Milwaukee Brewing History

Beer Brewing History in Milwaukee

Long before Wisconsin became America's Dairyland, Wisconsin was a beer state. Brewing began in Wisconsin in the 1830s, and by the 1890s, nearly every community had at least one operating brewery. Breweries were as much a part of Wisconsin communities as churches and schools. They supplied steady employment to workers, bought grain from local farmers who in turn often fed brewery by-products to their livestock, and they frequently sponsored community festivals, youth groups, and sports teams. Brewing was intimately tied to Wisconsin's people, particularly its German immigrants, who brought their knowledge and skills with them to North America. Despite beer's popularity and importance to community life, from its beginning the brewing industry fought numerous attempts to restrict its consumption and distribution. Nineteenth century temperance activists and, most profoundly, in the twentieth century prohibition legislation both curtailed its influence.

The process of mashing, boiling, and fermenting grain dates back thousands of years. Beer came to northern Europe around 55 BCE with Julius Caesar's Roman legions and by the Middle Ages, it had become part of everyday life because the boiling and fermenting process made it relatively free of contamination. European settlers brought their beer with them to North America. The first commercial brewery opened in New Amsterdam, now New York City, in 1612. As immigration and settlement increased and the population moved westward, breweries followed, and by the 1850s, Milwaukee was contending with St. Louis for brewing supremacy.

Although Owens Brewery is generally considered the first commercial brewery in Wisconsin (opened in 1840), some evidence seems to suggest that at least two others, one in Mineral Point and one in Elk Grove, were operating before 1840. As Owens Brewery grew, its success soon brought competition, not only in Milwaukee, but across the state. Between 1848 and 1849, twelve breweries opened in Wisconsin: Adam Sprecher in Madison, Frederick Heck in Racine, and August Fuermann in Watertown were among the most prominent brewers. By 1860, nearly 200 breweries operated in Wisconsin, over 40 in Milwaukee alone. Virtually every town had a brewery and in some cases, towns formed around breweries.

The growth of the beer industry in Milwaukee was directly related to the city's large number of German immigrants. In the 1840s, Milwaukee began to take on a distinctly German character as waves of immigrants seeking economic opportunity and, particularly, religious and political freedom settled in the area. German consumers' demand for lager, a German brew, greatly expanded the city's beer industry and provided a large customer base for brewers. Many of these German immigrants were experienced brewers, too, saving owners both time and money in training. The skills and experience of the German immigrants combined with Milwaukee's abundant natural resources -- a good harbor, lumber for barrels, and ice for storage -- to make Milwaukee, and Wisconsin, a giant in the brewing industry.

Despite beer's popularity among Wisconsin immigrants and the rapid growth of breweries, alcohol consumption became a controversial issue in Wisconsin. Many of Wisconsin's first white settlers came from New England, which was a stronghold of temperance. Temperance societies formed around the state, and even Milwaukee, the center of Wisconsin brewing, had one (the Sons of Temperance Grand Division) by 1848. Several northern states passed prohibition laws in the 1850s, and although Wisconsin did not go that far, an 1849 law made tavern owners responsible for any costs associated with supporting drunkards. Not surprisingly, Wisconsin's German population bitterly opposed the law, arguing that it undermined individual responsibility and imposed too harsh a penalty on tavern owners. In 1851, the Legislature replaced the law with a milder version.

Several more attempts were made to restrict alcohol production and consumption in the 1850s but no major measures were passed again until the 1870s. In 1872, the Legislature passed the Graham Law, which again made tavern owners responsible for selling liquor to known drunks. Milwaukee's city attorney challenged the law but the Wisconsin Supreme Court held that the Legislature had the right to regulate the sale of alcohol. With no luck in the courts, German Americans shifted attention to the politicians themselves, helping to defeat the Republican administration that had passed the Graham Law in 1873. The Graham Law was replaced the following year with a law that encouraged towns to work with taverns to prevent drunkenness. The new version of the law turned out to be a workable compromise for both German Americans and temperance activists, staying in effect for many years.

