Portsmouth Brewery is committed to sustainability; much of its menu is vegetarian friendly, beer byproducts are reused as animal feed, and all food is composted. America's Oldest Brewery Every Story has history. Today, its the largest, and oldest, brewery in Ohio, and that original comparatively tiny set up is used solely for experimental batches of beer sold onsite. The place is so big that they even built a museum that details their history and a literal slide to travel between floors. What to order: Zonker Stout. "The main thing for us is it is a very popular beer in the east; it has been for years. Hickenlooper would go on to become governor of Colorado, a presidential candidate, and a US Senator, but first he launched a brewpub that became a local staple for decades to come. Where: 355 E Kalamazoo Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Dating all the way back to 1986, the Alaskan Brewing Company in Juneau was started by two 28-year-olds: Marcy and Geoff Larson. Dean Realty took it over in 2007. It was purchased by Kosmos Spoetzl in 1915, and he gave the brewery the name it has today, but the name of the beer is still known by the town its from: . The Crazy Wavy Building At 9th And Paseo. Palmetto Brewing is the Palmetto States oldest brewery. Prohibition is the cut off for when brewing temporarily ended in many states. Rieger & Co. made a name for itself as the largest mail-order whiskey producer in the country, while Muehlebach brewed 100,000 barrels in 1911a far cry from its initial capacity of 3,000 per year less than 50 years earliermaking it the second largest brewery in the city. In 2019 Dogfish started a new chapter by merging with Boston Beer Company. wasnt always the beer powerhouse it is today. He plans a more than. KC Tap Tour Visit KC's Tap Tour guidebook runs $10 but could save you hundreds with discounts at Continue reading 5 Best Beer Tours in KC Maxwell says they were able to build a brewery with all new technology. Southwest Boulevard, I-35 and downtown Kansas City are all visible from the sixth floor of the building. Email us at centralstandard@kcur.org. The conglomerate purchased Imperial Brewery in an auction for $99,500, plus the mortgage on the building. While the St. Louis beer giant has taken over, a brewery across the state in Kansas City holds the title for oldest craft brewery: . When it started: 1985 It was started after founders Ed Falkenstein and Louis Bruce visited Full Sail Brewery (one of Oregons oldest craft breweries in the Hood River Valley), and they were instrumental in getting craft brewing laws on the books in South Carolina. A trip to the brewery can be supplemented by beer samples and a look at the caves where the beer was stored to stay cool in an era with little ice or refrigeration. The location would have to grow to live up to the brewerys name, and it did. started brewing on a 7-barrel system and selling its beer commercially in 1988. A new production brewery opening just down the road from the original location will only add to the companys sustainability mission with CO2 reclamation, recycled water, and on-site renewable energy sources. Few states are as famous for beer as Michigan. What to order: Amber Lager. Where: 321 W 7th St, Richmond, VA 23224 That meant that when Free State Brewing opened up in 1989, it was reviving a brewing tradition Kansas hadnt seen in more than 100 years. It opened in 1985, putting it at the forefront of craft brewing for the entire country and not just Iowa, and has an attached German-style beer hall called Millstream Brau Haus that was added to the building in 2016. Boulevard Brewing Co. was among the largest craft breweries in the country before selling to the Belgian brewing company Duvel Moortgat in 2014, bringing the Belgian influence full circle. Updated: Mar 2, 2023 / 03:05 PM CST. Like many of the oldest breweries in America, Montanas longest running brewery has a strong German influence. Where: 2455 N Highlands Holw, Boise, ID 83702 Theres something about a ski town that makes local beer taste all the better, and Snake River Brewings longevity proves thats a common perception. It can be hard for a brewery to make a name for itself in a state so synonymous with bourbon. And theres a new brewery in the Crossroads called Brewery Emperial. The business went by Lazlos Brewery & Grill at the time, and was located in Lincolns Historic Haymarket. Where: 1634 18th St, Denver, CO 80202 Admirable sustainability efforts matched with truly delicious beer makes choosing a cold one over a fruity cocktail an easy choice. Those are noted when necessary. The building entered the historical registry in 2011. Where: 74-5612 Pawai Place Kailua Kona, HI 96740 When it comes to drinks, the Aloha State is more famous for fruity cocktails with umbrellas than for beer. Fast-forward almost 100 years, and Andy Maybee, a KC restauranteer, met Andy Rieger, the great-great-great grandson of Jacob Rieger. Today, Wasatch has locations in Sugar House and the Salt Lake City airport in addition to the original location on main street in Park City. Duvel Moortgat now has 12 breweries, which will bring its total brewery count to . Until coming to. An immigrant from Austria-Hungary, he soon started a distilling company. However, when you arrive on the property of the Weston Brewing Company, you won't see this 175 year old bar right away. Now located in an old post office building from 