Milwaukee County Wisconsin Genealogy

Milwaukee Breweries

Menomonee Valley Brewery

Source: History of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, The Western Historical Company, Chicago; A.T. Andreas Proprietor, 1881, pg. 1463

This brewery is in the Town of Wauwatosa, just west of the city limits. The original brewery was built here in 1848, by Chas. Best and one or two others, and designated the "Plank-Road Brewery." the builders carried on business for a few years and failed, after which the property lay idle for a year, and was then purchased by Fred Miller, in 1855, for about $8,000. At that time the brewery had a capacity of 1,200 barrels of beer per annum. Since that time the business has gradually increased, until in 1880, when 30,000 barrels were sold. In 1870, Mr. Miller built the brewery now standing. Mr. Miller has an ice house in Chicago, one in Waukesha, and two in Milwaukee; he has in all seven ice houses, three of which are used for storing beer. The brewery has a good location for cellars, which are made in the hill or bluff at the side of which the brewery is located. Mr. Miller has a storage capacity for 12,000 barrels, and consumes annually 6,000 tons of ice. He employs thirty men and has $200,000 invested in the business. In 1878, the name of the brewery was changed to the Menomonee Valley Brewery.

HENRY ENGLEHARDT, foreman of Miller's Brewery, was born in this city in 1846, being educated here. He worked one year for the Valentine Blatz Brewery, when he went to Cincinnati, where he was employed in the brewery for a number of years. He then returned to this city and engaged with Mr. Miller and has been foreman for him four years. He was married in 1876, to Miss Elizabeth Grope, of Cincinnati. They have three girls. He is a member of the A.O.U.W., and of the Beer Brewer' Society.

CHARLES C. HENNING bottler of f. Millers' Celebrated Export Lager Beer, No. 64 Oneida street, in the Opera House Block; busienss established November 15, 1879. Mr. Henning came to Milwaukee in 1877, and learned his trade with Voechting, Shape & Co. He supplies the local trade of this city.