Brewing History Of…

Welcome to the brewing history of the Brooklyn of the Berkshires!

The Berkshire Brewing Association thrived at the turn of the 20th century and distributed beer from Maine to the Carolinas. Production was halted when the Wartime Prohibition Act was passed in 1918 and legal brewing ceased for 78 years. Arrowhead Brewing started at 34 Depot Street, which was followed by Old Saddleback Brewing Company and Pittsfield Brew Works. Currently, Wandering Star Craft Brewery is continuing the small town's proud brewing history.

Suggested beer when visiting: Loopy Juice IPA.

Discover the brewing history of the Smile Capital of America!

The small town of Pocatello is creating a craft beer destination in the middle of southeastern Idaho. The movement started with Penny Pink and Portneuf Valley Brewing in 1996 and has recently added a trio of new brewhouses: Jim Dandy Brewing, Off the Rails Brewing, and Star Route Brewery. They are all building upon the legacy that American Brewing Company and East Idaho Brewing Company (makers of Idallo beer) started over a century ago.

Suggested beers when visiting: Next to Nutty Peanut Butter Milk Stout (Jim Dandy) and Hauptbanhof Helles (Off the Rails).

Discover the brewing history of the Elm City!

Known as the Milwaukee of the East Coast in the 19th century, New Haven has been home to dozens of breweries and brewers since the 1600s. While not all of them will be discussed in detail, the episode highlights the historical Fresenius and Sons Brewing Company, Rock Brewery, and Hull Brewing Company. Currently, Erector Brewing Collective and East Rock Brewing Company are continuing the tradition of welcoming visitors to their Connecticut taprooms, while the resurrected Hull's brand and the progressive Rhythm Brewing Company are also producing beer in town.

Suggested beers when visiting: American Flyer Electric Thunderbolt IPA (Erector), Hull's Export Lager (Hull), and Unfiltered Lager (Rhythm).

Discover the brewing history of the Mother of the Dakotas!

The small South Dakota town does not have a vast brewing history, but has been home to a number of successful breweries. Schwenk-Barth Brewing Company lead the way before Prohibition, while Backspace Brewing Company now operates out of part of their old building. They joined Ben's Brewing Company to give locals and travelers a couple of delectable options.

Suggested beers when visiting: White Wall Session (Ben's) and In the Clouds (Backspace).

Discover the brewing history of the Two Mile High City!

Leadville began as a mountainous mining community and was home to number of different brewhouses, few of which lasted more than a couple of years in Colorado. After the town nearly disappeared when the mines closed, locals reinvented the area as an outdoor paradise for adventure lovers. Brewing picked up again in the 21st century even though the elevation causes some major challenges. Home to Periodic Brewery until its closure in 2020, Two Mile Brewing Company is now the only local beer in town and holds the title of America's highest elevated brewery.

Suggested beers when visiting: Those Who Wheat (Two Mile).

Discover the brewing history of the Holy City!

There can be no debate that Charleston has one of the best craft beer scenes in the country. Beer was commercially produced as early as the 1720s on the islands and formalized with Palmetto Brewing Company after the Civil War. The name has carried on to modern day and inspired dozens of brewers to make the South Carolina city their home base, with many of those being in the neighborhood tokened the Brewery District.

Suggested beers when visiting: Who's Brett IPA (Revelry) and Paradise IPA (Holy City).

Discover the brewing history of Junction City!

The boom of commercial beer in Utah began in Ogden with the emergence of Becker Brewing in 1892. Even in a state that was not known for consuming alcohol, the brewery thrived until the 1960s. The Beckers made great beer, but, more importantly, set a brewing standard for the area. Roosters Brewing Company continued that legacy (with multiple locations), and newcomers Talisman Brewing Company, UTOG Brewing Company, Zolupez Beer Company, and Ogden River Brewing are making their mark.

Suggested beers when visiting: Hazards IIIPA (Talisman) and Union Station Amber Ale (Ogden River).

Discover the brewing history of Lake Tahoe! Well, at least the northwest corner of it.

Truckee was a quiet stop on the Transcontinental Railroad, but housed one of the most well-known breweries of the late 19th century. Boca Brewery won awards from California to Europe and could ship their product around the country by packing train cars with the ample amount of ice in the area. The town has recently become a popular skiing destination and is home to a thriving craft beer scene, most notably the exciting Fifty Fifty Brewing Company.

