Robert Portner

Robert Portner (1837-) was a successful grocer-turned-brewer who supplied beer to Union troops during the Civil War. Based in Alexandria, Virginia, Portner found success after the war with the Portner Brewing Company. Portner's patented a system to chill lager as well as a machine used to make ice.

Robert Portner was born in Westphalia, Prussia in 1837 and immigrated to the United States in 1853. Portner spent eight years in New York and tried his hand at many professions, including liquor store owner.

Portner traveled south to Virginia in 1861 and bought a grocery store with his friend Frederick Recker. The two friends found success selling food and supplies to Union soldiers in Alexandria, Virginia. At the suggestion of another friend, Edward Abner, Portner invited a brewer to join his successful business. Portner and Company began brewing and supplying beer to Union soldiers positioned in Alexandria and parts of the South.

After the war, Portner and Company dissolved. Recker kept the grocery store and Portner focused on expanding the brewery. Portner learned to brew after the war and eventually brewed enough to require storage cellars. He was in debt at the time and asked for extensions on his loans. Union Soldiers had left Alexandria and the demand for beer was not as high as it once was. The Brewing Company continued to grow and Portner was able to pay off his debts.

Portner patented a system for chilling lager as well as an ice-making machine that improved the quality of his beer. He eventually had fifty refrigerated train cars used to ship his product. With his successes, Portner further expanded his company to include beer gardens.

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