1909, Willimantic Brewing Company is a seven-barrel brewery producing a range of American, German, and other beers. Its stayed small over the years, but you dont stay around for so long by over extending yourself. Portsmouth Brewery opened in 1991 and is well-known for using fresh, locally sourced ingredients in its beer and its kitchen menu. In 1919, the Seaboard Milling Company purchased the Imperial Brewery building and turned it into a flour mill which operated until 1985. When it started: 1990 Randy Sprecher opened his brewery with his own custom-built brewing equipment right after a four-year stint at Pabst from 1980 to 1984. Some of the original beers are still fan favorites, like the Burly Irish Ale, which also won a Gold Medal at the Great International Beer Competition, and one of the original East Coast style IPAs, Bombay Grab IPA. Perhaps its most well-known beer is the Chicken Killer Barley Wine, created in homage to the chickens massacred by one of the founding brewers pet dachshund, Petey. Beer was produced using a large red malt mill found in an abandoned meadow in England, and its still in use today. boulevard.com. There is no better beer brewed anywhere Dont contribute to the two millions of dollars annually sent out of Kansas City for bottled beer.. And of course no proper tour is complete without sampling the brews themselves! The brewery stayed relevant by sticking to German beer styles while the mainstream national breweries like Budweiser and Miller capitalized on easy drinking lagers. Theres a long list of staple year-round beers from an IPA to an amber ale to a milk stout, as well as innovative beers you wont find anywhere else, like the Orogenesis thats an imperial red ale aged in ex-bourbon barrels from Nevadas Frey Ranch Estate Distillery. Anchor Brewing in San Francisco traces its roots back to 1849, when German brewer Gottlieb Brekle came to San Francisco during the California gold rush. One of the most famous Kentucky brewers was the George Wiedemann Brewing Company. in Kalamazoo, which you likely know thanks to the flagship Bells Two Hearted Ale. What to order: Longboard Island Lager. When it started: 1986 And 100 years after J. Rieger & Co. first shut down, the reborn company relocated into their current space, planting roots to survive longer than their predecessors. mobile app. Post-Great Recession, Downtown Kansas City began its own resurgence with the construction of the Power & Light District and Sprint Center. It was, after all, the beer preferred by Captain Quint in Jaws. Find those beers on tap at the brewery today, as well as hearty food like fish and chips, poutine, and burgers. The brewery specializes in beers produced according to Germanys Reinheitsgebot Purity Law of 1516, which requires that beer only be brewed using hops, malt, yeast, and water. Today, the northeasternmost state in the US is well known as the home of some of the most beloved craft breweries in the country. . Narragansett is one of the most famous names in beer in Rhode Island. When it started: 1985 Do you have a suggestion of a spot youd like us to investigate? in Seattles Ballard neighborhood. He brewed the first batch of Santa Fe Pale Ale which is still served at the brewery today. The brewery offers a range of IPAs, brown ales, and stouts, and is open for tours, tastings, and events. In 1988, geologist John Hickenlooper started. What to order: Sam Adams Boston Lager. Seen in the background is one of the oldest buildings in Waldo. By some accounts, that makes it the 122nd oldest bar in the US. Yuengling Brewery is finally bringing its beer to Missouri and Kansas. Where: 800 E 16th St, Tucson, AZ 85719 Washingtons craft brewing history is about as long as it is storied. On a visit to the brewery, youll see many parts of the original building, which is listed on the National Historic Register, such as the original fire pole, ladders, and patches. When it started: 1985 Five-part feature article about Adolphus Busch.. Der Sternewirth. It was started after founders Ed Falkenstein and Louis Bruce visited Full Sail Brewery (one of Oregons oldest craft breweries in the Hood River Valley), and they were instrumental in getting craft brewing laws on the books in South Carolina. In Kansas, all alcohol production was made illegal decades before in 1881. Bricktown started brewing beer under 4 percent in 1992, which was legal at the time. Kansas City is known as a good beer town. Theres also the modern line up of a variety of IPAs, amber ales, seltzers, and limited edition porters. Today, it makes a variety of classic beer styles and innovative ones, like the Biere de Cafe, a brown ale made with chocolate and locally roasted coffee. When it started: 1995 Since then, its stayed open through battles during the Dakota Conflict, Prohibition (when it sold low alcohol near-beer to keep the doors open), brewery consolidation, and the craft brewery movement. While these two historic Kansas City businesses just overlapped in 2019, their unlikely marriage was actually more than 100 years in the making. What to order: Black Radish German Lager. What to order: I.P.A. More than just beer, it also serves up New York-style pizza, sandwiches, salads, and live entertainment. Exactly a century after Ferd. Founder John McDonald first fell for Belgian-style beers in 1984, and he released his first beer Boulevard Pale Ale in 1989. It quickly racked up the accolades, and the company