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HomeWineThe Birthplaces of America's Iconic Regional Lagers

The Birthplaces of America’s Iconic Regional Lagers [Map]


Some beers are emblematic of American tradition as a complete, whereas others are regional gems that drinkers of their respective pockets of the nation can get pleasure from with satisfaction. Certain, anybody can pattern their slice of American pie by cracking an ice chilly Miller Excessive Life at a yard barbecue, however posting up on a seaside in Rhode Island with a tallboy of Narragansett Lager simply hits a bit of more durable.

Whereas the flavour variations between regional lagers are hardly ever night time and day, these beers distinguish themselves by way of longevity, advertising and marketing, nostalgia, and being tied to a sure place. These days, most cities within the nation have an area brewery, however earlier than the craft beer growth, regional lagers had been one of many solely methods American drinkers may really “drink native.”

Sadly, these beers are largely a dying breed. Solely a fraction of historic regional lagers survived Prohibition, and within the late 1900s, many obtained swallowed up by bigger conglomerates solely to be axed inside a couple of years. Lots of people who did stay to see the twenty first century ultimately bit the mud. The Pacific Northwest’s Olympia Beer was discontinued in 2021. The Deep South’s Dixie Beer is now referred to as Faubourg Beer. And California’s Fortunate Lager has formally migrated to Canada, save for a handful of sporadic revival runs within the Golden State.


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However a couple of beloved regional lagers have held out, stood the check of time, and proceed to be loved to this present day, though most are now not brewed at their authentic services or, for that matter, of their authentic areas. Some went dormant for many years and had been later revived. And a fortunate few have been brewed and distributed by the identical firm from the get-go. Whatever the case, the next infographic and record showcase the nation’s regional lagers which can be nonetheless accessible right this moment and embody town through which every one was born.

Check out our infographic showcasing the nation's regional lagers that are still available today and the city in which each was born.

Mid-Atlantic

Iron Metropolis Beer

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Iron Metropolis Beer has been the flagship lager of Pittsburgh’s Iron Metropolis Brewing (now Pittsburgh Brewing Firm) because it opened its doorways in 1861. For many years, the beer was the refreshment of alternative for locals and laborers throughout the nation’s Rust Belt, however the good occasions ultimately got here to a halt. Within the ‘80s, the brewery bumped into some monetary points and adjusted possession a number of occasions earlier than ultimately submitting for chapter in 2005. Fortunately, the Unified Development Companions bought the model and introduced it again to life in 2007. Now, Iron Metropolis Beer manufacturing is up and working on the Pittsburgh Brewing Firm’s facility in Creighton, Pa., and enjoys distribution all through Pittsburgh and its surrounding areas.

Nationwide Bohemian

Baltimore, Maryland

Identified colloquially as “Natty Boh,” Nationwide Bohemian is a beer inextricably tied to its house city of Baltimore and the Chesapeake Bay. It was born in 1885 on the metropolis’s now-defunct Nationwide Brewing Firm, and is maybe greatest recognized for its one-eyed, mustachioed mascot Mr. Boh. Despite the fact that the beer hasn’t been brewed in its house state for the reason that ‘90s — it’s at the moment owned by Pabst and contract brewed at Molson Coors services in Georgia and Ohio — it nonetheless maintains a robust presence in Baltimore with practically 90 % of gross sales occurring inside Maryland’s borders.

Yuengling Conventional Lager

Pottsville, Pennsylvania

D.G. Yuengling & Son isn’t simply the oldest working brewery within the nation, having been established in 1829, however it’s additionally one of many few legacy lager manufacturers to stay underneath household possession since its inception. The corporate at the moment owns a number of brewing services in Pennsylvania and Florida, and distributes its beers in 28 states. Though Yuengling produces a number of brews, none are as ubiquitous as its flagship amber lager.

