Another to try is Purple Haze, a lager made with real raspberries thrown in after filtration. Today, its owned by the Gambrinus Company and you can find the Spoetzl Brewerys most famous beer, Shiner Bock, across the country. When it started: 1992 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. . The brewery is housed in what was once The Brass Lamp in a building with rafters made of repurposed Boise State University stadium materials rafters that are now covered with a massive collection of coasters. What to order: Chicken Killer Barley Wine. When it started: 1993 Fargo Brewing Company has also made a name for itself by helping shelter dogs find a home by putting their mugs on cans. opened in Missoula in 1987, and it gets its name from where the owner and master brewer, Jurgen Knoller, grew up: Bayern, which literally translates to the German state of Bavaria. "America's oldest brewery" is coming to shelves in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. It's the oldest brewery in America . This iconic Delaware staple started in 1995 as. Milwaukee has been a beer city for centuries thanks to brands like Miller, Pabst, and Schlitz. But in terms of the first brewery overall, that honor goes to. With capacity reaching an. The Pedal Hopper is a pedal-powered contraption that takes groups of eight to 16 on a two-hour ride to pubs in the Crossroads or Waldo/Brookside, depending on which neighborhood you choose to explore. You can taste why those awards were won for yourself at the Blackstone TapHouse, which has 16 beers on tap. 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. 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. You can find him on Twitter @kjs_37. Fast-forward 100 years, and the brewery is still evolving. founder Greg Noonan helped to change the laws to allow on-site beer sales at breweries, thus ushering in a sudsy era. What to order: Ad Astra Ale. Imperial Brewery from the early 20th century, sort of. Business was booming. Where: 1860 Schell Road New Ulm, MN 56073 opened in 1991 and is well-known for using fresh, locally sourced ingredients in its beer and its kitchen menu. We dug through available records, followed craft beer history timelines, and evaluated many (many) competing claims between breweries claiming to be the true first in the state, to find the oldest brewery in every state. German lagers are known around the world thanks to the Reinheitsgebot, which is the beer purity law that dictates only water, hops, yeast, and barley can be used in beer. Today the company has a chain of brewpubs in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Texas. Milwaukee has been a beer city for centuries thanks to brands like Miller, Pabst, and Schlitz. There was also the Pabst Building in the middle of the current Crossroads, which was constructed in 1911 and operated as a bottling and distribution factory for The Pabst Brewing Co. Boss Tom purchased the building in 1920, where his operation sold near beer and bottled waterand was rumored to be a front for an underground bootleg operation. Daily tours with various times. Martin City Brewing Company - 500 East 135th Street, Kansas City, MO 64145. Today, its owned by Craft Brew Alliance, which itself is owned by Budweisers parent company AB-InBev. The oldest continuously running brewery in Michigan is Bells Brewery in Kalamazoo, which you likely know thanks to the flagship Bells Two Hearted Ale. 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. Where: 4216 Shannon Dr, Baltimore, MD 21213 The city traces its spirited roots to the late 19th century, when three major pioneers (and familiar names) founded Holladay Distillery (1856), Muehlebach Brewing Company (1869) and J. Rieger & Co. (1887). 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. That was the year that Greg Schirf, whos originally from Milwaukee, started. Where: 300 W Main St, Louisville, KY 40202 Father-son duo Cameron Healy and Spoon Khalsa opened Kona Brewing in 1994. Albert previously worked as a distributor for Anheuser Busch in Oregon, and found a home for his own business in Jackson. . When it started: 1993 Vermont Pub & Brewery founder Greg Noonan helped to change the laws to allow on-site beer sales at breweries, thus ushering in a sudsy era. Then Portland Brewing Co., which opened in 1986, closed in early 2021. After years of talk and planning, Yuengling is . 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. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Breweries such as George Muehlebach Brewing Company, established in 1868 and J. Rieger & Co., a whiskey and spirits distillery started in 1887 in the West Bottoms wet many whistles. We didnt include the Budweisers and Millers of the world that youre already familiar with, though we did include some of the smaller breweries that they own either directly or through subsidiaries. Over the years, there have been attempts to revive Imperial Brewery. Founder John McDonald first fell for Belgian-style beers in 1984, and he released his first beer Boulevard Pale Ale in 1989. Mississippi was late to the craft beer movement. 