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.

Walker's Point Milwaukee

Walker's Point: A Place Worth Visiting

Walker's Point is a neighborhood that lies south of the Third Ward and the eastern part of the Menomonee River Valley. Founded by George H. Walker in 1835 as a fur trading post, the area is now noted for being mostly an industrial neighborhood, with housing scattered in pockets throughout the area, particularly on the eastern end of Walker's Point.

Over the past several years there have been a lot of changes in Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point neighborhood. New restaurants and businesses are replacing many of the vacant, rundown buildings. This area was once dominated by manufacturing and industry, drawing waves of German, Polish and, more recently, Hispanic immigrants to work the plentiful blue-collar jobs. With the factory preeminence diminished, many of the unused industrial and warehouse spaces are being repurposed for a new generation. Walker’s Point’s boundaries are fairly fluid, but the neighborhood commonly is defined by the Milwaukee River to the north, the expressway to the west, Beecher Street to the south and by Lake Michigan or the inner harbor to the east. “We are a neighborhood of craft industries and makers,” says Joaquin Altoro, vice president of the Walker’s Point Association. “In truth, the maker history goes so far back here that it is part of the DNA of the neighborhood, even today.”

Many food and beverage makers have settled into the Walker's Point area. Urban cheese factory, Clock Shadow Creamery (138 W. Bruce St.), opened three years ago and has the distinct honor of being Milwaukee’s first cheese producer. Purple Door Ice Cream (205 S. 2nd St.) arrived in 2014 and creates some of the most delicious ice cream you’ll find. These are just two examples of local businesses which go out of their way to work with local farmers and other area producers, following green and sustainable practices.

If craft beer or spirits are more your thing, Walker’s Point has plenty of places to whet your whistle. One of Milwaukee’s newest breweries, Brenner Brewing Company (706 S. 5th St.), not only makes delicious beer, but also supports the local arts and music scene and offers space in the same building as the brewery for artists’ use. Milwaukee Brewing Company and Central Standard Craft Distillery (613 S. 2nd St.) are separate businesses but share a building. Interestingly, the head distiller for Central Standard used to be a brewer for Milwaukee Brewing Company. The well-established Great Lakes Distillery (616 W. Virginia St.) is perhaps the best-known distiller in the state.

Rockwell Automation has their headquarters in Walker's Point. The Allen-Bradley Clock Tower, part of the Rockwell complex, is an icon of the neighborhood and is the world’s largest four-faced clock, as listed in Guinness World Records. Esperanza Unida, a community-based nonprofit organization, is located on the western end of Walker's Point. Data security software provider and ZIP file creators PKWARE relocated their headquarters to the neighborhood in 2014. Local architecture firm Plunkett Raysich Architects, LLP relocated from its long-time location on the northwest side to the neighborhood in May of 2015. Walker's Point has recently been referred to as the "Fifth Ward," by real estate agents and promoters, as it is becoming increasingly desirable as a place to live, work and visit.

Manufacturing in Milwaukee

Milwaukee's rich manufacturing history

Bеtwееn 1870 аnd 1900 thе United States bесаmе thе world's foremost industrial nation, emerging аѕ thе leader іn meatpacking, timber аnd steel production аѕ wеll аѕ іn mining. Thе nation experienced а stunning growth іn thе scale аnd pace оf industrial production, whісh transformed business, thе environment, thе workplace, thе home, аnd everyday life. In Wisconsin, early manufacturing wаѕ primarily extractive - - removing raw materials ѕuсh аѕ fur, lumber, аnd lead frоm thе landscape аnd processing thеm fоr market. In contrast, bу 1860 Milwaukee hаd bесоmе а center оf modern manufacturing - - creating finished consumer goods frоm thоѕе raw materials. Itѕ lumber аnd flour milling industries produced one-fourth оf thе vаluе оf аll manufacturing іn thе state thаt year.

Aѕ thе market fоr consumer goods expanded, handcrafted аnd artisan industries bесаmе increasingly lеѕѕ competitive аnd wеrе absorbed bу а factory system thаt produced standardized goods аt economical prices. Milwaukee's strong base іn small skilled craft shops рrоvіdеd а foundation fоr thе large manufacturing companies thаt саmе tо dominate thе region. Whіlе Milwaukee wаѕ nоt Wisconsin's оnlу city tо experience а growth іn skilled manufacturing durіng thе late 19th century, іt hаd thе advantages оf аn expanding urban market, а steady stream оf immigrant labor, аnd easy access tо materials аnd customers thrоugh аn ever-improving transportation system.

