The Man Who Built a Brewing Empire: Meet Henry Vahlkamp, Original Owner of our Aabandoned Mansion

Get to know a little more about Henry Vahlkamp, the original owner of our abandoned St. Louis historic mansion.
The Brew is an ongoing Vlog series with quick hit behind the scenes glimpses into the ongoing day-to-day production and development with the Mansard Media cast and crew. Includes special guest interviews, bonus content, outtakes, and more.
Mansard Media's The Legends of Lemp collection aims to showcase and highlight the people, places, and history that has helped shape the unique and captivating Cherokee suburb of St. Louis, Missouri and explore it's beautiful and complex community and the haunting history of the Legendary Lemp family dynasty, whose legacy helped shape the neighborhood today.
Mansard Media is a multimedia and marketing production studio located in the Cherokee District of St. Louis, Missouri, focused on creating entertaining, educational, and engaging media content that uplifts small businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities looking for a platform to be seen.
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[@nickimizell]

Post production corrections....Adam Lemp made 100 barrels not 1,000 in his first year in 1840. It was 1869 when Lemp was rapidly growing his business AND his family. Lemp met Vahlkmap in the summer of 1870.

[@lauradoxtater1301]

What a great story about Henri, I’ve been through all those Northern California counties you mentioned & fun to imagine Henri being there in those wild & wooly days. Will tune in to your amazing journey Cheers 🍻!

[@mfcobb1]

I think this is part 1. It would be great if it had a part 1 in the title. Great series, very interesting. So many pieces to the puzzle of America. The fight to survive by different people. You are one of the few to mention Benito Juarez and timeline... Cinco De Mayo and that he was born in Mexico and elected. Good job! They hide so much from us by omissions.

[@craiggillett5985]

Good work, so interesting

[@dawnbarnes8729]

Very interesting history lesson from one man’s experience. Loved it! ❤️😊

[@travelerintime123]

Matt, thank you for starting the history of your house series.....You obviously have been studying up! It really helps to know some background on the men who are such an important part of the story. Looking forward to the next installment!

[@MansardStudios]

It was a lot of work to find that information, but honestly it's been the most interesting part for me. I had help. Nicki is a very tenacious research partner. She's relentless!

[@Clarinetboy82]

That was a great brief history presentation! I very much enjoyed it!

[@suzannepolder3929]

I can’t wait to hear more!

[@chrisroemer3806]

Henry Vahlkamp was my Great Grandfather, and I heard many stories about him growing up. My Grandmother was a child in the 1879 mansion, and he always hosted the family Christmas. I have a have a family photo wall going back to his parents on my country house wall. Interesting to know that Henry's daughter Hulda (my grandmother) married Homer Ziegler who started at Anheuser- Busch in 1900 sweeping the floors and rose to become the first non-family Vice President and member of the Board of Directors. A true beer family history. Henry was a big world traveler and took his family back and forth to Germany many times. A man worldly well before his time.

[@MansardStudios]

We are so glad you reached out! We truly love hearing from his family and would love to chat more! He truly seemed to leave a legacy behind. If you could, can you email Nicki at [e-mail]? She would love to see what photos you may have of the family and the home. And amazing to know his SIL worked for Busch!

[@chrisroemer3806]

I sent you an email with pics- SCR

[@dianak4461]

Wow! Such an interesting "lecture." Well done. I appreciate that you situated the information about Vahlkamp within the context of the period to provide a vivid narrative. I am rooting for your channel and wish you all the best in its development.

[@stephenburns3678]

Enjoyed this immensely. Thank you.

[@anotherdayatthefeast8100]

Henri was rockin the beard. What a life! Germans know beer. Great presentation. Looking forward to hearing the rest of the stories.

[@MansardStudios]

He is noted in another well know local brewer as ushering him into an office, standing with a long white beard....man had famous facial hair!

[@craiggillett5985]

It would have been a hard life, but wow, what amazing experiences he’s had

[@MansardStudios]

From what Vahlkamp stated in his Bio we know it wasn't an easy life even for an accountant...imagine the long days in the caves!

[@craiggillett5985]

@@MansardStudios I’m from New Zealand 🇳🇿 his journeys reminded me of a tradition here that goes right back to the early days of the British colony; young people leave the country and travel the world before returning and settling down, going to university etc. Today we call it the O.E, Overseas Experience.

[@MansardStudios]

@@craiggillett5985 that's a long way from St. Louis! Welcome. We're so happy to have you join us!

[@pattyruth14]

Love this stuff, this was an amazing time in American history. So many changes happening, conflicts as well as industrial growth. Thank you. For sharing.

[@craiggillett5985]

I know it was called the Wild West, but I didn’t realise it was still wild right up into the 1880’s

[@johnwollschlager9827]

As a Prussian, I'd like to point out that the photograph you say is Otto von Bismark is really Emperor William II. Later on you mention the unfortunate Maximillian I of Mexico but weren't sure which Napoleon helped him establish order in that country. It was Napoleon III - a nephew of the fellow ruled in France after its first revolution. Thanks for saving an old house - few people have the courage and to do so in St. Louis too. Lets hope there is a country which will appreciate your work someday.

[@MansardStudios]

Thank you for this feedback. We will strive to do better on our history.

[@suzannepolder3929]

That was soo interesting! Thank you!

[@patriciahyde4642]

Love it, please keep it coming!!!

[@MansardStudios]

More to come!

[@TheVineyardFarmhouse]

Holy cow that was a lot of information. I’m gonna have to watch that again.

[@MansardStudios]

Thank you! We did a lot of research for these.

[@twistoffate4791]

There were so many interesting surprises in this mini-documentary (looking forward to the full doc you spoke of). I can't imagine being Vahlkamp as fleeing men board his boat after their leader, Maxmillion, dies by firing squad. I had no idea there were 40 breweries in St. Louis in 1860, which seems like a lot, but hey, who doesn't love a brewery? One odd thing: William Lemp goes into business with Charles Brauneck BUT the resulting name is "William J. Lemp & Co."? What, no Lemp & Brauneck? Or was the ownership percentage not 50-50? Anyway, I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this presentation and you can bet that I will watch it again and again.

[@MansardStudios]

William J Lemp bought Brauneck out pretty quickly. Lemp had been working the business since he graduated. We speculate that Adam Lemp wanted to leave his nephew some sort of an inheritance and thought ownership in the brewery would serve that.

[@MansardStudios]

Matt here. One of the reasons there were 40 breweries at that point is because of lack of refrigeration. The beer had to be fresh and that meant it had to be brewed close to the consumer. Canning and refrigeration changed that.

[@twistoffate4791]

@@MansardStudios Oh, right! I didn't think of that. Perfect reasoning.

[@lindanash3269]

My guess is they met at the Missouri Lutheran church in St Louis. Check their records. St Louis is the headquarters of LCMC. Most Germans were Lutheran at this time. Great lecture.

[@susanpolastaples9688]

Napoleon III. Maximilian was younger brother to Emperor Franz Josef.

[@SarahMM0]

This is my great great grandfather lol