History
The Kotka Brewery was founded in 1894 and was designed by architect Alvin Jacobi . The factory was inaugurated on August 22, 1895 and began to produce beer called Ukko. In the very first years, beer production exceeded 700,000 liters per year, and already in 1912 this brewery became the fifth largest of all 59 breweries in Finland .
In 1920, the English company Newsk , which produces candles, soaps and perfumes, bought a controlling stake in the plant, ceased production of its malt and suspended production of beer. Vyborg-based Havin oy , a subsidiary of Newsk in Finland, bought the brewery and began producing beer from ready-made malt again until 1927, when the joint stock company Kuminlaakso bought the shares of the brewery and transferred its company for the production of soft drinks there. In another part of the plant, sausage and carpentry factories began to operate.
In 1952, the brewery modernized production facilities. At this time, 70 people worked at the plant. A few years later, the brewery was bought by Mallasjuoma oy , which completely stopped the production of beer. After that, various small enterprises began to work in the building - from a car repair shop to a laundry.
In 1990, the city of Kotka acquired the brewery, but the management did not have a clear idea of what to do with the building, which was in poor condition. Since the building was of historical value and located in a beautiful place on the shores of the Gulf of Finland near the city center, the Kotka municipality, the provincial government and the museum department concluded a tripartite agreement that confirmed the historic, architectural and landscape value of the brewery and assigned it the status of a protected facility.
Modern usage
Today, the brewery is one of the oldest buildings in Kotka and a recognized landmark of the city. The appearance of the old building of the brewery, inscribed in the landscape and natural context, creates good conditions for holding various events and celebrations, such as weddings, on its territory. The building has a restaurant " Keisarinsatama ".
Links
The official page of the old brewery (in Finnish) (inaccessible link)