For the past nine years, the revived version of the beloved Walter’s Beer has been brewed in the Chippewa Valley by Northwoods Brewpub. The original Walter’s had its roots with the Dells Brewery, presumably named after the nearby Dells Pond, which was built in the 1870s at the intersection of Hobart and Elm streets on what was then Eau Claire’s north side. First operated by Henry Sommermeyer, it was taken over by Henry Huebner in the 1880s. John Walter bought the brewery in 1889 and referred to it as the City Brewery. Part of the brewery burned down in 1909, but Walter rebuilt nearby at 318 Elm St. In 1913, a bottle house – the only part of the brewery that’s still standing – was built. According to local historian Lois Barland, the bottle house was one of the first in the industry to use tile brick inside for sanitation purposes. ” In addition, she wrote, “The brewery was also one of the first in the United States to use steel, all-glass-lined tanks such as are now used exclusively in the trade. John Walter died in 1932, the year before Prohibition was repealed, and three nephews – Martin, Edgar, and Charles – bought the brewery. Just weeks after Prohibition ended in 1933, the new Walter Brewing Co. Produced its first batch of beer. By 1949, the brewery had more than 50 employees and produced 75,000 barrels annually. At the time, the brewery’s brands included Family Beer, Walter’s Pilsener, Little Wally, and (naturally) Walter’s. Employees, early 20th century. While its brews were originally only distributed regionally, over time Walter’s expanded its reach into northeastern Wisconsin, eastern Minnesota, and northern Illinois, including a push into the Chicago area in the late 1970s. Walter’s became a favorite of legendary Chicago newspaper columnist Mike Royko, who once named it the country’s second-best beer. However, by the 1980s sales began to slump – blame competition from big national brands – and the Walter family decided to sell the brewery. In 1985, Michael Healy of Chicago bought Walter’s and renamed it the Hibernia Brewing Co. According to Jerry Apps’ book Breweries of Wisconsin, Hibernia’s “flagship” brew was Eau Claire All Malt Lager, which was made from Walter’s original pre-Prohibition recipe. The new operation had some successes – including the opening of a beer garden and a first-place award for Dunkel Weizen at the Great American Beer Festival – but Hibernia may have been ahead of its time as a craft brewer. Not a good first impression! Hibernia went bankrupt the following year, and the brewery never produced another barrel. The main building was demolished in the early 2000s. In 2009, however, Walter’s experienced a rebirth when Northwoods Brewpub of Eau Claire began bottling its version of the classic lager. The “new” Walter’s was brewed with a recipe that approximated the original many taste-testers were used, including members of the Walter. 12 Inches 8 sided octagon in. Check Out My Other Items!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This item is in the category “Collectibles\Breweriana, Beer\Tap Handles, Knobs\Other Beer Tap Handles, Knobs”. The seller is “scoter13″ and is located in this country: US. This item can be shipped to United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, France, Hong Kong, Bahamas, Mexico, New Zealand, Bermuda.
- Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
- Theme: Breweriana, Beer
- Object Type: Tap Handle, Knob
- Brand: WALTERS