A. Gettelman Brewing Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Brewing |
| Founded | 1856 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States |
| Founder | George Schweickhart |
| Defunct | 1961 |
| Fate | Acquired by Miller Brewing Company |
| Headquarters | Milwaukee , United States |
| Products | Beer (including Milwaukee's Best) |
The A. Gettelman Brewing Company operated as a brewery based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from 1856 until its acquisition by the Miller Brewing Company in 1961. Among Milwaukee's prominent "Big Five" breweries—which included Schlitz, Pabst, Miller, and Blatz—Gettelman was the smallest. Currently, Miller continues to produce one of Gettelman's original labels, Milwaukee's Best.
In 2017, Milwaukee’s Historic Preservation Commission granted historic status to the former Gettelman Brewery site. The following year, MillerCoors demolished most of the brewery structures dating back to the 1850s but retained an office and laboratory building constructed in 1856. The company incorporates an illustration of this historic facility on the packaging of its Icehouse beer.
History
The brewery was established in 1856 by George Schweickhart under the name George Schweickhart's Menomonee Brewery. Adam Gettelman joined as a partner in 1871 and assumed full ownership by 1876, subsequently renaming it A. Gettelman Brewing Company. After a fire destroyed parts of the plant in 1877, the brewery was reconstructed. In 1891, it introduced the "$1,000 Beer" challenge, which pledged beer purity using only barley, hops, and malt. The Milwaukee's Best label first appeared in 1895. During Prohibition, Gettelman produced "near beer" products. In 1946, drawing inspiration from German folklore, the company launched an eight-ounce bottle called "Fritzie." It took part in the 1953 Milwaukee brewery strike and became the first American brewer to distribute an international brand through a partnership with Tucher Brewery of Nuremberg, Germany in 1959. Prior to its acquisition by Miller in 1961, Gettelman did not engage in national marketing campaigns.
Brands
- $1,000 Natural Process
- Five O'Clock Club Beer
- Milwaukee's Best
- Rathskeller Brew
- Stein Brew