Hess Cooperage makes its last oak barrels, Madison, 1966. The Frank J. Hess and Sons Cooperage, one of the longest-lived wooden barrel manufacturers in the United States, was established on Madison’s east side in 1904. Hess made barrels for the Fauerbach brewery and other breweries and wineries in Wisconsin and beyond. This barrel, one of the last produced by the cooperage, is signed by the five Hess descendants who carried on the family business until 1966.  via: Historic Blooming Grove Historical Society by way of Wisconsin Decorative Arts Database see more: Photographs of the barrel-making process at the Hess Cooperage, 1954, from the Wisconsin Historical Society
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Hess Cooperage makes its last oak barrels, Madison, 1966.

The Frank J. Hess and Sons Cooperage, one of the longest-lived wooden barrel manufacturers in the United States, was established on Madison’s east side in 1904. Hess made barrels for the Fauerbach brewery and other breweries and wineries in Wisconsin and beyond. This barrel, one of the last produced by the cooperage, is signed by the five Hess descendants who carried on the family business until 1966. 

via: Historic Blooming Grove Historical Society by way of Wisconsin Decorative Arts Database

see more: Photographs of the barrel-making process at the Hess Cooperage, 1954, from the Wisconsin Historical Society

Source: content.wisconsinhistory.org

Employees of Wm. Rahr’s Sons, Eagle Brewery, Manitowoc William Rahr emigrated from Prussia in 1847 and established the Eagle Brewery in Manitowoc. His three sons took over the enterprise following his death in 1880. Around 1900, the company’s focus switched from brewing to malting—processing barley into malt (an essential beer ingredient) for sale to other breweries. In 1962, the Rahr Malting Company plant was sold to Anheuser-Busch.  via: Manitowoc Public Library by way of University of Wisconsin Digital Collections listen: Frederick Kunz, “Brewers and breweries in Manitowoc,” 1976, Manitowoc Public Library by way of UWDC read more: “All Things Rahr and Related,” Manitowoc Tavern History
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Employees of Wm. Rahr’s Sons, Eagle Brewery, Manitowoc

William Rahr emigrated from Prussia in 1847 and established the Eagle Brewery in Manitowoc. His three sons took over the enterprise following his death in 1880. Around 1900, the company’s focus switched from brewing to malting—processing barley into malt (an essential beer ingredient) for sale to other breweries. In 1962, the Rahr Malting Company plant was sold to Anheuser-Busch. 

via: Manitowoc Public Library by way of University of Wisconsin Digital Collections

listen: Frederick Kunz, “Brewers and breweries in Manitowoc,” 1976, Manitowoc Public Library by way of UWDC

read more: “All Things Rahr and Related,” Manitowoc Tavern History

Haertel Brewery, Portage, 1880 Milwaukee dominated Wisconsin’s early brewing industry, but successful breweries were found in communities throughout the state. In 1852, German immigrant Carl Haertel began producing beer in Portage, Wisconsin. In 1884, brothers Adam and Peter Eulberg, also originally from Germany, acquired the Haertel Brewery. The Eulberg Brewing Company remained in the family until 1944 and shut its doors permanently in 1958. via: Wisconsin Historical Images WHi-30471, Wisconsin Historical Society read more: Dorothy McCarthy, “Tales of Old Portage: The Haertel Brewery, An Obituary of a Building,” Portage Daily Register, August 17, 1959, by way of Portage Historical Society
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Haertel Brewery, Portage, 1880

Milwaukee dominated Wisconsin’s early brewing industry, but successful breweries were found in communities throughout the state. In 1852, German immigrant Carl Haertel began producing beer in Portage, Wisconsin. In 1884, brothers Adam and Peter Eulberg, also originally from Germany, acquired the Haertel Brewery. The Eulberg Brewing Company remained in the family until 1944 and shut its doors permanently in 1958.

via: Wisconsin Historical Images WHi-30471, Wisconsin Historical Society

read more: Dorothy McCarthy, “Tales of Old Portage: The Haertel Brewery, An Obituary of a Building,” Portage Daily Register, August 17, 1959, by way of Portage Historical Society

Stoneware bottle from the Gipfel Union Brewery Before the widespread availability of inexpensive glass bottles, brewers distributed their products in reusable wooden barrels and ceramic jugs and bottles. David Gipfel and his son Charles, both of Wurttemberg, Germany, started the Gipfel Union Brewery in the 1840s. The brewery, located on Juneau Avenue in Milwaukee, produced beer into the 1890s. Charles Gipfel built a Federal-style stone building for the brewery in 1853, which was considered the oldest surviving brewery building in the city until it was demolished in 2009. via: Milwaukee Public Museum by way of Wisconsin Decorative Arts Database read more: Tom Daykin, “Closing Time for Gipfel,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, November 5, 2009
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Stoneware bottle from the Gipfel Union Brewery

Before the widespread availability of inexpensive glass bottles, brewers distributed their products in reusable wooden barrels and ceramic jugs and bottles. David Gipfel and his son Charles, both of Wurttemberg, Germany, started the Gipfel Union Brewery in the 1840s. The brewery, located on Juneau Avenue in Milwaukee, produced beer into the 1890s. Charles Gipfel built a Federal-style stone building for the brewery in 1853, which was considered the oldest surviving brewery building in the city until it was demolished in 2009.

via: Milwaukee Public Museum by way of Wisconsin Decorative Arts Database

read more: Tom Daykin, “Closing Time for Gipfel,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, November 5, 2009

A. Gettelman Brewing Company workers in the early 1900s Before Miller, Pabst, Blatz and Schlitz were household names, Milwaukee was home to dozens of smaller breweries. The brewing boom in the second half of the 19th century was partly a result of the city’s rapidly expanding population of German immigrants. According to historian Jerry Apps, “Milwaukee’s large German population provided not only a large base of customers, but a source of experienced brewers.” The brewery that would become the A. Gettelman Brewing Company was established in 1854 in Milwaukee’s Menomonee Valley. Adam Gettelman of Germantown, Wisconsin acquired the brewery from his father-in-law George Schweickhardt in 1876. The Miller Brewing Company purchased Gettelman Brewing in 1961 and the brewery produced its last beer in 1971.  via: Milwaukee Historic Photos, Milwaukee Public Library read more: A Century of Brewing, 1854-1954: The A. Gettelman Brewing Company; Jerry Apps, Breweries of Wisconsin (University of Wisconsin Press, 2005)
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A. Gettelman Brewing Company workers in the early 1900s

Before Miller, Pabst, Blatz and Schlitz were household names, Milwaukee was home to dozens of smaller breweries. The brewing boom in the second half of the 19th century was partly a result of the city’s rapidly expanding population of German immigrants. According to historian Jerry Apps, “Milwaukee’s large German population provided not only a large base of customers, but a source of experienced brewers.”

The brewery that would become the A. Gettelman Brewing Company was established in 1854 in Milwaukee’s Menomonee Valley. Adam Gettelman of Germantown, Wisconsin acquired the brewery from his father-in-law George Schweickhardt in 1876. The Miller Brewing Company purchased Gettelman Brewing in 1961 and the brewery produced its last beer in 1971. 

via: Milwaukee Historic Photos, Milwaukee Public Library

read more: A Century of Brewing, 1854-1954: The A. Gettelman Brewing Company; Jerry Apps, Breweries of Wisconsin (University of Wisconsin Press, 2005)

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