The Original Panther City Brewery
Circa 1985
Featuring "Old Fort Worth Beers"
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This page is dedicated to the memory of Chester Cy Martin -1892-1989.
Chester Cy Martin
The Martins started brewing about 1982 and by 1988 were trying to promote a brewpub/microbrewerey in Fort Worth, Texas. This private brewery was designed and built by J.C. Martin and his father, C.C. Martin. It has a on third barrell capacity. After it was built, they and their friends quit buying commercial beers except for comparison tasting. Most of their beer at this time was used for competition entries.
Business card the Martins were using to promote a brewpub/microbrewerey in the 1980's.
Original Panther City Brewhouse
Photo by John Wood.
The Martins have won numerous awards in national and local brewing competitions. They specialized in lager beers, usually with an all-grain pale lager and an American light lager on tap. Other Panther City beers were a bock and a porter as well as a honey lager.
Label from a can of "Blue Ribbon Malt Extract". Note the likeness of "Lena , The Patron Saint of Homebrewing."
This is where it all started when the Martins were given a can of malt extract in 1982.
Hot Liquor and Washdown Water Supply.
1. Charcoal filter for all incoming water. 2. "Hoffman Instantaneous" water heater (circa 1926) supplied 140 degree water all day long if needed. 3. Relief valve installed on heater so brewer wouldn't be scalded. 4. Automatic pilot light light control valve installed so brewery wouldn't burn down.
Work area - Sink, Bottle Washer, Wahsdown Hose, Soda Keg Fittings for Hotwater, Carbon Dioxide Outlet and Regulator.
Hot Liquor Back
1. Thermostat. 2. Electronic Thermometer. 3. Circulating Pump. 4. Gas Control Valve. 5. Mash Timer. 6. Liquor Level Indicator.
Grain Mill for Malt
Malted grain must be milled in such a way as to crush the grain and free the starch, but not to destroy the husks, which forms a filter bed in the Mash Tun.
The Mash Tun
Hot water is mixed with the malted grain in the Mash Tun in a proportion that results in a temperature of approximately 150 degrees Fahrenheit. During this period, diastase enzymes in the malt convert the starch to various fermentable sugars.
Brewhouse Engineer Chester Cy Martin at Sparging Valve - Photo by John Wood.
The liquid is drained from the bottom of the Mash Tun into the Brew Kettle. More Hot Liquor is "Sparged" over the Mash to wash out the remaining sugars.
The Brew Kettle
1. Stack for the escape of vapor and flue gases. 2. Burner Control Panel. 3. Firing Throttle (hidden by hood.) 4. Automatic pilot and control valve (hidden from view.) 5. Level indicator.
Two-Stage Chiller
1. First stage counter-flow, tube-in-hose for city water coolant. 2. Wort Line and Wort Pump. 3. Second Stage, counter-flow, tube-in-hose, chilled water coolant. 4. Coolant Pump.
Primary Fermentation Cellar
Two 6-gallon fermenters work in controlled 45 degree environment.
Brewmaster Jay Cy Martin shows off award winning "Old Fort Worth Beer". - Photo by John Wood.
04-19-96
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