Sunday, October 12, 2014

All That's Left of Budweiser in Manitowoc

Photo by Retiring Guy

The bad news

Manitowoc malt plant to close.  (Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter, 2/25/2011)
The plant features 176 concrete silos beyond the vinyl banner that declare Budweiser "King of Beers" that greets drivers and pedestrians at the east end of Washington Street. 
The plant processes barley, arriving by train or ship, into malt, which determines a beer's flavor and coloring, and with modifications, the speed at which beer may be brewed at different breweries at other locations. 
On the site near the lakefront, Malt House 1 and 2 were the original buildings built by the Rahr family who erected the malting plant and brewery in 1847.  They stopped making beer when Prohibition began in 1920.

The good news

Briess buys downtown Manitowoc landmark plant.  (Appleton Post-Crescent, 8/12/2014)
Cost of purchase:  $6.2 million for 40 buildings on 23 acres. 
Briess Malt & Ingredients, based in Chilton WI, is the leading supplier of specialty malts to the brewing industry.

The Budweiser sign will not be removed.

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