4-9 pm Friday, 1-9 pm Saturday, 1-7 pm Sunday. It opened in 1870 and ran until 1927, then opened again in 1933 after Prohibition. The Cantralls have only been living in their Prairie Village Shawnee native Nicci Wyels had an art background. Good beer helps, too. The modern beer list is split into two sections. Where: 846 Victorian Ave, Sparks, NV 89431 The 45-minute walking tour includes an inspection of the bottling process, and a walk through the event spaces available in the brewery. When it started: 1985 Where: 2323 Defoor Hills Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30318 What to order: Amber Lager. Welcome to The Greater Kansas City News Site. Today, like Kona in Hawaii and Widmer Brothers in Oregon, Redhook Brewery is part of the Craft Brew Alliance thats owned by AB InBev. What to order: Sofie saison, or any of the Bourbon County Brand stouts. Where: 967 Main St, Willimantic, CT 06226 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. was founded by Uli Bennewitz, an immigrant from Bavaria, in the early 1980s. Martin City Brewing 410 E 135th Street, Kansas City, MO 64145 (816) 268-2222 Breweries continue to open across the metro, while now-established distilleries pile up accolades and awards. The location would have to grow to live up to the brewerys name, and it did. Dean Realty took it over in 2007. Its been a strong influence as Utahs beer brewing reputation builds back up again over the past three and a half decades. One stands out on the buildings faade a special German character of a crescent and the number 11. Where: 25 Cataract St. Rochester, NY 14605 More than just beer, it also serves up New York-style pizza, sandwiches, salads, and live entertainment. Boulevard Brewing Company is the oldest independent craft brewery in the United States, having been a part of the Kansas City community for more than 25 years. Vinos prides itself on its wide variety of handcrafted ales, IPAs, stouts, and porters, and its reputation as the states Original Brewpub.. Where: 1634 18th St, Denver, CO 80202 It's a release customers and ownership alike are excited about. 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. Palmetto Brewing is the Palmetto States oldest brewery. Brewing in . Electric Park lived on for a couple middling decades until, with no money to invest in its upkeep and two devastating fires that destroyed the infrastructure, the Heim brothers were forced to close it in 1934. When it started: 1993 Fargo Brewing Company takes the title with its opening date of 2010. What to order: St. Charles Porter. In 2002, Dogfish Head started distilling gin, rum, and vodka to further diversify its options. $320 to $360 per group. Kansas City's oldest distillery operates today inside a place that was built by the largest beer brewery west of St. Louis at the time. It wasnt until 1989 that Kansas City began its brewing and distilling revival. In 1993 it became the first brewery in the world with its own in-house distillery. Where: 923 W 7th St, Little Rock, AR 72201 It starts in 1981 when Gordon Bowker and Paul Shipman opened Redhook Brewery in Seattles Ballard neighborhood. 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. KANSAS CITY, Mo. The place is so big that they even built a museum that details their history and a literal slide to travel between floors. is Arkansass oldest continually operating craft brewery. The brewery stayed relevant by sticking to German beer styles while the mainstream national breweries like Budweiser and Miller capitalized on easy drinking lagers. visitkc.com/taptour. When it started: 1985 Originally conceived as Vinos Pizzeria in 1990, it quickly converted to a brewpub once Arkansas legalized them in 1993. Youre likely familiar with the brand if youve ever glanced at beer lists and tap handles across the country. Specifically, a 1989 Ford School Bus that now has a full kitchen dishing out burgers, fries, fish and chips, and other classic bar food whenever the taproom is open. Missouri has a rich brewing history that dates back nearly 200 years. He purchased an old saloon on Pacific Street, and in 1896, it was bought by German brewer Ernst F. Baruthand his son-in-law Otto Schinkel Jr. Owners Peter Egelston and Joanne Francis are pillars of the community, holding events like Token Tuesday, during which patrons receive wooden tokens worth 25 cents for every pint they purchase, which can be donated to one of the four charities the brewery supports. Dunedin started in 1995, and though there were a few large breweries in Florida, Dunedin was the first craft brewery in the state. Illicitly made liquor flowed freely in area speakeasies and jazz joints until the end of Prohibition in 1933. First, its Dortmunder Gold Lager won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival. What to order: Icy Bay IPA. Where: 937 Douglas Ave, Dunedin, FL 34698 In 1988, a cowboy named Mike Levis founded the Santa Fe Brewing Company. Where: 30 Germania St, Boston, MA 02130 Its not a theme picked at random the owner, John Hill, was born in Middlesbrough North Yorkshire, while his wife Nancy is from Indiana. As one of the last states to have a craft brewery, winning the award of oldest and longest running isnt as hard as it is in, say, Minnesota. First opened in 2008, Good People Brewing Co. is Alabamas oldest and largest brewery. You can find Yuengling in many states in the South and along the Eastern seaboard. When it started: 1992 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. McDonald was inspired to create a brewery from the ground up after sipping aromatic Belgian beers while vacationing in Europe. What to order: Roedys Red. Another break came in 1967, and when the brewery started up once again in 2011 (after many changes in ownership, obviously), it was centered in Cincinnati. In 1919, the Seaboard Milling Company purchased the Imperial Brewery building and turned