seller from Bay City knows his/her Sebewaing Beer history. It was bought at Otto Thede’s estate sale, the seller says (Otto was Brewmaster for many years and basically lived across the street.) When I wanted to write a history of the brewery while in college, he didn’t want to talk with me about it (I probably don’t blame him.) Now, I wish he would have!

Any other thoughts, folks??”

Here are the comments from the post:

Brian K. Schwartz Too bad that car isn’t around today! That would sure make a sweet piece to show around here!!

Mark W Rummel Yep, Brian, and I wish the Brewery was still there to park it in front of!!!

Doug Rook What, no Clydesdales?

Judy Bergman Weber I was there too.

Brian K. Schwartz I do too, Mark W Rummel. I think that it would do quite well today. My Grandfather, Frank used to haul beer for the brewery. I still remember walking past it on my to and from school.

Doug Rook Hey Brian, I graduated with your dad. Please give him my regards. Haven’t seen him since the 60’s

Brian K. Schwartz Doug: I’ll try to remember the next time I see him. He’s on here but I don’t know how often he checks it

Earl Mast I don’t believe Otto Thede was a brew master. Ringle and Lowery were two I remember.

Thank you to Mark W. Rummel for posting the photo and all of those who took the time to comment in Facebook.

Mark W. Rummel posted this photo on March 4, 2013 in the Facebook Group “You know you are from Sebewaing, MI when …”.  He said “This was the beer that ended it all. When the new “big city owners” bought up local stock and got control of the Sebewaing Brewery’s board of directors in the early 1960s, they wanted to create a premium beer and they called it “POM – Pride of Michigan.” People weren’t used to spending that much on Sebewaing Beer and it didn’t sell.

Notice they also changed the name (unnecessarily) to the Michigan Brewery, Inc., which added costs but no more revenue. This is a “table-top” card for sale on eBay, from about 1965. POM was a major reason the brewery finally closed.”

Here are the comments from the post:

William Harder I thought it was the brewers best that end it that’s when the beer went national they tried bring back beer to sebewaing that’s where Pom was form

Scott M. Thede I am reviewing older brewery related comments and thought I would post my opinion. Brewers’ Best was done in the late 40’s and never really lasted. Though I do not have a date of this labels end, I think it only lasted a few years. The brewery’s biggest revenue years were the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. The name change from Sebewaing to Michigan Brewing, the POM label, and the phase out of the blue label Sebewaing Beer to Golden Pheasant which was the same beer less the name is mostly what did it. This occurred in around July 1964. Then in the spring of 1965, the money had been spent and with the temporary closing in the spring and early summer of 1965, businesses looked for other sources. The brewery could not recover when it re-opended in June 1965 and closed for good in 1966. A darn shame.

Thank you to Mark W. Rummel for posting the photo and all of those who took the time to comment in Facebook.