What Years Did the Fauerbach Brewery Operate in Madison, Wisconsin?
Updated
The Fauerbach Brewing Company served Madison, Wisconsin from 1848 to 1966 — a span of 120 years that included the Prohibition era. That date range is the direct answer to the operating-years question, and it comes from the brewery's own historical site, which presents the company's timeline alongside a published history of the business.
The Operating Timeline at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| City | Madison, Wisconsin |
| Start year | 1848 |
| End year | 1966 |
| Total span | 120 years |
| Notable period covered | Prohibition era |
The 1848 start date places the brewery's founding in the same year Wisconsin became a state, which helps explain why the site frames the company as a piece of Wisconsin history rather than just a local business story.
Why the 120-Year Span Matters
A 120-year run is unusual for a brewery, and the site treats that longevity as the core of its story. Two things follow from it:
- Continuity across eras. The brewery operated through major shifts in American brewing, including Prohibition, and the published history explicitly covers that period.
- A long visual record. The site notes that its book draws on more than 250 historical images from the Fauerbach family and the Wisconsin Historical Society, which is the kind of archive that accumulates only over a long operating history.
Where the History Is Documented
The historical site itself is the primary resource. It offers two main ways to explore the record:
The Book
The site describes an award-winning, 160-page book with over 250 historical images sourced from the Fauerbach family and the Wisconsin Historical Society. According to the site, it covers the brewery's 120-year history, including Prohibition, and is aimed at Wisconsin history enthusiasts and beer fans. A "Shop Now" link is provided on the page for purchasing.
The Historic Images Gallery
For those more interested in visuals than narrative, the site hosts a gallery of historic imagery, including beer labels. A "Visit Gallery" button on the page leads to it.
Practical Notes for Researchers and Curious Visitors
- If you need the basic fact — the operating years — the 1848–1966 range is stated plainly on the site's welcome section and needs no further digging.
- If you want context or images, the book and gallery are the two documented channels; the site does not present other archives or databases directly.
- If you're checking sources, the site credits the Wisconsin Historical Society as a source for the book's images, which gives you a verifiable institution to follow up with.
The site does not state current prices, shipping details, or access conditions for the book or gallery beyond the links themselves, so check those pages directly before relying on any assumption about cost or availability.