Rice Brothers Brewers & Bottlers

There is not much information on the Rice Brothers and even less breweriana to be found. From what I can gather they were a Pittsfield Brewery for only a year or two. Taverntrove.com lists the following:

- Trade Names for the brewery at 188/190 West Street, Pittsfield, MA:

Rice Bros. Brewing Assn. (188/190 West Street) 1914-1915

Rice Bros. Brewing Co. 1915-1915

Closed in 1915

Status of the building is unknown.

- The actual Rice Brothers were Charles W. and Fred C. Rice.

- The Rice Bros. Brewing Association, Pittsfield, Mass.,has been oraganized to succeed Rice Bros., brewers. Edward A. Gautert, F. P. Burns and W. F. Hall are the incorporators of the new concern which is capitalized at $150,000. A new brewery and bottling works is to be erected.

Ice and Refrigeration

By Southern Ice Exchange

Published by H.S. Rich & Co., 1913

- RICE BROS., (Charles W. and Fred C.) manufs. and bottlers of soda, birch and tonic beer, and ginger ale, also dealers and bottlers of lager, and all kinds of ales, connected by telephone, Burbank Hotel block, West.

Gazetteer of Berkshire County, Mass., 1725-1885

By Hamilton Child

This is all the information I have on this brewery. They would have been in direct competition with The Berkshire Brewing Association at the time, but that wouldn't have mattered because they both would of closed to prohibition anyway. The only Breweriana from Rice Brothers I have are three bottles, one of which I found at an old farm in Hinsdale, Mass. while digging for bottles.

Brewer: Rice Brothers

Type: Clear Embossed Crown Top

Date: N/A?

Closure: Lightning Closure Wire Bail

Label: None

Bottle Maker: None

Front: Registered/Rice Brothers/1895/Pittsfield/Mass/This Bottle Not To Be Sold

Back: None

Base: "OK"

Value: N/A?

Notes: Both Bottles Show Alot Of Wear And are Probally "Dug Bottles". Still A Great Piece Of Breweriana. I Don't Know If That Is The Date Embossed On The Bottle Because It Doesn't Match The Dates Listed On Taverntrove For This Brewery. The bottle On The Right I Recently Found At A Farm In Hinsdale, Mass. I Cannot Find Any Other Info Other than:

Trade Names for the brewery at 188/190 West Street, Pittsfield, MA:

Rice Bros. Brewing Assn. (188/190 West Street) 1914-1915

Rice Bros. Brewing Co. 1915-1915

Closed in 1915

Courtesy Of Taverntrove.com

Brewer: Rice Brothers Bottlers

Type: Clear Hitchinson Blob Top Embossed Plate Mold

Date: 1914-1915

Closure: Hutchinson Closure

Label: None

Bottle Maker: None

Front: Rice Bros./Bottlers/Pittsfield/Mass./Registered

Back: Not To Be Sold

Base: None

Value: N/A?

Notes: Superb condition with intact closure with no rust.