Historical Archive Photo of Original Brewery courtesy of
© 2001 Jeff Platt & Museum of Beer & Brewing

Historical Archive Photo of Original Brewery courtesy of
© 2001 Jeff Platt & Museum of Beer & Brewing

Historical Archive Photo of Original Brewery courtesy of
© 2001 Jeff Platt & Museum of Beer & Brewing

Legendary Lithia Beer®...
History In The Brewing

Submitted by Tony Geiger

The West Bend Brewing Company was founded in 1848 by Baltasar Goetter from Hesse, Darmstadt Germany. The original site of the brewery was just to the southeast of the Pick House. Only part of the aging cave in the hill can still be seen.

Soon after starting the brewery Goetter became ill and his two brothers-in-law, Stephan and Carl F. Mayer, took over operations. Located across the street was the Eagle brewery, ran by Adam Kuehlthau. In 1871 the two breweries merged and the operation of the brewery was moved to its most current site.
When the Mayer brothers died, control of the brewery was passed on to Stephen F. Mayer, Carl’s son and Mrs. Emma Pick, Stephan’s sister. In 1911 Martin F. and Charles W. Walter from Appleton became partners in the brewery.

On April 7, 1919 Carl Pick (Andrew Pick’s son), Martin F. and Charles W. Walter and Ed Theilman founded the West Bend Lithia Company. Martin F. Walter was the company president.

Sadly, a year later the brewery closed its doors due to the prohibition. In 1928 the brewery was reopened to produce a low alcohol content beer. When prohibition ended on April 7, 1933 The West Bend Lithia Brewing Company reopened its doors.

Charles W. Walter Sr. died in 1958 and was superseded by his son Charles Jr. who ran the brewery until it was dissolved in 1972. The operation was moved to the John Walter Brewing Company in Eau Claire. For a time beer produced there was sent back to be sold in the West Bend area.

July-August 2003 edition of American Breweriana
West Bend - Lithium Was In The Water

Dec. 25, 2007 OnMilwaukee.com
In 1940, postcards were sent to neighbors around West Bend announcing, "On Wednesday, December 11, 1940...

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