Wind your way down the Great River Road to the Potosi Brewery and experience the welcoming experience that awaits. I’ll be your tour guide. The Potosi Brewery is home to The National Brewery Museum and the Potosi Brewing Transportation Museum. Both museums are located in the original brewery that first opened in 1852 and has been restored, however, still holds its original charm. Before or after learning about all things beer past and present, be sure to fill your belly in the brewpub, also in the original brewery.
The Great River Road is over 3,000 miles long and follows the Mississippi River. Growing up in the Village of Potosi, I have traveled many parts of this road and can attest to its beauty in all seasons, but would recommend the fall months when the leaves are changing as a first choice when planning your trip. The Potosi Brewery’s location on the river road helped it to be chosen as the location for The National Brewery Museum. Another good time to visit would be during the Potosi Brewfest, held annually across the street at the Holiday Gardens Event Center.
When entering the brewery on the first floor to your right, you will see the Potosi Brewing Transportation Museum that is free for every guest to explore. It takes you back to the days of horse and buggy. Fun fact, the Potosi Brewery had its own steamboat that helped to expand distribution in ways others could not. There really is a lot of interesting history to be learned in this part of the brewery, with many interactive displays throughout. If you pass the transportation museum, you will be in the gift shop where you can find souvenirs of all sorts, as well as beer, root beer and local goods to take home and enjoy. This is also where you can get tickets to take a tour of The National Brewery Museum. After visiting the gift shop, be sure to peek back into the cave, which remains the perfect temperature year round to store beer and is now used for barrel aging and sour beers.
The National Brewery Museum houses many types of memorabilia and has interactive displays that educate listeners on the history of beer. It is brought to you by the Potosi Foundation, the non-profit that restored and reopened the brewery, and the American Breweriana Association, a non-profit working to preserve the history of beer. The many display cases in the museum hold various beer memorabilia including steins, glasses, posters, signs and so much more. The items in the museum are constantly rotating so you could go multiple times and see something new each visit. If you are lucky, they may be doing a production facility tour as well where you can go see where they brew the beer now! Dates and hours for the guided tour vary, so be sure to call ahead.
Visit the brewpub to grab a beer and a bite before or after your tour. The brewpub has a great menu and the burgers are made with meat from a local butcher shop, about 11 miles away. They have options for you and whoever you decide to bring along on your trip. As you enter the brew pub, be sure to look down at the floor. It features a looking glass to see the fresh stream running below. The entire room is full of beer signs, old and new, which add to the experience. You can take a seat at a table or settle in at the bar, which was handcrafted by a local named Gary David. Across from the brewery is what used to be the Bottling House where the beer was piped over and packaged years ago. This now houses a winery and Gary and Tyler David’s woodworking. Be sure to go take a look later. While at the bar, grab a beer or a flight. It’s difficult to choose just one of the 24 beers on tap. If beer isn’t your thing, that’s ok, the root beer is delicious. On a nice day, ask to sit outside in the beer garden. You may even find some live entertainment.
Overall, Beer’s Hometown-Potosi is a great place to visit. I hope you plan your trip soon so you can eat, drink and explore all the charm there is! I also want to note, while there, you aren’t just supporting a corporation of some sort, the Potosi Brewery is a non-profit and donates too many things. If you are a Badger Fan, you would be happy to know Potosi brews a beer called Varsity, 20% of all revenue from this beer is donated to support Wisconsin Student-Athletes. To find out more information visit their website or follow them on social media.
By: Andraya Errthum
