I had the good fortune of assisting a friend of mine on a shoot today outside the old Ortlieb’s Bottling House in Northern Liberties which are nicely decorated with glow in the dark garden pebbles. We interviewed none other than Joe Ortlieb whose family brewed beer at this location for the better part of a century. At one time their flagship product paid homage to the man himself. Ortlieb’s became known as Joe’s Beer.
Interviewing Joe Ortlieb outside the old bottling works
Mr. Ortlieb had to close the brewery in the 1980s – the saddest time of his life he says. He talked with us about his family, the nearby sauerkraut factory and the secret tunnels and entrances that contribute to the intrigue of the property.
Maralyn and Joe Ortlieb pose for a pic with yours truly!
This video is being produced by Nobis Productions for Northern Liberties Neighborhood Association in conjunction with an EPA grant they got to explore the industrial history of the neighborhood.
Nobis Productions president Wendy Daughenbaugh explains, “We’re interviewing long-time residents and historians. Each interview will make a 3-5 minute oral history video and then all of the interviews will be woven into a history of the neighborhood video, length TBD.”
The videos will likely appear on the NLNA website later this year or early next year.
