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On April 14 Pabst Brewing will be opening their brand new Milwaukee-based designer brewery and all we can say is Halleluiah!
As spectacular a setting as one can imagine, Pabst soon-to-open urban facility is set in a gothic 18th century church that’s been smartly envisioned to become the city’s newest beer tourism destination.
Established by Jacob Best way back in 1848, what would eventually become the Pabst Brewing Company in 1889 was once the second largest brewery in the nation – and they’ve continued to build on that rich legacy today.
Even in a time of craft beer dominance, Pabst has found ways to keep its brewer’s cred (late night PBR anyone?), and the brand reemerged as the slacker and brewer’s favorite over the last decade.
Just last year the Pabst Brewing Company won 2016 Large Brewery of the Year at the craft-centric Great American Beer Festival in Denver a HUGE endorsement for any brewery let alone one that’s been in business for well over a century.
Currently headquartered in Los Angeles, and now home to over two dozen additional brands, Pabst is orchestrating an addition to the city where it all started and celebrating their rich history in a new and almighty location.
According to OnMilwaukee, the Victorian Gothic structure was originally home to the First German Methodist Church who vacated and sold the church structure to the Pabst organization way back in the 1890’s.
It’s been many things since then, a tavern, a restaurant, a supper club…but over the years it became a shadow of its once proud self.
Then Pabst reportedly secured the services of architects Engberg Anderson and they’ve designed a stunning new designer brewery that will also house an artisan restaurant and beer garden that preserves much of the church’s original integrity while infusing it with it a bright, contemporary feel.
Pabst’s new beer church is a smart and artful move by the brewery and we can’t help but be impressed.
It’s craftier in its instincts than most Big Beer tourism plays and we look forward to checking it out on our next Midwest tour.
For more great pictures check out the photo gallery at Urban Milwaukee and at OnMilwaukee. We leaned heavily on both of these fine sites for this article and can’t thamk them enough !