Midwest

Grain Belt

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Named after the nation’s Grain Belt — a swath of land throughout the Midwestern U.S. the place the majority of the nation’s corn, barley, and grain is grown — this beer started its life as Golden Grain Belt Previous Lager in 1893. By 1947, the beer was changed by Grain Belt Premium, which continues to be in manufacturing to this present day. Although initially produced by Minneapolis Brewing Firm, the Grain Belt model shifted possession via a collection of possession adjustments, ultimately falling within the arms of Minnesota’s August Schell Brewing Firm.

Hamm’s

St. Paul, Minnesota

German immigrant Theodore Hamm took the helm of what would turn out to be his namesake brewery in St. Paul, Minn., in 1865 following the premature dying of his enterprise associate Andrew F. Keller, and recruited Jacob Schmidt (of Schmidt lager beer fame) as Hamm’s brewmaster. After having fun with regular progress within the Midwestern marketplace for roughly 90 years, Hamm’s acquired extra brewing services in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Baltimore, and Houston within the ‘50s and early ‘60s in an try and turn out to be a nationally distributed model. Sadly, the model by no means achieved its distribution dream, and the Hamm household offered the brewery in 1965. Nowadays, the beer “from the land of sky blue waters” is part of the Molson Coors portfolio, and may be present in choose markets all through the U.S.

Previous Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Endorsed by actor Will Ferrell — free of charge, no much less — Previous Milwaukee is a humble, beloved Midwestern lager first launched by the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Firm in 1934 as an inexpensive, budget-friendly different to the opposite brews in its portfolio. Via simple, Americana advertising and marketing, Previous Milwaukee developed a loyal following over the many years, and apparently it doesn’t style all that dangerous, both. The flagship Previous Milwaukee lager has introduced house a formidable 5 gold medals within the American-Fashion Lager class at Denver’s Nice American Beer Pageant. As is the case with many legacy lager manufacturers, Previous Milwaukee is now owned by Pabst, and sees restricted distribution in practically all 50 states.

Previous Fashion

La Crosse, Wisconsin

Like Previous Milwaukee, Previous Fashion obtained its begin in Wisconsin. On the flip of the twentieth century, G. Heileman Brewing Firm unleashed Previous Occasions Lager, however after getting hit with a lawsuit by one other brewery with a equally named beer, the corporate renamed its beer as Previous Fashion Lager. As a result of a collection of occasions, together with a decades-long sponsorship of the Chicago Cubs, the beer ultimately turned extra well-known within the Windy Metropolis than it ever did in its hometown. Though the G. Heileman Brewing Firm isn’t any extra, Previous Fashion continues to be produced by Pabst in Wisconsin, albeit utilizing a barely completely different recipe.

Schlitz

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Schlitz, a.ok.a. “the beer that made Milwaukee well-known,” was as soon as the best-selling beer within the nation, however many think about it to be a regional beer contemplating its longstanding Midwestern satisfaction and present state of distribution. Between the late 1800s and mid-1900s, the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Firm skilled meteoric progress, however ultimately misplaced steam because of cost-cutting formulation adjustments and a collection of cringe-worthy commercials. The model ultimately obtained purchased out by Detroit’s Stroh Brewing Firm, which was then acquired by Pabst in 1999. It’s now accessible in choose markets everywhere in the nation, however predominantly within the Midwest and Southwest.

Schmidt

St. Paul, Minnesota

“The Brew that Grew With the Nice Northwest” could now not be rising, however it ain’t lifeless but. From the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Schmidt is a beer and the brainchild of late brewer Jacob Schmidt. After leaving his place because the brewmaster at Hamm’s, he bought the close by St. Paul Brewing Firm in 1900 and renamed it the Jacob Schmidt Brewing Firm. Schmidt produced his namesake beer, lagering batches in a collection of caves beneath the brewery till he died in 1910. Nonetheless, the model continued to develop till the mid-’50s when it obtained wrapped up in a collection of buyouts, mergers, and shady company affairs that in the end led to the demise of the Jacob Schmidt Brewing Firm in 1990. Fortunately, Pabst now owns the rights to Schmidt, and continues to brew it right this moment, though now not on the authentic St. Paul location.

