News

National Brewery Museum To Be Created

Potosi Brewery Revitalization Nears Reality

by Jennifer Davis

POTOSI, Wis. - The Potosi Brewery Foundation, which was formed in February of 2000, to save the Potosi Brewery, has decided to create a National Brewery Museum as part of the proposed phase one renovations.

This area will have its focus on breweries from around America, including the largest remaining breweries in the country.

Steve Freese, a member of the foundation board, did say that there are no other national brewery museums in the United States, but there are a few in Germany.

Brewery Items To Be Returned

The Potosi Historical Society has a collection of items from the brewery, which will be returned there once the phase one project is complete.

Efforts are also underway to obtain brewing and bottling equipment from the Star Brewery in Dubuque, which during high water brewed Potosi beer to fill orders for the Potosi Brewery.

Besides the National Brewery Museum, the foundation plans to use the first floor of the oldest part of the building (1852), totaling 2,819 square feet, which would be used for a microbrewery.

The space for the microbrewery will be leased out to a small brewer to restore the original aromas, sights and sounds of a functioning brewery.

Freese pointed out that there have already been two board members who have indicated interest in the microbrewery.

The second floor of the building will continue with the National Brewery Museum, as well as the Potosi Brewery, but will also house a gift shop that is 558 square feet, as well as a restaurant and kitchen totaling 1,417 square feet.

The restaurant and kitchen will be leased out and run separately from the microbrewery, or even in conjunction with it. The museum staff will operate the gift shop.

River Architects advised the foundation that they should have a restaurant that seats 200 people. However, the foundation disagrees and plans to look at a restaurant that seats 40 people.

The third floor will continue with the Potosi Brewery and National Brewery Museum displays and the fourth floor will be for storage for the museum.

Freese commented that the fundraising goals have been broken down and they plan to raise $430,000 just by National Brewery Museum interests. These funds would come from individuals and foundations, such as Miller and Budweiser.

"These two companies have museums, but do not have the space for them because of their brewing and bottling process. We would get artifacts from them and house them here in the museum," said Freese. "I think we are looking at getting the support we need from these companies, especially Miller and Budweiser."

The foundation plans on $230,000 coming from Potosi Brewery interest. This would be from former suppliers and distributors, and even descendants of the Schumacher family.

$150,000 in Budget

Gabe Loeffelholz has been able to get the state to put $150,000 for the project in the budget, but at this time it has not passed yet. However, Freese did say it only has to go through the governor now and get his signature.

From this money $30,000 will go to pay for the structure reports and the $120,000, which has to be matched, would be raised from the Potosi communities and other parts of Grant County in a variety of fashions.

Right now, the foundation is asking for original photographs of the building from anyone who may have them so things can be recreated and put back to their original spots.

Freese also said, "We hope that people are no longer using the equipment they bought from the brewery and will donate it back to us for a tax deduction."

Freese actually found the mobile rolling bar and a board member purchased it, and is donating it to the foundation after the restoration work is done.

"We are working on restoring it and hope to, have it done by the Catfish Festival, but we do not know if this is possible;" Freese said. The original wheels have been taken off the bar and a fifth wheel put on, but the canopies are still there.

If anyone has pictures of the original rolling bar. Freese asks to see them since it has been painted and he would like to restore it to its original form.

The group feels that it will take them three years to raise the money needed for phase one.

Currently, they are proposing a business plan to the Jeffris Family Foundation. This foundation gives a $1 million a year to a variety of projects. The way this works is that for every dollar they give an organization, such as the Potosi Brewery Foundation, the organization has to raise three dollars.

The goal is to raise $1.2 million. This means $900,000 through contributions and $300,000 from the Jeffris Family Foundation.

According to Freese, the Potosi Brewery Foundation will fill out an application to the Jeffris Family Foundation in September and be notified of a decision by October.

Brewmasters Ball

"Once the application is given to the Jeffris Family Foundation and the challenge is accepted by them, then it will be time to hold a significant event. 'The concept of a brewmasters ball have been entertained by the board," said Freese. "If we are not successful and the Jeffris Family Foundation does not accept the challenge then this project will still go forward, but we will have to look at other options for funding.

Another idea for fundraising has been to bottle water from the artesian well and natural spring and sell it.

Freese commented that the water has passed for sale and they are currently working with a bottler who is interested in purchasing the water and bottling it at another site.

Freese added that options are being explored to use the resource to benefit the project instead of just letting the 12,000 gallons of water run down the street a day as it has been.

Potosi mayor, Frank Fiorenza said, "This (brewery restorations) is a significant project not just to Potosi, but to southwest Wisconsin. This is a chance to revitalize our economy. If the Mustard Museum in Mt. Horeb can bring in 1,000 visitors a day, there is no reason the brewery could not bring in more."

Freese did point out that they had figured $3 million to complete the entire building, but have found that they can reduce that amount. One way has been in talking to the contractors who have said they would do the work for cost.

Phase One

The foundation is currently working towards beginning phase one to their project, with the main goal being to utilize the building.

They have hired the firm, River Architects of LaCrosse, to do a historic structures report, which is now under way.

Phase one of the project includes, a large area on the first floor, and continuing on the second and third floors, that will recreate the actual Potosi Brewery as it was in approximately 1933. The cavern, which was used for cooling the beer will also be included in the Potosi Brewery recreation. Many artifacts from the brewery are still in the area and will be returned to the foundation.

At one point, salvagers did destroy the 100-barrel copper brew kettle, but the plan is to recreate it in its original location. The mash tub and mill to grind the malt are still on location and will be restored.

"The sky is the limit if enthusiastic supporters' efforts are here," said Freese. "Many may look at the building and say you are absolutely nuts Steve, it should be torn down, but the architects say that the building is sound. While the wood may be gone and it looks bad, the building can be saved."

The brewery was founded in 1852 by Gabriel Hail and was run continuously for 120 years.

In 1886, the business was bought by Adam Schumacher and in 1906, the brewery was incorporated and became Potosi Brewery Company.

In 1933, there were 79 breweries in Wisconsin and when the Potosi Brewery closed their doors in 1972, there were only eight breweries left in the state.'

When the brewery first began business they produced 4,000 barrels of beer a year and at the height of the business, they were producing 75,000 barrels a year.

In December of 1998, Grant County put the brewery up for sale for back taxes. It was going to go to the highest bidder, but this person wanted to destroy the building and use the bricks for their home. Since the building is on the historic register, this could not be done and three men, Dennis David, Gary David and Rick Tobin purchased the building for $6,330. Eventually they added two more to their LLC, Mike Hoge, and Adam Johnson.

In February of 2000, the Potosi Brewery Foundation was formed and the five member LLC handed over the brewery to the foundation free of charge And with no strings attached.

There are 15 members on the foundation board and they come from Grant County, Iowa County and Jo Davies County. Two of the board members are descendants of the Schumachers, Karla Kaiser and Sandy Turner.

"I do want to say that there is worry out there that the five members of the LLC who gave the building to the foundation will gain from this project. This is untrue. They just have an interest in saving the building, as do many other people. They gave of the building free and clear, no strings attached and they will gain nothing from this project," said Freese.

He added, "The buildings are silent and vacant now, but the memories are what make us work hard. We want to restore those memories into a living building again. We long for the smell of the hops as they were added to the brew in the shiny copper kettle and the rattle of bottles and cans as they move down the production line. With everyone's help, our hope is to portray an industry, which grew from a humble beginning to become a dominant force in the business community of southwestern Wisconsin.

©2001 The Platteville Journal