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THE HISTORIC BREWERY

Then...

Walter Family Brewing History

The Walter brothers created a large brewing dynasty, and became the largest group of brewing brothers that ever produced beer in the United States.

 

The Walter brothers, Johannes, George, Martin, Christian and Matthaus, emigrated from their hometown of Bergfelden, Germany and eventually settled in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Their father was a cobbler, family legend purportedly them having expanding on their knowledge of the brewing trade at Miller in Milwaukee before striking out on their own. The Walter brothers founded their Wisconsin brewery in the 1870s. 

 

The company began brewing in Pueblo, CO starting in the late 1800s. One of the Walter brothers, Martin, decided he was going to set out to California and open a brewery of his own. While he was on the train ride to California, he had a stop in Pueblo, Colorado. When seeing how prosperous Pueblo was, he decided to buy Pueblo's largest brewery on the spot, reportedly for only $7000, therefore expanding the family business west word. Brewed with clean Colorado water, the company supplied brews under dozens of labels in more than 20 states and became a Pueblo legend.

 

The historic building where Walter's is brewed today was built in the late 1800s by the Lemp Family of brewers, from St. Louis, and was a lager depot for that company.

 

Martin died before prohibition, reportedly due to heart ailments. Martin Walter's son, Martin II, took over the family business from that point. After prohibition, Martin II joined his Wisconsin cousins from Appleton, WI to buy their namesake uncle's company. The John Walter Brewing Company reopened in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and continued the Walter Family's post-prohibition beer making in the US.

 

The company faced several small recessions during its history. (In 1975, the Pueblo location was closed.) The family continued to brew and distribute Walter's Beer out of  Wisconsin.

Karl Walter ensured that the family's rich brewing history would continue through his work with Walter's Colorado in the current time frame.


 

 

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