Temperance represented something far more complicated in Wisconsin than a simple battle between those who drank and those who did not. German immigrants often remained strongly attached to their historical and cultural roots, frequently taking uniform stands on political and social issues such as alcohol and German-language education in schools (see "Americanization and the Bennett Law"), and resisting efforts at assimilation to Yankee cultural norms. Moreover, saloons were increasingly seen as urban institutions and came under attack by rural people who sought to resist the problems associated with them. Temperance, therefore, became symbolic of battles between Yankees and Germans, urban and rural residents, and teetotaling Protestants and seemingly more broad-minded Catholics. All of these forces grew in intensity, particularly during World War I when anti-German sentiment was especially strong, and contributed to the passage of national prohibition, the Volsted Act, in 1919.

With Prohibition, many breweries began to make near beer while others began to produce soda, ice cream, and cheese. Some brewers made malt syrup and other products which individuals could use for home brewing. Many breweries eventually had to close--some forever. In 1926, Wisconsin voters approved a referendum amending the Volsted Act that allowed the manufacture and sale of beer with 2.75 percent alcohol. In 1929, voters repealed Wisconsin's prohibition enforcement law, the Severson Act. Pledging loyalty to the "will of the people" as expressed in these referendums on alcohol, Wisconsin Senator John J. Blaine proposed a constitutional amendment for the repeal of prohibition. The U.S. Senate modified Blaine's resolution to satisfy antiprohibitionists and passed the measure without delay. On December 5, 1933, the Twenty-first Amendment was ratified and national prohibition ended.

Today, brewing remains an important part of Wisconsin life, although the brewing industry has changed dramatically from its small community origins. Consolidation and commercialization has brought national, and even international, distribution for some Wisconsin breweries, while a few small brewers have survived through niche marketing and regional loyalty.

Milwaukee Beer Brewing History

Milwaukee's Rich Beer Brewing History

Around the year 1850 Milwaukee became well-known for brewing beer. German immigrants, with the know-how for brewing, were quick to set up breweries when they arrived here. By 1856 there were more than two dozen breweries in Milwaukee, most of them German owned and operated. By 1880, native Germans made up 27 percent of the city’s population — the highest concentration of a single immigrant group in any American city. Among these immigrants were Frederick Miller, who leased a brewery in town in 1855, Joseph Schlitz, who did the same in 1856 and Frederick Pabst, who followed a decade later. Along with Valentin Blatz, these four men represented the biggest breweries in town. One event in particular helped the rise in success of the Milwaukee breweries: at about noon on October 8, 1871, a fire started near a barn in Chicago — which was in the midst of a severe drought — and spread to over 3 square miles of the city, destroying 11 of the city’s 23 breweries, much of its water works and the housing for a third of the population. In response, many breweries in Milwaukee, following Schlitz’s lead, floated vast shipments of free beer to Chicago through Lake Michigan. Word got out and Schlitz became known as “The beer that made Milwaukee famous.” A year before the fire Schlitz produced around 6,800 barrels of beer. By the end of 1871, Schlitz produced 12,381 barrels.

It wasn’t long before Milwaukee had a national reputation for beer. By the turn of the century, the big breweries of Milwaukee were the country’s leaders in beer production. It wasn't just exporting that the beer was good for. Even before it was officially a city, Milwaukee had one tavern per every forty residents. Pabst was leading the way for many years, but Schlitz once more overtook Pabst to hold the title as the biggest brewer in the biggest beer town in America. In an effort to meet growing demand, the Schlitz brewery introduced the accelerated batch fermentation process in 1967, which allowed for 25 percent more production capacity and shorter fermentation times. This damaged the Schlitz name, as people learned the recipe had changed and this wasn't popular. Then, just a few years later, Schlitz was forced to dump 10 million bottles in Memphis and Tampa due to a haze discovered in the beer. Next there was legal trouble from sketchy ad campaigns which allowed Miller and Pabst to outsell Schlitz. Finally, in 1981, a workers’ strike caused Schlitz’s board of directors to close down their Milwaukee plant. Milwaukee residents coined the slogan, “Schlitz, the beer that made Milwaukee furious.”