Stroh’s

Detroit

Bernard Stroh realized how you can brew in Germany earlier than shifting to the U.S. in the course of the German Revolution in 1849. A 12 months later, he established Detroit’s Stroh Brewing Firm. He started brewing Bohemian-style pilsner beer, and the brewery grew steadily till Prohibition, when it coasted by making close to beer, tender drinks, and even ice cream, as did many different breweries to remain afloat in the course of the dry spell. Because the brewery continued to broaden post-Prohibition, it went on an acquisition spree, ultimately working into monetary troubles after taking up the struggling Schlitz model. Pabst got here in and bought the Stroh empire in 1999, and now produces Stroh’s beer in Milwaukee and distributes it in choose markets across the nation.

Northeast

Genesee Beer

Rochester, NY

Though arguably extra famend for its cream ale, Genesee Cream (or “Genny Cream,” as devotees name it), the Genesee Brewing Firm started its journey with the discharge of its flagship lager Genesee Beer. Since its inception, the model has all the time saved its advertising and marketing low-key, choosing clear, minimalist packaging on all of its year-round choices — a call that’s allowed the model to take care of an air of nostalgia via the years. Despite the fact that it’s now owned by the FIFCO USA brewing conglomerate, the unique brewery overlooking Rochester’s Genesee River continues to be in operation, brewing up Genesee Beer for distribution in most states.

Narragansett Lager

Cranston, Rhode Island

Launched in 1890, Narragansett Lager is a no-frills, 5 % ABV beer first brewed alongside the salty seashores of Cranston, R.I. It’s been featured in Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws,” promoted by the Boston Purple Sox, and has basically turn out to be a staple in New England tradition. Though model possession modified arms a number of occasions all through its historical past, it’s now privately owned by former Nantucket Nectars president Mark Hellendrung, primarily based in Windfall, R.I., and enjoys distribution in 27 states.

Schaefer Beer

NYC

It’s onerous to think about a large-scale brewery working in Manhattan today, however that’s precisely the place German brothers Frederick and Maximilian Schaefer established the F. & M. Schaefer Brewing Firm again in 1842. Finally, the brewery relocated to Brooklyn, and after going public in 1968, the Schaefers arrange one other brewing facility in Pennsylvania to maintain up with demand. Like many regional lager breweries, the Schaefer Brewing Firm was one of many manufacturers that obtained bought within the Stroh’s-Pabst acquisition pipeline of the early ‘80s and late ‘90s. At this time, Pabst nonetheless owns all of the rights to the Schaefer title and sells the lager in choose markets.

Utica Membership

Utica, NY

Utica, N.Y.’s Matt Brewing Firm is greatest recognized right this moment for its Saranac line of brews, however earlier than Saranac, there was Utica Membership. Oddly sufficient, Utica Membership was initially a tender drink that the brewery produced throughout Prohibition, however the firm used the title for its flagship lager it started brewing when the American dry spell got here to an finish. In reality, it was the primary beer legally offered after Prohibition. Since then, Utica Membership has remained a cult favourite in upstate New York, and we are able to’t assist however give a nod to its mascots, Schultz and Dooley, for supporting it alongside the best way.

Pacific Northwest and the West Coast

Acme Beer

San Francisco, California

After an earthquake and subsequent hearth destroyed a lot of San Francisco’s breweries in 1906, Leopold Schmidt, proprietor of Washington’s Olympia Brewing Firm, noticed a spike in demand for Olympia Beer, however the brewery struggled to maintain up. So, he took the chance to ascertain a brand new manufacturing facility within the coronary heart of SF. Allegedly, the brewmasters on the new Acme Brewing Co. couldn’t recreate Olympia Beer’s profile because of the distinction in water high quality between Washington and San Francisco, main the brewers to create a brand new lager altogether. Though the brewery prospered all through the early twentieth century — apart from Prohibition — it in the end made a couple of cost-cutting ingredient adjustments to Acme Beer throughout WWII that earned it a nasty repute. Even after enlisting a brand new brewmaster, reformulating the beer’s recipe, and revamping its advertising and marketing, Acme’s brewing services had been offered to the Liebmann Breweries of New York in 1954. The lager itself caught round for a couple of extra many years with some intervals of inactivity, hopping from contract brewery to contract brewery, earlier than being discontinued in 1989. Nevertheless, Fort Bragg, Calif.’s North Coast Brewing Firm purchased the rights to Acme Beer in 1995 and nonetheless produces it to this present day. Sadly, the identical can’t be mentioned for its predecessor, Olympia Beer, which was discontinued in 2021.

