The History of Beer in Milwaukee From beer barons to nano-breweries, Milwaukee has a long and storied brewing past
Pabst Mansion
Miller Brewery Pabst MKE Brewery
Brewhouse Inn & Suites
Black Husky Brewing
1840
Owens’ Brewery (accepted as Milwaukee’s first commercial brewery) opens
2006
The Pabst Brewery complex is purchased and development begins to sustainably renovate the historic structures and revitalize the brewery
2007
1855
1871
Miller Brewing is founded by Frederick Miller
Due to demand, Milwaukee Ale House opens a dedicated brewery location: Milwaukee Brewing Company is born
The Great Chicago Fire destroys many of Chicago’s breweries – Schlitz sends beer to Milwaukee’s southern neighbors, earning the nickname “the beer that made Milwaukee famous”
1997
Milwaukee Ale House starts brewing
2013
The Brewhouse Inn & Suites opens in one of the historic Pabst Brewery buildings
1987
Lakefront Brewery is founded
1985
Sprecher Brewery is founded, Milwaukee’s first craft brewery since Prohibition
2016
More than 10 new craft breweries open – the craft beer boom is in full swing
Good City Brewing
1893
After showing at the Chicago World’s Fair, the highly-lauded beer known as Pabst Select is renamed Pabst Blue Ribbon
1919
Prohibition becomes the law of the land. Milwaukee breweries survive by making soda, ice cream, cheese, and more
2017
Pabst returns to Milwaukee with a craft brewery located near the historic brewery site
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