Beer halls and taverns are abundant in Milwaukee to this day, although the breweries are fewer in number. Besides Miller and the heavily automated Leinenkugel's brewery in the old Blatz 10th Street plant, the only other currently operating stand-alone breweries in Milwaukee are Milwaukee Brewing Company, a microbrewery in the Walker's Point neighborhood, and Lakefront Brewery, a microbrewery located in Brewers Hill. The suburb of Glendale is home to Sprecher Brewery, another locally popular microbrew. Various brewpubs can be found throughout the Milwaukee area, including Milwaukee Ale House and Water Street Brewery. There has also been recent news that Pabst Brewing Co. will again brew beer in Milwaukee at the site of its historic former brewery, which the company shut down nearly 20 years ago. The company plan to open a microbrewery in 2016, including a tasting room, at the former Pabst Brewing complex on downtown's west side. Stories like this remind us that Milwaukee's rich brewing history is far from over, and it is exciting to consider what other regeneration projects might occur in the future.

2015 Milwaukee Zoo Brew

2015 Milwaukee Zoo Brew in Support of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee

On Thursday, October 22nd, the Milwaukee County Zoo, located at 10001 West Bluemound Road in Milwaukee, will be welcoming beer enthusiasts to Zoo Brew in support of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee. The beer tasting, which features selections from micro-breweries, macro-breweries, and everything in between, raised nearly $33,000 for the city's zoological society at last year's event.

Those wishing to attend this year's Milwaukee Zoo Brew are advised to register in advance online. Online registration runs through October 21st and though walk-ins may be permitted on the day of the event, this will only occur if tickets haven't yet sold out. Be aware, however, that early registration is recommended, as Zoo Brew is typically a sell-out event.

The cost of attending the event varies depending on the type of ticket being purchased (regular, VIP, or designated driver) and whether or not the purchaser is a member of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee. Please note that regardless of the type of ticket being purchased, all guests must be 21 years of age or older to attend.

Regular admission tickets grant standard 7 to 10 p.m. access to the event and cost $50 for Zoological Society Members and their guests. The cost of regular admission for non-members is $60. Regular admission designated driver tickets are available for $20 and allow access to the event during the same 7 to 10 p.m. time slot.

VIP admission tickets provide guests with extended access to the event – from 6 to 10 p.m. Zoological Society Members and their guests may purchase VIP admission tickets for $60 each, while non-member VIP admission costs $70 per ticket. VIP designated driver tickets are available for $30 each and also allow for the same early 6 p.m. access to the event.

Guests who will be joining Zoological Society Members at this year's Milwaukee Zoo Brew must register with a member to be eligible for the discounted ticket prices. Admission fees are tax-deductible (less $25) and include a complementary tasting glass. As an added bonus, all VIP ticket holders will also be entered to win a behind-the-scenes tour of the Milwaukee County Zoo.

Several breweries have already confirmed that they will be showcasing their creations at this year's Milwaukee Zoo Brew. These include:

• Angry Orchard Big
• Head Brewing Co.
• Blue Moon Brewing Company 
• Bull Falls Brewery 
• Central Waters Brewing Co.
• Coney Island Brewing Company
• Founders Brewing Company
• Great Lakes Brewing Co.
• Green Flash Brewing Co.
• Goose Island Beer Co. 
• Horny Goat Brewing Co. 
• Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company
• Lakefront Brewery 
• MillerCoors 
• Milwaukee Brewing Co. 
• New Belgium Brewing Co. 
• New Glarus Brewing Co. 
• Redd's Brewing Company 
• Rhinelander Brewing Co. 
• Sam Adams 
• Smith & Forge 
• Sprecher Brewery 
• St. Francis Brewery 
• St. Killian Importing 
• Traveler Beer Co. 
• Water Street Brewery 
• Wisconsin Brewing Co. 
• Woodchuck Hard Cider/Vermont Hard Cider Co.

Additional breweries may be added at a later date.

For more information and to register for the event, please visit the Zoological Society of Milwaukee's website at www.zoosociety.org/Events/ZooBrew.php or call Annie at 1-414-258-2333, ext. 216.