A fascinating exploration of Iowa City’s history is currently underway beneath the Union Brewery, as archaeologists and researchers delve into the Lagering caves and Fermentation Cellar, with a mission to create a film about the Beer Riots of 1884.
Over the last decade, nearly 350 locals have descended 35 feet below Market Street to witness the cellar and Lagering caves. These underground structures are the remnants of the breweries that once graced Iowa City during the 1850s and the time of the beer riots.
Using cutting-edge technology such as ground-penetrating radar and LiDAR scanning, archaeologists and researchers are unearthing more of the area’s rich history, all in preparation for a forthcoming film.
Iowa’s News Now had the opportunity to speak with Doug Alberhasky, the owner of John’s Grocery, who shed light on the significance of Sunday’s cave tour. Alberhasky revealed that he is currently working on a short film titled “Death of a Brewer,” based on the book “Beer Money.” The story unfolds the compelling narrative of the Beer Riots that shook Iowa City in 1884.
Alberhasky stated, “So many people in Iowa City have gone by the corner of Market and Linn Street and have never known that this lay underneath. Iowa City, at one point, had three production breweries in the 1850s. We went through the Beer Riots in Iowa City in 1884, and that’s what we’re making our movie about.”
