Subterranean Bootlegging and the Lancaster Sewer Beer Hose

In 1932, authorities in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, uncovered an ingenious clandestine pipeline used to transport illegal alcohol during Prohibition. This operation involved a three-inch rubber hose stretching 3,000 feet through the city's sewer system, connecting the Rieker Star Brewery to a remote warehouse. The scheme was orchestrated by Max Hassel, a notorious beer baron who employed specialized workers to navigate the narrow, dangerous underground passages. The discovery occurred after a city inspector spotted the line, leading to a major investigation into organized crime and the eventual closure of the brewery. Today, the story remains a legendary example of bootlegging creativity, with fragments of the original hose surviving as historical curiosities.To learn more, visit UnchartedLancaster.com.Learn about other unique people and places like this when you step off the beaten path with Uncharted Lancaster: Field Guide to the Strange, Storied, and Hidden Places of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania by Adam Zurn. This one-of-a-kind 239-page guidebook uncovers 56 fascinating sites, from the county’s very own fountain of youth to the oldest continuously operating short-line railroad in the western hemisphere. Order your copy here.