WISCONSIN BEER

Wisconsin is home to some of this nation's most respected breweries. In January 2008 tours were taken at Miller Brewery in Milwaukee and Leinenkugel's Brewery in Chippewa Falls. Both breweries date back to the Civil War era.

Both Leinenkugel and Miller have policies which prohibit the taking of photographs of their operations. This seriously limited the number of photographs that can be shown here. For this reason the information about both breweries have been condensed to one page.

MILLER

Miller recently began marketing the Brewer's Collection beers. These three beers, an Amber, Wheat and Blond have quickly become favorites!

         Innovation

Over the years Miller has been at the forefront of innovation in the brewing industry. With the possibility of success comes the nagging potential of failure. Three examples stand out in this department; the 30 pack, the Vulcanized keg and Lite beer. If memory serves correctly, Miller was the first to offer 30 packs of 12 ounce cans. This was a great package that attracted a number of consumers to their fold. Coors and Anheuser-Busch followed Miller's lead. Initially the 30 pack gave consumers an extra six pack of beer. In the 1990s breweries were focused on the number of barrels of beer they could sell. When liquor and wine began to erode beer's hold on the American palate, breweries shifted their focus to profit per barrel. The 30 pack price began to rise substantially to bring profit margins to acceptable levels. Consumers have generally accepted the pricing increase for the convenience of a larger package of beer.

Miller was the first and only major American brewery to use vulcanized kegs. For a brief description, please take a look at our page from Oregon's Rogue House of Ales. Near the keg filling stations at Miller there were only a handful of non-metal kegs left. Although Miller has decided to pull the plug on this initiative these kegs remain in service.

Miller pioneered the Lite beer market in the 1970s. Miller's failure to affiliate their name with the light beer category lead to the entrance of Bud Light in the 1980s. Bud Light is currently the biggest selling beer in the United States.   

           History

Miller Brewing Company was started in 1855 by Frederick Miller. The brewery was originally leased and later purchased by the German Immigrant for $2300.00. Miller became a pioneer in bottled beer in the 1880s. The brewery has a proud heritage of having women at its helm. To learn more about the history of the Miller Brewing Company click here to go to their website.

           Miller Pictures

Above Left: A recreation of the Plank Road Brewery. Click on the right photo to read more.

Above: Miller Valley sign. This is where they make Miller Time!

LEINENKUGEL

While Miller products have been available in Cecil County for years, Leinenkugel has only recently expanded their distribution to include the Elkton area. With a number of varieties, including Honey Weiss and Red Lager, the brewery is a Midwestern favorite. A family run business means quality! Try one of their beers and you'll surely agree.

Above: When the brewery was started in 1867 it was named the Spring Brewery. This spring was the source of water for the brewery until the City of Chippewa Falls started to provide water for the operation of the brewery. The City currently sources water from springs very similar to this one.

Above: Into the 1940s the brewery employed teams of horses to delivery their beer to the local taverns and retailers. This barn serves as a reminder of days gone by. Wisconsinites are proud to call Leinenkugel their beer! The staff at this brewery really cared about the history behind their brewery. Stop by the Leine Lodge in Chippewa Falls and you'll see just how great five generations of brewing experience is!

Should you have any questions about these two breweries please feel free to contact us on the Contact & Hours page.

This page was last updated on February 16, 2007.