The medal's obverse bears glass and hand in the center, flanked by the company's headquarters in 1842 and the company's contemporary headquarters. Over buildings, 1842 / 1942; around, OUR HAND HAS NEVER / LOST ITS SKILL; at lower right, signed R. CHAMBELLAN SC.
The medal's reverse bears border of hops and grain around center field with inscription: TO / COMMEMORATE / OUR 100TH YEAR / THE F.&M. SCHAEFER / BREWING CO. / AMERICA'S OLDEST LAGER BEER.
The F.&M. Schaefer Brewery is the longest operating brewery in New York City, the last operating brewery in New York City [as of 1976], and America's oldest lager beer brewing company - all these honors, plus many others, belong to the F. & M. Schaefer Brewing Company.
"F. & M." stands for Frederick and Maximilian, the brothers who founded Schaefer. Frederick Schaefer, a native of Wetzlar, Prussia, Germany, emigrated to the U.S. in 1838. When he arrived in New York City on October 23rd he was 21 years old and had exactly $1.00 to his name. There is some doubt as to whether or not he had been a practicing brewer in Germany, but there is no doubt that he was soon a practicing brewer in his adopted city. Within two weeks of his landing, Frederick took a job with Sebastian Sommers, who operated a small brewhouse on Broadway, between 18th and 19th Streets. Frederick obviously enjoyed both his job and life in America, and the next year his younger brother, Maximilian, decided to make the arduous trip across the Atlantic also. He arrived in June of 1839 and brought with him a formula for lager, a type of beer popular in Germany but unheard of in the United States. The brothers dreamed, and planned, and saved - and in the late summer of 1842 they were able to buy the small brewery from Sommers. The official, and historic, starting date was September, 1842.
In 1981, the F. & M. Schaefer Brewing Company was purchased by the Stroh Brewery Company. In 1999, the Stroh Brewery Company was in turn bought by the Pabst Brewing Company which continues to sell Schaefer Beer today.
This medal measures 76mm (3in) in diameter and was struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York.
References: MACo 1941-046
