Ruff's Brewing Company 1882 - Quincy, Illinois

Beautifully engraved RARE certificate from the Ruff's Brewing Company issued in 1882. This historic document has an ornate border around it. This item is hand signed by the Company’s President ( Casper Ruff ) and Secretary ( Henry Ruff ) and is over 121 years old. This is the first time we have seen this certificate.








Back of Certificate






The Ruff family was a brewing dynasty from Germany. Ludwig Ruff and his wife, Elizabeth, arrived in Quincy in 1837. Ludwig's son, Casper, arrived later that year and opened the Washington Brewery at 6th and State Streets. Then, in 1855, he opened the Ruff Brewery at 12th and Adams Streets.

When Casper Ruff retired in 1863, he turned the business over to his sons, John and Casper Jr. After Casper Jr. died, his uncle William took over the business. William used techniques learned in Germany, including new methods of preserving bottled beer. These methods were eventually adopted all over the country.

William's grandson later invented Ruff's Imperial Pilsener, a high quality beer made in Marathon City, Wisconsin, where he was a brewmaster.

An abandoned Ruff's Brewing Company building was destroyed by fire in 1984, but that was all that remained of the Quincy brewery that closed in 1948. The company was taken over by Dick Brothers in 1945.