Wisconsin Breweries History: The Peoples Brewing Company
The Peoples Brewing Company was the first instance of African
American ownership of a major Wisconsin Brewery. The plant was started in
1911 by Henry J. Durler, and located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin at 1506-1512
South Main Street. The brewery was sold to a group of African American
investors in 1970. The Brewing Company president was Theodore Mack.
While the plant was in operation, Peoples Brewing Company produced
Wurtzer Beer, Old Derby Ale, Peoples Beer, Chief Oshkosh, Rahr's, Badger,
and Liebrau, and in 1971 purchased the labels of the Oshkosh Brewing Company.
It also made improvements on the existing company by installing a new tapping
system, palletized inventory, and canned its beer in pop top cans.
Despite these changes and growth, by November 1972 Theodore Mack
ceased production. Discrimination and poor sales in Milwaukee, a $35,000 tax
lien placed on the company by the Internal Revenue Service, and a suit that
Mack brought against the Small Business Administration and the Defense
Department seeking 100 million dollars in defense contracts contributed to
this decision. The equipment was subsequently sold by the Small Business
Administration to relieve the debt that was left by the closure. The sale
provided only a fraction of the market value of the equipment and an
investigation of the Small Business Administration and the Office of Minority
Business Enterprises resulted.
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