Pilsener Brewing Co. Pride of Cleveland P.O.C. Beer Magnet

The Pilsener Brewing Co., once located at the southwest corner of Clark Ave. and W. 65th St. in Cleveland, was established by Bohemian brewer Wenzel Medlin in 1892 and was incorporated the following year. The corner site of the Pilsener Brewing Co. was once known as Pilsener Square. The name Pilsener comes from the Czech city of Pilsen, where the light Bohemian lager beer was first made. In 1917 Pilsener produced 4 different brews: P.O.C. (which stood for "Pilsner of Cleveland"), Gold Top, Extra Pilsener Beer, and Pilsener Dark Lager; consumers received coupons for the return of empty bottles and exchanged them for premiums in a Pilsener catalog. Brewery operations were interrupted by prohibition, but bottling resumed on 2 May 1933.