Beer Town, USA

​Beer  Town,  USA
     Many cities and towns think of themselves as epicenters of beer and beer culture. Most of these are well known and for obvious reason. It may be one major brewery in town (Milwaukee, St. Louis),  or having a major brewery and a thriving craft scene (Denver),  craft bars and breweries seemingly on every corner (Grand Rapids, Portland, Ashville). For right now though, let’s focus on somewhere a little closer to home. Let’s center in on Potosi, Wisconsin, a small town of 700 just a stone’s throw from Dubuque.
     Potosi and brewing go all the way back to 1852 and it being founded on the Great River Road.  Producing clean and refreshing beers that they aged in their beer caves, their beer became regionally well known.  In fact, prior to prohibition, Potosi actually owned and operated a steamboat so they could take their product across the Mississippi into Iowa.  This is where the name of their Steamboat Shandy comes from.
However, despite operating through and after prohibition, things began to slow down and Potosi Brewing finally shut its doors in 1972. The abandoned brewery became a place where children would sneak into and play. It loomed over the town like a ghost of from the past, a hint of what was but was gradually decaying before their eyes.
     Thirty six years later, in 2008, Potosi reopened its doors.  A brewpub was restored on the original grounds and the place feels both fully modern while still being imbibed with a sense of history and the past. It features modern pubfare cooked to perfection served alongside fresh made on site beer in a beer hall that is simply beautiful. It was no mere brewpub though, it was so much more.
     Potosi Brewing is home to the National Brewery  Museum. You can walk through the museum and see all the advertising and logos that have taking place in the history of the United States. Nearly constantly rotating exhibits mean every visit to the museum in unique.  The museum is equal parts science, technology, art, pop culture, and Americana.  Potosi Brewing is actually set up a a charitable foundations, proceeds and profits going to helping run the museum, to local scholarships, and to needs within the community.
Only one thing was missing. A world class bottling and canning facility. Just this past year, a 5 million dollar brewhouse went up and they were now bottling and canning their own beer. The beer in the market was now going to taste just as great as it did at the brewpub.
     That brings us to now. We at United Beverage are proud to have Potosi Brewing as one of our suppliers.  We stock their Good Old Potosi Golden Ale, Cave Ale, Snake Hollow IPA along with seasonal like Steamboat Shandy, Wee Stein Wit, and Tangerine IPA. We are proud of all that they have done for their community and the pride they take in their beer. We too are proud of our community and are happy to offer you another great brewery from what you might just think of as Beer Town, USA.