WISCONSIN BREWERY MEMORIES
This segment spotlights Wisconsin breweries and brewpubs
that are no longer in operation, but have left their mark behind.

Angelic
Madison, WI

Black Rose
La Crosse, WI

Brewmaster's
Kenosha, WI

Cherryland
Sturgeon Bay, WI

Egan's
De Pere, WI

Esser's
Cross Plaines, WI

"PIONEER LIFE -MEMOIRS OF MY LIFE,
by George Esser, Founder and Operator of the ESSER BREWERY,
1855 - 1861 Cross Plaines, Wisconsin”

“We were informed that Mathias Leinenkugel, a son of Mr. Leinenkugel, owner and operator of the Sauk City Brewery, in company with another man, name of Schaefer, had already laid the groundwork for a brewery at Eau Claire, with a brewing kettle from the Sauk City Brewery at the Mazomanie railroad depot ready for shipment to Eau Claire. Considering the size of Eau Claire as it was at that time, I felt that two breweries would hardly have sufficient business, I decided on my part to abandon this venture.”
“ John Hermann, on the other hand, argued that the people of Madison knew of our partnership and strongly spoke of it, possibly some other place with even better prospects.”
“I received a letter from Hermann, who had been in Janesville and Monroe, informing me of a brewery in Monroe, Green County, owned by John Knipschild and for sale for $1,500.00.”
“The brewery, not a large one, had not been in operation for some time and was in a rather neglected state, necessitating extensive repairs on the brewing kettle, and a number of other improvements, such as two cellars, a malt mill and malt drier. By the end of October, we were ready for operation, and by mid-November we sold our first beer.”
“The first year was a poor one from a business standpoint. Most of the beer sold in Monroe and vicinity was shipped in from Milwaukee or came from Janesville. However, the second year we built a storage cellar and brewed “Lager-beer,’ and business improved considerably.” “Gradually our business extended, until finally only a negligible amount of beer was shipped into our territory from outside breweries…
The third and fourth year we did excellent business.”

(1861-1865)
“ In Madison, I had the opportunity to either buy the Voigt Brewery or enter into partnership with Voigt’s son Edward and assume half share.
I considered the purchase price too high in the first instance, and secondly I felt I had had enough trouble in partnership without asking for more…I made a one week visit to Cross Plaines to see some of my relatives and friends there, such as my brothers-in-law, John Bussler who had a saloon near St. Francis church, and my old schoolmate Joseph Koenig, who had a farm not far from the church.”
“These and other acquaintances urged me to start a brewery at Cross Plains and Joseph Koenig offered to sell me a suitable location on his farm on the hillside west of the church and close to the creek, at a reasonable price. Besides that there was a brewery of a sort 2 miles north of the church, owned but no longer operated by a fellow immigrant from Langensalza in Germany.”
“I bought 2 (and)1/2 acres of land and forthwith started to dig a cellar and commence building….In March of 1863 we continued construction and shortly after the feast of "Corpus Christi", the building, including several rooms on the upper floor for my family, was completed…By September 15th we started to malt and installed the cooling system, in October we were ready for operation and the first beer was brewed.
“ As brewers, I had hired two experienced men, a German immigrant from the Rhineland who had been employed by Sprecher in Madison, and Huber Bernatz…Cross Plains at that time had nine “saloons”, but business was poor the first year. Breckheimer and Hausmann had bought Sprecher’s Madison business after Sprecher’s death, and delivered to the majority of the Cross Plains saloons. Gradually I was able to obtain the local business and the second year the last two saloons, Uebersetzig’s, who up to that time took his beer from Leinenkugel, and Hermann’s, who had Stiegerhammer beer, also from Sauk City,…became my customers.”
George Esser passed away in 1893. The Esser Brewery continued, run by oldest son Jacob Esser. From 1907, Werner B. Esser, Jacob’s son, acted mostly as brewmaster.
In 1910, Werner B and Peter Esser discontinued brewing and became distributors for Hausmanns, using the brewery buildings until 1916. In 1918, Peter left. Werner B. became a distributor for Blatz “Near Beer” and continued as a distributor for Blatz Brewing Company of Milwaukee. In 1933, he also became a distributor for Fauerbach, Miller and other brands (including) Heilemann’s Old Style, Fauerbach, Ballantine Ale & Graf’s soda.

Fauerbach
(1848-1966)
651-653 Williamson, Madison, WI

Foxhead
Waukesha, WI


German's Red Brick Inn
St. Lawrence, WI

Green Bay
Denmark, WI

Gund
La Crosse, WI

G. Heileman
(1890-1996)
La Crosse, WI

Began at Gund & Heileman (1858-1872)
Gottlieb Heileman - City (1858-1872)
Johanne Heileman - City (1878-1890)

Stroh's acquired 1996
Now independantly owned City Brewery

Hibernia
Wausau, WI
Acquired Walters-Wausau Brewery

Kingsbury

(1934-1963)
Manitowoc, WI
Began as Kunz & Bleser in 1847 & Gutsch from 1926-1933.

Kurth
Columbus, WI

LaBelle
Oconomowoc, WI

Loaf & Stein
Eagle River, WI

B.T. McClintic
136 W. Grand, Beloit, WI

Oconomowoc
Oconomowoc, WI

Oconto - Main Event
Oconto, WI

Oderbolz
Black River Falls, WI

Old Port Washington
Port Washington, WI

Oshkosh
(1894-1972)
1610 Doty St., Oshkosh, WI
Begun at Horn & Schwalm in 1866
Acquired by People's in 1972.

People's
Oshkosh, WI
Acquired Oshkosh Brewery in 1971.
Closed in 1972.

Potosi
Potosi, WI

Rahr
Green Bay, WI

Remington, Watson & Smith
Waukesha, WI

J.K. Silver
Mukwonago, WI

Storck
Slinger, WI

Walters
318 Elm, Wausau, WI

G. Weber
Theresa, WI

Weber-Waukesha
Waukesha, WI

West Bend - Lithia
N. Main St., West Bend, WI


(Views North East)

(View Southeast)

Ernst Frankenburg, former West Bend Lithia employee,
with West Bend - Lithia kegmaking tools

(c) 2006 Jeff Platt - Suds, Wine & Spirits