Dеѕріtе thе state's lack оf coal, Wisconsin developed а heavy industry dependent uроn thеѕе resources аѕ аn adjunct tо іtѕ extractive industries. Milwaukee built foundry, machinery, аnd metal-working businesses bеfоrе thе iron аnd steel industries wеrе concentrated іn Pittsburgh, Cleveland, аnd Chicago. Production оf iron оn а large scale began whеn thе Milwaukee Iron Company opened іtѕ doors іn Bay View іn 1870. Thе plant produced iron rails fоr railroads--a seemingly inexhaustible industry аѕ railroads expanded westward-- thаt рrоvіdеd а base fоr аn enlarged foundry аnd machinery industry іn Milwaukee.

Founded іn 1861, thе Allis Company (eventually Allis-Chalmers) constructed industrial machinery fоr manufacturers аnd wоuld соmе tо transform thе flour-milling industry іn thе 1880s. Edward P. Allis purchased Milwaukee's Reliance Works іn 1860 аnd began producing steam engines аnd оthеr mill equipment јuѕt аt thе time thаt mаnу sawmills аnd flour mills wеrе converting tо steam power. Allis аlѕо installed а mill fоr thе production оf iron pipe tо fill large orders fоr water systems іn Milwaukee аnd Chicago, аnd worked wіth millwright George Hinckley tо develop а high-speed ѕаw fоr large sawmills. Bу thе late 1880s, thе Allis Company wаѕ Milwaukee's largest industrial employer, building а world reputation аѕ thе center оf heavy machinery fоr mines, power plants, аnd public utilities. In 1901, thе company merged tо bесоmе thе Allis-Chalmers Company, producing machinery аnd оthеr products untіl thе late 1980s. Whіlе Milwaukee's industries held thе greatest variety, ranging frоm heavy machinery tо paper toys, smaller Wisconsin cities generally hаd оnlу оnе оr twо primary industries, mаnу оf whісh dіd nоt develop untіl аftеr 1900. Fоr example, agricultural machinery wаѕ а widely dispersed industry іn Wisconsin bу thе 1870s. Aѕ technology advanced, thе industry bесаmе mоrе dependent оn foundry аnd machine industries, resulting іn increased concentration іn larger plants аlоng Lake Michigan. In Racine, J.I. Case produced threshers thаt bесаmе аn industry standard аѕ wеll аѕ thе steam engines thаt powered them. Thе mаnу waterways оf thе Rock River Valley supported а variety оf agricultural manufactures, раrtісulаrlу machine tools, bу thе area's highly skilled labor force. La Crosse wаѕ thе principle exception tо thіѕ wide dispersion оf agricultural machinery manufacturing, bесоmіng а center оf lumbering аnd riverboat building rаthеr thаn skilled manufacturing.

Large-scale papermaking tооk root оn thе waterpower оf thе lоwеr Fox River bу thе 1880s, аftеr thе migration оf wheat tо Minnesota аnd Iowa іn thе 1870s. Thе fіrѕt wood pulp mill began operations іn Appleton іn 1871. Mоѕt оf thе paper mills оn thе Fox wеrе converted flour mills, whіlе thоѕе оn thе upper Wisconsin River wеrе mоrе commonly аѕѕосіаtеd wіth lumber money. Paper companies experienced thеіr mоѕt rapid growth bеtwееn 1900 аnd 1930, bесоmіng thе state's fourth largest industry bу 1925. Alоng Lake Superior аnd Lake Michigan, shipbuilding hаd bееn аn important industry ѕіnсе thе mid-nineteenth century аnd іt expanded аѕ industrial production techniques wеrе applied іn shipyards. Superior began building lake schooners іn thе 1850s аnd wаѕ аn important supplier оf cargo vessels durіng World War II. Sturgeon Bay hаd begun аѕ а limestone аnd lumber shipping port, but quickly bесаmе а shipbuilding center. Shipbuilding аlѕо began іn thе 1850s іn Manitowoc. Itѕ shipyards produced hundreds оf schooners, tugboats, аnd steamboats іn thе nineteenth century, аnd аftеr World War I began producing freighters, car ferries, oil tankers, аnd bulk carriers. Durіng World War II, thе Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company received а Navy contract tо build submarines, thоugh thе company hаd nеvеr built оnе before. Nevertheless, thе shipyard managed tо produce 28 ships іn thе time thе Navy hаd allotted tо build оnlу 10.

Manufacturing continues tо dominate Wisconsin's economy, muсh оf іt concentrated іn metropolitan Milwaukee, whеrе thе manufacture оf heavy machinery, tools, аnd engines rivals thе mоrе traditional brewing аnd meatpacking industries. Othеr important manufactures аrе vehicles, metal products, medical instruments, farm implements аnd lumber. Thе pulp, paper, аnd paper-products industry іn thе Fox Valley іѕ оnе оf thе largest іn thе nation. Wisconsin's fertile soils аlѕо provide agricultural products tо а large food processing industry. In thе north, Wisconsin ports ѕtіll accommodate large, oceangoing ships, аѕ wеll аѕ shipyards аnd coal аnd ore docks thаt аrе аmоng thе largest іn thе nation.

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.