Images of the Portland area are often associated with lush forests, majestic snow-capped peaks, and more recently, as an idyllic world, like the one seen in ‘Portlandia.’ And for more than 150 years, this is just what the natives have wanted you to believe. In reality, the scenic beauty of the town has been over promoted to hide the seedy and eerie underbelly of a land first inhabited by cannibal settlers, no good scallywag mariners, and more. All of the above conditions created the ideal incubator for the ‘Shanghai’ of decent citizens, many houses of ill repute, and some tasty-ass brews. This is where George Frederick Bottler and his tomb come in…

In the earliest years of Portland’s brewing history, there were only a few places pumping out the suds – Henry Saxer at this Liberty Brewing starting in 1852, then Henry Weinhard and George Michael Bottler, who formed City Brewery in 1857. Meanwhile, George Michael’s brother (not to be confused with the solicitor of public bathroom sex, nor the fictional inheritor of a banana stand), George Frederick, started his own operation up the river, The Dalles Brewery in 1859. One thing led to another and only 6 years later, George Fred passed away, while his brother was traveling in Germany.

With no family there to tend to his remains and ensure a proper burial, Henrys Saxer and Weinhard plus fellow brewer Edward Schafer arranged for him to be buried in Southeast Portland’s Lone Fir Cemetery (not to be confused with Back to the Future’s Lone Pine Mall). Upon his return from Germany, George Michael built an ornate tomb with which to house his brother and also future plots. As luck would have it, George Michael later died in Germany, leaving no family to maintain the site.

Jump ahead 150 years and you’ll find that this same cemetery is now on the National Register of Historic Places, George Fred’s tomb is in great disrepair, and once again, the brewers of Oregon have banded together to help out one of the founders of the state’s brewing traditions. Just this Thursday, Art Larrance, Director of the Oregon Brewer’s Festival, donated $10,000 to the Friends of Lone Fir Cemetery, helping to defray an estimated cost of $80,000 for renovations. That same Brewer’s Festival just generated more than $31 million dollars for the Portland economy, furthering the OBF’s endeavor to give back to the community.

Ensuring the security of said tomb will enable future generations to better understand our reasons for mass-consumption, as well as keep yet another ghost brewer from creeping us out every Halloween. For as the old saying goes, “brewers don’t die, they just start to ferment.” May he rest in peace, in a closed state of fermentation.

Interested in doing your part? Learn how you can contribute to the renovation at www.friendsoflonefircemetery.org.