today remains a fixture in the beer community as one of the largest craft brewing companies that also owns brands like Delawares Dogfish Head and non-beer brands like Angry Orchard, Twisted Tea, and Truly Hard Seltzer. , Iowas oldest brewery. The brewery crafts over 40 different styles of beer, from sessionable ales and lagers to seasonal and experimental offerings like a stout made with bull testicals. The three brewpub locations in the city offer classic pub food and a selection of beers (including Kentuckys original bourbon barrel aged beer made using Four Roses barrels) and a mead called Luna de Miel thats always on tap. Firehouse Brewing gets its name from a firehouse, as you might suspect. Three to six beers are made each month, and the flagship Roedys Red has won some local awards. Great Lakes Brewing has a few notable milestones that helped it get to where it is today. Barrio Brewing Company wasnt always the beer powerhouse it is today. The name has since reverted back to the original, though the brewery is still often known as the Red Brick. Breweries continue to open across the metro, while now-established distilleries pile up accolades and awards. Today, like Kona in Hawaii and Widmer Brothers in Oregon, Redhook Brewery is part of the Craft Brew Alliance thats owned by AB InBev. The brewery has around 20 beers, from an unfiltered organic amber to traditional pilsners and doppelbocks. What to order: Icy Bay IPA. The award-winning brewery started in 1993 and grew into a second brewpub location in The Biggest Little City (Reno, for the uninitiated) in 2010. At the time, it was illegal for breweries in the state to sell beer directly to customers, and Bennewitz successfully campaigned to change the law. It moved to a bigger space in Fremont in 1991, and opened a production brewery in Washington in 1994, and an East Coast brewery in New Hampshire in 1996, making it the first craft brewery to have bicoastal locations. Tennessee got what today is the oldest modern brewery in 1994 when Blackstone Brewing Co. opening in Nashville. Fargo Brewing Company takes the title with its opening date of 2010. RAYGUN. What to order: Iron Horse Pale Ale. Today, Santa Fe Brewing Company runs its own hop farm, where it grows wild hops native to New Mexico, and in 2011, installed a 18-kilowatt solar panel system on the brewerys roof to help reduce its electricity usage. Today the company has a chain of brewpubs in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Texas. This Liberty brewery is conjoined with Jousting Pigs BBQ and known for flagships like Desert Gold, a light wheat beer named after the old Liberty grain company. Where: 3500 Emerson Ave, Parkersburg, WV 26104 Illinois has a long brewing history that dates back to Peacock Brewery in 1849. The brewery has won the Great American Beer Festival Small Brewer of the Year award numerous times, as well as more than 30 medals for its beers. Big Grove Brewery. While these two historic Kansas City businesses just overlapped in 2019, their unlikely marriage was actually more than 100 years in the making. You can find old-school beer styles and flavors at Fringe. In 1988, a cowboy named Mike Levis founded the Santa Fe Brewing Company. Part of the reason why is history, and one of the breweries that claims to be the oldest leans on a long past. Imperial Brewery from the early 20th century, sort of. Because that opened up, the Santa Fe railroad that ran from Chicago all the way out to Los Angeles and served the southwest part of the United States.". Another to try is Purple Haze, a lager made with real raspberries thrown in after filtration. Established in 1993, Vino's is Arkansas's oldest continually operating craft brewery. Where: 2516 Market Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113 The Genesee Brew House features a restaurant, bar, and taproom, and offers tours of the brewing facility itself. Martin City Brewing 410 E 135th Street, Kansas City, MO 64145 (816) 268-2222 Where: 701 W Glendale Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53209 Missouri has a rich brewing history that dates back nearly 200 years. Where: 2312 Clifton Ave, Nashville, TN 37209 One stands out on the buildings faade a special German character of a crescent and the number 11. The original location in Oklahoma City still stands, and the low alcohol session beers Bricktown has specialized in are now more popular among beer lovers on a national level. Hoppy beers like Tiny Clouds have evolved a lot in the past 18 months, keeping things fresh even if you visit every Saturday which many people in Brookside do. H. James Maxwell, author of Hometown Beer: A History of Kansas Citys Breweries, says there were many advantages to producing beer in Kansas City at the time, including good railroad access. When it started: 1878 That doesnt mean its easy to run a brewery for decades on end, though. Business was booming. Albert previously worked as a distributor for Anheuser Busch in Oregon, and found a home for his own business in Jackson. barleybus.com. A small brewery in downtown Baltimore called Oliver Brewing takes the designation of oldest brewery in the state when its cut down to businesses that have continuously operated in Maryland from the start. The name has since reverted back to the original, though the brewery is still often known as the Red Brick. Where: 289 Huger St, Charleston, SC 29403 It ran until 1987, closed and was