Suggested beers when visiting: Eclipse Stout (Fifty Fifty) and Neon Rainbow IPA (Good Wolf).

Discover the brewing history of the Gateway to the West!

Omaha's brewing history is as deep as any in the Midwest. Led by the big three (Krug Brewing Company, Metz Brothers Brewing Company, and Storz Brewing Company) in the late 19th century, production soared until Prohibition. The trio of Nebraska breweries made a comeback into the 1970s, but ultimately succumbed to the big beer brands. Today, Upstream Brewing Company, Infusion Brewing Company, and Farnam House Brewing are leading the way in a competitive craft beer scene.

Suggested beers when visiting: Metz Jubilee (Infusion) and Monk's Chalice (Vis Major).

Discover the brewing history of the Heart of Georgia!

Beer in the South may have formally originated in Macon, a town smack in the middle of Georgia and just 90 miles outside of Atlanta, with the opening of Russell and Peter's Macon Brewery in 1837. It closed in 1878, but paved the way for the Acme Brewing Company, one of the largest in the South before Prohibition. Today, proud brewers are bringing beer back to Macon at the Macon Beer Company, Ocmulgee Brewpub, Piedmont Brewery and Kitchen, and Fall Line Brewing Company.

Suggested beers when visiting: American Queen 5% (Macon Beer) and Satisfied (Piedmont Brewery and Kitchen).

Discover the brewing history of Utopia!

A large group of Harmonists came to Southern Indiana from Pennsylvania to start a grand Utopian society. One of their most profitable businesses was a brewery, operated by George Bentel. His recipe has recently been discovered and was recreated by a dozen breweries in the state, including one that was stationed just a couple of blocks from his original house.

Suggested beers when visiting: Harmonie Dark Lager (Great Crescent).

Discover the brewing history of rural Kansas!

A local bar in a small town is a place of comfort and legend. In the rural plains of Kansas, a brewery found roots in a community of no more than two dozen people. The population swelled on weeknights as thirsty travelers from near and far gathered for a drink at Mo's Place. Inside, Beaver Brewery was fermenting beer in a simple setup that came to beloved by all who were lucky enough to stop.

Discover the brewing history of the Oil City!

Casper has jumped on the hometown brew scene a bit late (twice). The city's first brewery, Casper Brewing Company, did not open until 1914, just five years before the state enacted Prohibition. It struggled to survive during Wyoming's dry years and World War II before eventually ceasing. The city did not have a brewhouse until 2017 when Frontier Brewing Company opened. Now, visitors can drink at five different facilities that are creating some passionate local beer for the high plains town.

Suggested beers when visiting: Double Clutch Oatmeal Stout (Gruner Brothers) and Severance Pale Ale (Oil City).

Discover the brewing history of the Land of the Goonies!

Astoria has a rich brewing history that dates back to the regional powerhouse of North Pacific Brewing Company. They struggled to commercially produce local beer after Prohibition until the late 1990s with the emergence of Pacific Rim Brewery (aka Astoria Brewing Company and Wet Dog Cafe). Now, Fort George Brewery, Hondo's Brewpub, Buoy Beer Company, and Reach Break Brewing are making the small coastal town a big part of Oregon's hops scene.

Suggested beers when visiting: Lovell Lager (Fort George) and Astoria Wild Ale (Reach Break).

Discover the brewing history of Baseballtown!

The history of brewing in Reading dates back to the days of the Revolution with Bright Brewery keeping patrons happy for decades. In the 1800s, Frederick Lauer and Peter Barbey made the city one of the best beer producers in Pennsylvania, while Reading Brewing Company and Sunshine Brewing Company paved the way after Prohibition. Today, the city boasts four exciting breweries within its borders.

Suggested beers when visiting: Berks English Ale (Chatty Monks), Hawk Mountain Ale (Oakbrook), and Hoptimus Prime (Schaylor).

Discover the history of the Friendly City!

Home to over 20 breweries in the 1880s, Wheeling became a major industrial hub in Appalachia. The most popular, Reymann Brewing Company, began in 1849 and remained in the beer business until the Yost Law in West Virginia in 1914. Today, visitors to the town can enjoy a fresh pint at Wheeling Brewing Company and Brew Keepers, new focal points of the downtown area.