Rainier

Seattle, Washington

Named after the tallest mountain within the state of Washington, Rainier was the flagship lager of the Seattle Brewing & Malting Firm, based by Wisconsin-born brewer Andrew Hemrich within the late nineteenth century. Over time, the beer turned so in style that many drinkers within the Pacific Northwest subscribed to the parable that Mount Rainier was really named after the beer, and never the opposite manner round. After the repeal of Prohibition, two Canadian brewers, Fritz and Emil Sick, bought the model and continued to drive its success for many years. As was the case for a lot of regional lagers, the late ‘70s proved to be a tricky time for Rainier as bigger breweries started slicing in on its market share. The model was scooped up by the G. Heileman Brewing Firm in 1977, and ultimately acquired by Pabst. It’s at the moment brewed at a facility in Irwindale, Calif.

South Central

Lone Star

San Antonio, Texas

“The Nationwide Beer of Texas” obtained its begin in 1883 when businessmen John Henry Kampmann and Edward Hope established the Lone Star Brewery in San Antonio. Within the early 1900s, the brewery went via a growth interval, throughout which Adolphus Busch (of the Anheuser-Busch empire) served as its president. From the start, the beer’s advertising and marketing has been all about selling Texas tradition. It’s been endorsed by nation music legend Willie Nelson, its mascot is a huge armadillo, and it may be discovered at practically each bar and barbecue joint within the Lone Star state to this present day. The model ultimately fell into the arms of — you guessed it — Pabst, and though it’s nonetheless brewed in Texas (at an AB-InBev facility in Houston, particularly) the unique Lone Star Brewery closed down in 1996. The beer is at the moment distributed in choose markets across the nation.

Pearl Beer

San Antonio, Texas

A longtime native rival of Lone Star, Pearl Beer was the flagship lager of the Metropolis Brewery in downtown San Antonio. The beer itself was first concocted in Germany on the Kaiser-Beck Brewery (the creator of Beck’s), and named “Pearl” as a result of the brewmaster thought that the beer’s foam resembled a cluster of glowing pearls. Between its founding in 1883 and the Nineteen Fifties, the brewery ascended to turn out to be the biggest in Texas, and even started distributing Pearl Beer nationally. The model obtained swallowed up in a collection of acquisitions and mergers within the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, resulting in the brewery’s closure in 2001. Nowadays, the model is owned by Pabst, and followers can discover the beer adorned with its authentic “xXx” emblem in Texas and some close by states.

Shiner Bock

Shiner, Texas

On the flip of the twentieth century, a motley crew of people from the small city of Shiner, Texas, banded collectively to construct a brewery referred to as the Shiner Brewing Affiliation. In 1914, Bavarian brewer Kosmos Spoetzl entered the image, acquired the keys to the brewery inside a 12 months, and renamed it because the Spoetzl Brewery, however saved the Shiner title for its brews. 4 years later, he brewed the primary batch of Shiner Bock as a seasonal spring beer, and by 1973, the darkish lager turned each a year-round providing and the model’s flagship brew. Shiner, which is now part of the family-owned Gambrinus Firm portfolio, produces a wide range of beers today, however Shiner Bock accounts for the overwhelming majority of its gross sales. And although the beer is stocked in shops nationwide, the Spoetzl brewery nonetheless makes each drop of it.

*Picture retrieved from @ironcitybeer by way of Instagram



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