purchased by another owner in 1990, and then a tornado hit the building in 1996. It started as a way to bring the building back to life and showcase and protect that history while using the space as a brewery and taproom. $45. The brewery also has a beer-themed inn located in downtown Lewes for weary (or hungover) travelers to rest their heads. What really made the difference was the bridge that was built across the Missouri River in 1869. The Prohibition period only added to an already-rich history of brewing and distilling that lives on today with new craft producers throughout the region. Today, it makes a variety of classic beer styles and innovative ones, like the Biere de Cafe, a brown ale made with chocolate and locally roasted coffee. The first beer Free State made was Ad Astra Ale, which gets its name from the state motto Ad Astra per Aspera, which means To the Stars Through Difficulties. In 1884, Ferdinand Heim moved from Germany to Kansas City and started a Ferd. When it started: 1988 More than just beer, it also serves up New York-style pizza, sandwiches, salads, and live entertainment. Utah was once home to some of the largest breweries in the West. Where: 610 N University Dr, Fargo, ND 58102 We use cookies for analytics tracking and advertising from our partners. opened in 1985. kcbeertour.com. At the time, Kansas City had a handful of breweries and brewery depots. Muehlebach Brewing Company was eventually bought out by Schlitz in 1956 and discontinued in 1973. Thats something we can get behind. What Is That? It didnt take long for the brewery to take off. The beers are a favorite throughout the South, especially the Southern Pecan Nut Brown Ale, which is the rare beer made with whole roasted pecans. In the now legendary tale, brewer John McDonald brought his first keg of Pale Ale to Ponaks on Southwest Boulevard, where he sold out by the end of the night. Founded in 1989, it has grown to become the largest specialty brewer in Midwestern America. Palmetto Brewing merged with Catawba Brewing Company in North Carolina, and today the two work collaboratively together with beers from both offered at each respective tap room. So Good! is an original distillery slogan from the early 1900s. Boulevard Brewing Co. was among the largest craft breweries in the country before selling to the Belgian brewing company Duvel Moortgat in 2014, bringing the Belgian influence full circle. Where: 35 Fire Pl, Santa Fe, NM 87508 Kansas Citians now spend countless weekend hours on patios, touring facilities and sampling everything from sours and IPAs, stouts and lagers to absinthe, bourbon, vodka and morea clear indication that theres no shortage of locally made libations to be found in Kansas City, and no end in sight to the fun for all. Ever since, its been serving up handcrafted and locally inspired beers, and has grown to become a nationally recognized brand. That was the year that Greg Schirf, whos originally from Milwaukee, started Wasatch Brewery. Find those beers on tap at the brewery today, as well as hearty food like fish and chips, poutine, and burgers. So its a great time to open more breweries, and represent Kansas City as a brewing community, Thompson says. Its been a strong influence as Utahs beer brewing reputation builds back up again over the past three and a half decades. Theres a website displayed on the side in huge font: imperialbrewery.com. Photo: Good People Brewing Company/Facebook, Where: 114 14th St S, Birmingham, AL 35233 German food goes along with the beers if you make it out there, and there are select live music nights that can be found on the brewerys website. When it started: 1992 One has survived, though: Widmer Brothers, which opened in 1984 and is still going strong. The brewery itself deserves a stop no matter how long your Portland brewery travel list is, and the beer garden features food trucks and live bands in the summer. Father-son duo Cameron Healy and Spoon Khalsa opened Kona Brewing in 1994. The brewing arm of the operation is the first oldest when you narrow it down to just breweries in West Virginia, though. Together, they decided to re-open the old distillery. PublishedDecember 15, 2015 at 3:01 PM CST, Credit Courtesy Photo / Rich Kasyjanski Jr, Hometown Beer: A History of Kansas Citys Breweries, What Is That? That same year, the Ferd Heim Brewing Company and the Rochester Brewing Company merged to form Kansas Citys Breweries Company. Stay current with seasonal attractions, deals and more by signing up to receive our newsletter. But as the population shifted from thirsty miners to the alcohol averse and religiously minded, beer took a backseat until 1986. Theres the heritage line up made with open fermentation that includes English-style pale ales and a winter warmer, and the contemporary line up, which are modern, closed-fermentation beers (think raspberry lagers and hazy IPAs). It started, as with many things, with one: Geary Brewing Company in Portland. D.G. was founded by Uli Bennewitz, an immigrant from Bavaria, in the early 1980s. How fitting that this symbol seems to fulfill a prophecy of rebirth in Kansas City. Most recently, Empyrean broke ground for a new brewery and taproom in the South Haymarket area. J. Rieger now has two bars, a full-scale distilling room and a barreling room. In 1988, geologist John Hickenlooper started Wynkoop Brewing Company inside of an old mercantile building that was built in 1899.