it into a flour mill which operated until 1985. in Seattles Ballard neighborhood. Its not a theme picked at random the owner, John Hill, was born in Middlesbrough North Yorkshire, while his wife Nancy is from Indiana. It was, after all, the beer preferred by Captain Quint in Jaws. boulevard.com. That means Highlands Hollow in Boise takes the designation when it comes to oldest in the state. When it started: 1991 For the name, the owners picked Empyrean, which means the highest heaven and the land of fire. Prohibition is the cut off for when brewing temporarily ended in many states. The state didnt repeal Prohibition until 1952, and legal limits on beers alcohol percentage have long been roadblocks. Prohibition, world wars, and changing tastes in beer couldnt close the brewery. If you visit in the warmer months, theres food available and a dog-friendly outdoors area. Kansas's oldest active brewery is the Free State Brewery, which was established in Lawrence, KS in 1989. Where: 800 E 16th St, Tucson, AZ 85719 But after more than a hundred years of running, the brewery shut down in the 1980s before restarting under new ownership in 2005. Holladay called nearby Weston, Mo., home while Muehlebach was based in what is now the Crossroads Arts District (and later moved to The City Market) and J. Rieger called the West Bottoms home. A lot of them would transition over into other products.. When it started: 1991 Heim Brewing closed. Meanwhile, Holladay Distillery changed hands (and owners) several different times, officially joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and discontinued public tours in the mid-1990s. Sprecher ran the brewery up until February 2020, when he took his retirement. When the temporary Wartime Prohibition Act was passed in the U.S. on Nov. 18, 1918, Ferd. Get your book stamped to win prizes. As one of the last states to have a craft brewery, winning the award of oldest and longest running isnt as hard as it is in, say, Minnesota. But theres a new old guard thats led by. At the time, Kansas City had a handful of breweries and brewery depots. Soon, new distilleries like Toms Town and Lifted Spirits joined in on the action while Holladay Distillery returned to its former glory by celebrating its 160th anniversary in 2016 with an enhanced visitor experience and its first bourbon operation in 30 years. What to order: Good People American Brown Ale. 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. Excursions can also include winery and distillery stops. Post-Great Recession, Downtown Kansas City began its own resurgence with the construction of the Power & Light District and Sprint Center. Its been a strong influence as Utahs beer brewing reputation builds back up again over the past three and a half decades. The craft beer side of Milwaukee, and the rest of Wisconsin, brewing came when. North End Brewing opened in 1997 using equipment from Cardinal Brewing, which had just closed. Kirkwood Station Brewery - in Kirkwood, MO opened in 2009 and closed on February 28, 2019 [38] The brewery started in 1985 after owner Larry Bell owned a homebrew supply shop for two years, and today its one of the most well known and loved craft breweries in the country. Beer lovers can toast a new lager this weekend, or stock up in time for March Madness. It was originally launched in 1991 as a restaurant called Gentle Bens in Tucson. The slogan, O! Where: 729 Q St, Lincoln, NE 68508 In 1988, geologist John Hickenlooper started. Thus, Boulevard Brewing Co. was born. When you go, theres also a food menu with upscale versions of typical bar offerings. When it started: 1994 The conglomerate purchased Imperial Brewery in an auction for $99,500, plus the mortgage on the building. Maxwell says they were able to build a brewery with all new technology. What to order: Iron Horse Pale Ale. American pilsner. When it started: 1989 Another Imperial Brewery popped up on Southwest Boulevard in 1933. Another to try is Purple Haze, a lager made with real raspberries thrown in after filtration. What to order: Bourbon Barrel Stout. mobile app. Its also the oldest surviving brewery if you only count the original start date and ignore the brewerys movements: it started in Aspen Colorado, and then moved to Denver before moving to Maryland permanently in 2007. Where: 636 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS 66044 The Crazy Wavy Building At 9th And Paseo. One has survived, though: , which opened in 1984 and is still going strong. 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. Utah was once home to some of the largest breweries in the West. Theres something about a ski town that makes local beer taste all the better, and Snake River Brewings longevity proves thats a common perception. Duvel Moortgat Brewery is a well-known and respected brewery that has produced good beer for a long time. Illinois has a long brewing history that dates back to, . is the Palmetto States oldest brewery. The buildings were designed for a specific purpose. Founder John McDonald first fell for Belgian-style beers in 1984, and he released his first beer Boulevard Pale Ale in 1989. Green Room is the oldest brewery in Kansas City and it honors its traditions and brews in small batches. Theres also the modern line up of a variety of IPAs, amber ales, seltzers, and limited edition porters. It had a humble start making 1,500 barrels of beer, but is now one of the largest craft breweries in the country and makes more than 125,000 barrels a year. 