In April 2015, the statue of Frederick Lauer that stands in Reading, PA was vandalized and has stood without four bronze plaques since then — but luckily, the Brewer’s Association (which is dedicated to helping small, independent American breweries) is stepping in.

 

On March 3, 2016, the Brewer’s Association revealed that they are donating $25,000 to the city of Reading to restore this statue. Why is this statue so important to brewers across America, you might ask? Frederick Lauer was considered by many to be the father of modern day brewing practices, and he emigrated from Germany in 1822 when he was just 12 years old and ultimately found a home in Reading. He learned how to brew from his father and ended up running his family’s brewery, and he left behind a legacy of independent brewing that would serve as an inspiration to American breweries for centuries to come.

Renovations on the statue have begun and are expected to be completed this April, which coincides with the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America® in Philly — if you want to get involved, you can donate to the Brewers of Pennsylvania through their website or Tweet using the hashtag #SaveFred.