CCSI Cork Crowncap Database - Brewer/Bottler
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 Brewer/bottler #1326 | | | Name | The Double Eagle Bottling Co. |
| | | | | | | | | Extra info | The Double Eagle Bottling Company was established in Cleveland, Ohio in 1909 by Mr. John R. Potokar, who also served as the first president of the company. The only beverage brewed at Double Eagle was ginger beer. The original officers of the company consisted of John R. Potokar as president; John H. Miller as secretary; and Louis Knaus as vice-president and treasurer.
Since ginger beer had a unique quality and flavor, as well as being naturally carbonated, it gained popularity in the Cleveland area until 1920, when Congress enacted the Prohibition Laws. The original location of Double Eagle in 1909 was at 1838 St. Clair Avenue, then in 1910, they moved the operation to 4126 St. Clair Avenue in Cleveland. This allowed for expansion of the bottling company.
John Potokar decided to stay in business in spite of the Prohibition Laws, so he moved the bottling company to a new location, further east down St. Clair in 1920. The major difference was that their product was still called ginger beer, but it was now carbonated and processed in crown top glass bottles, instead of the stone (ware) bottles of its real predecessor. They eventually added a full line of carbonated flavors.
The new location of the Double Eagle Bottling Company was at 6519 St. Claire Avenue in Cleveland. In 1922, they built a larger brick building on the property next door, allowing for expansion. The top of this building still ahs a carved sandstone marker on top dated 1922. John Potokar continued serving as president at that time, and they continued making carbonated ginger beer until 1959.
The reason the Double Eagle Bottling Company went out of business was that it could not longer survive the competitive pressures from the larger soft drink beverage producers. Edward Potakar died in 1959.
It is interesting to note that Double Eagle did succeed in staying in business after Prohibition by changing their beverage line to carbonated ginger beer. Most other ginger beer companies in this country went out of business in 1920, mainly due to Prohibition |
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