Archeologists discover new pieces of early 19th century waterfront brewery in Old Town

(Updated 5 p.m.) Alexandria has a long history of beer, from Port City to prohibition, and a new excavation on the waterfront is sifting through one of the city’s older breweries.

City archeologists are currently at work at the Roberdeau’s Wharf/Harborside site (400 South Union Street), where they recently found a brick furnace and a coal bin associated with the circa 1830s brewery, according to the Alexandria Archaeology Museum’s Twitter account.

1. Porter on the Potomac! Archaeologists working at the Roberdeau’s Wharf/Harborside site (44AX114) uncovered a brick furnace and coal bin associated with a 19th century brewery. An 1845 map shows the brewery along Union Street between Wolfe and Wilkes Streets. pic.twitter.com/kbIU6mvFsS

— AlexVA Archaeology (@AlexArchaeology) October 27, 2021

The site was also home to an older distillery built in the late 18th century as the waterfront was expanding out into the Potomac River to accommodate deeper draught ships.

A report on the site said the brewery was likely part of a multi-building industrial complex on the waterfront, along with an iron foundry and a locamotive works. By 1853, the site was listed as being part of the Portner and Ale Brewery and produced roughly 3,000 barrels of beer every year.

Photo via AlexArchaeology/Twitter