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. What to order: Cream Ale. It can be hard for a brewery to make a name for itself in a state so synonymous with bourbon. Wyoming may be the least populous state in the country, but it has some seriously good breweries and distilleries. When it started: 1989 After several lives as a warehouse for various companies, the facility was renovated in 2018 and became the Crossroads Hotel, a chic boutique property in KCs thriving hotel scene. was opened by a German immigrant to New Ulm, Minnesota, in 1860. Youre likely familiar with the brand if youve ever glanced at beer lists and tap handles across the country. They cite southeast Alaska as the inspiration for many of their brews, which reflect similar characteristics as the ales brewed in Alaska during the gold rush era. By some accounts, that makes it the 122nd oldest bar in the US. - MARTIN CIZMAR. What to order: Pilsener. What to order: Fiegwild English-style pale ale. Genesee Brewery in Rochester opened in 1878 but thanks to a nearly $50 million renovation project its one of the most modern looking breweries in the state. Kansas City; Omaha; Free Shipping Over $35! The brand has long been a champion of sustainability. Randy Sprecher opened his brewery with his own custom-built brewing equipment right after a four-year stint at Pabst from 1980 to 1984. In 2010, the brewery changed its name to Red Brick Brewing Company after its original and popular Red Brick Ale. The Genesee Brew House features a restaurant, bar, and taproom, and offers tours of the brewing facility itself. It started, as with many things, with one: Geary Brewing Company in Portland. Times vary. In 2002, Dogfish Head started distilling gin, rum, and vodka to further diversify its options. 3002 W 47th Ave, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA. It reinvented itself as Harrison Hollow Brewhouse in 1992, then changed its name to Highlands Hollow Brewhouse in 2004. Beer isnt brewed there any longer, and you won't find any for sale on their website. The brewing arm of the operation is the first oldest when you narrow it down to just breweries in West Virginia, though. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Its designed like an English pub with a fireplace, stained glass windows, and dark wood, and most of the beers are European styles, like English-style ales and IPAs, German-style lagers, and Irish-style red ales. Its still running strong today, though the focus isnt solely on the English anymore. 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. A lot has changed since horse and buggy transported cases of small batch beer. A lot has changed since horse and buggy transported cases of small batch beer. When it started: 1909 Fast-forward 100 years, and the brewery is still evolving. What to order: Gearys Pale Ale. So its a great time to open more breweries, and represent Kansas City as a brewing community, Thompson says. Dating all the way back to 1986, the Alaskan Brewing Company in Juneau was started by two 28-year-olds: Marcy and Geoff Larson. Now the brewery is owned by the Japanese beer company Sapporo Holdings. What to order: Yuengling Lager. Today, its owned by Craft Brew Alliance, which itself is owned by Budweisers parent company AB-InBev. Today, German-style beers like hefeweizens and Vienna lagers are still on the menu at the historic brewery alongside IPAs and barrel-aged releases. Quick Buy . Where: Pike Motorworks Building, 714 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122 When it started: 1860 What to order: 60 Minute IPA. Today the company has a chain of brewpubs in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Texas. As the brewery grew, so did the movement of prohibition across the country. KANSAS CITY, Mo. 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. The . Albert previously worked as a distributor for Anheuser Busch in Oregon, and found a home for his own business in Jackson. Kansas City Breweries: A Historic Driving Tour.. Adolphus Busch: King of Beer. 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. Duvel Moortgat now has 12 breweries, which will bring its total brewery count to . The vibe is English pub, complete with British food, cask ales, and ciders to be enjoyed under a Victorian tin ceiling. When Spoetzl died in 1950, his daughter, Cecilie, became the only woman brewery owner in the country, and she helped build on the brewerys legacy. 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. Kyle J Smith is an intern for KCURs Central Standard. The brewery has around 20 beers, from an unfiltered organic amber to traditional pilsners and doppelbocks. "The main thing for us is it is a very popular beer in the east; it has been for years. -excerpt from Hometown Beer dangerboy Global Moderator Posts: 9029 Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2003 1:28 pm What to order: Anchor Steam Beer. All of this is to say that while Frankenmuth Brewing Company has a storied background, its had fits and starts with years of closures in between openings. A lot of them were sold for cold storage facilities. In 2010, the brewery changed its name to Red Brick Brewing Company after its original and popular Red Brick Ale. Where: 289 Huger St, Charleston, SC 29403 Where: 21084 LA-36, Covington, LA 70433 Kansas: Free State Brewing Company Kansas City has Boulevard . When it started: 1986 Theres also the modern line up of a variety of IPAs, amber ales, seltzers, and limited edition porters.