Suggested beers when visiting: Old Reymann's Amber Ale (Wheeling Brewing) and Wild and Wonderful Brown Ale (Brew Keepers).

Discover the brewing history of the Mall City!

The brewing history of Kalamazoo is meticulously detailed from the first brewery in the 1830s through the number of companies that brewed under the Kalamazoo Brewing Company name to the present day resurgence. The Michigan city is most well-known as the home to Bell's Brewery, the oldest craft brewery in the state, but is also headquarters for many other present-day success stories.

Suggested beers when visiting: Best Brown Ale (Bell's Brewery) and Pulled in Nazareth IPA (Wax Wings).

Discover the brewing history of the Lilac City!

The center of Eastern Washington, Spokane was founded in 1873 and named after the local tribe in the area. Breweries came soon after because of the great wealth of usable water in the form of Spokane Brewing Company, Inland Brewing Company, and Schade Brewery. After Prohibition, local beer continued to be created with regional conglomerates - Bohemian Breweries and Sick Brewery Enterprises - coming to town. Today, the city boasts one of the strongest craft beer scenes in all of the Pacific Northwest!

Suggested beers when visiting: Garbage Pale Ale (Iron Goat), Sun Child IPA (Little Spokane), and Santa's Snack Imperial Oreo Stout (For the Love of God).

Discover the brewing history of the Queen of the Silver Camps!

Tonopah, Nevada was founded in 1900 after the discovery of the second-largest silver reservoir in the country. It quickly became a popular spot for those looking to strike it rich and the Weiland Brewery became one of its first permanent businesses. As the silver dried up, the town faded back into obscurity until a recent revitalization of the downtown area. A trip to Nye County would not be complete without a stop for a pint at the Tonopah Brewing Company.

Discover the brewing history of the Duke City!

Albuquerque's history dates back thousands of years to the Pueblo people that inhabited present day New Mexico. When the railroad came to town in the 1880s, local beer was soon to follow. Before Prohibition, Southwestern Brewery first produced the Glorieta beer, a brand that was resurrected and popularized by Rio Grande Brewing Company in the 1930s. Today, over thirty breweries and taprooms can be found in every corner of the city's limits.

Suggested beer when visiting: Wet Mountain IPA (Canteen), Way Out West Wild Sumac (Bow and Arrow), and Acclimated APA (La Cumbre).

Discover the brewing history of the Gate City!

As the largest city in the Piedmont Triad, Greensboro has an impressive brewing scene, but had to fight and claw for centuries to get to that point. Because of certain North Carolina laws that trickled into the 21st century, breweries were always at a disadvantage in the Tar Heel State. From location to distribution to alcohol percentage, everything was controlled. However, as a testament to perseverance and a good brew, the area now has over a dozen proud local breweries.

Suggested beers when visiting: Foederbier Tropisch (Joymongers), Civil Rest (Little Brother), and Guava Catch 'Em All (Oden).

Discover the brewing history of the Free State of Galveston!

Along the Texas Gulf Coast, lies the resort town of Galveston. At the turn of the 20th century, local beer was finally produced in an impressive concrete structure, one that would play a large role in the recovery of the island after the worst natural disaster in the country's history. Today, the Brewmaster's Beerfest provides a small sampling of city's beer scene from Beerfoot Brewery, Galveston Island Brewing Company, and Devil and the Deep Brewing.

Suggested Beers when visiting: Flip Flop Pale Lager (Galveston Island) and 40 Knots Pale Ale (Devil and the Deep).

Discover the brewing history of the Quilt City!

On the cozy river town of Paducah, Kentucky, local beer started flowing at the turn of the 20th century at the Paducah Brewing Company. Prohibition brought passionate temperance rallies and whiskey parades to the streets, but the city ultimately suffered a fierce defeat at the hands of abstinence and did not recover for almost a century. Luckily, hometown beer is again being poured at some historic digs in town, thanks to Dry Ground Brewing Company and Paducah Beer Werks.

Suggested beers when visiting: '37 Flood IPA (Dry Ground) and Behold a Pale Sloth Pale Ale (Beer Werks).