Kurth's Beer Tee

Continuing with Wisconsin’s famous past time, we pour another cold one and venture into the city of Columbus where German immigrant Henry John Kurth founded Kurth Brewery in 1859, adding another chapter to the Badger State's long love affair with a well-crafted pint.

After decades of incremental growth, the company was humming along at full steam into the heyday of the business around 1914, producing 100 barrels of beer every day, making it the largest brewery in the country. The Kurth Brewery produced several brews: the light colored "Banner" beer ("creamy, dreamy"?) the dark "Luxembourg" brand, the heavier Bock" beer and the special "Christmas" Brew. A separate lager was produced for draught beer and at least one other brand, "Columbia".

Like other breweries across the country, Kurth's taps ran dry during Prohibition. The company survived by brewing "near beer" and soft drinks until the repeal of the 18th Amendment in 1933, when it returned to making the real thing as The Kurth Co. Unfortunately, the post-war rise of heavily advertised national beer brands made life difficult for independent hometown breweries. After nearly 90 years in business, the Kurth family brewed its final barrel in 1949.

Today, while much of the original brewery complex has disappeared, the beautiful limestone brewery office and beer cellar still stand at the corner of Park Avenue and Farnham Street. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, they're a lasting reminder of a time when nearly every Wisconsin town had its own brewery and every brewery had a loyal crowd ready to raise a glass. Cheers to that!