Ahnapee and Pabst........It Wasn't All Beer

Temps close to 100 degrees and an ice cold glass of the liquid that made Milwaukee famous prompted this history nut to think of Pabst, Wolf River and Ahnapee. There is a connection. The community that calls itself Algoma had a healthy respect for Pabst well before Milwaukee did. But, it wasn't the beer. Not in 1860, at least.

Goodrich's three-masted barkentine Cleveland served Green Bay, Kewaunee and Wolf River during 1856. The ship's master was Captain Frederick Pabst who went went on to to captain Goodrich's Comet in 1861. At the time, the Enterprize* reported the Comet was "one of the best boats on the lake" and that it was "officered by true gentlemen" who were great favorites of the traveling public. It was also said Pabst was "every inch a sailor" and a fearless man who would pick a German crew whenever possible.

The Enterprize often mentioned Pabst and his schedules. His consistently good time was attributed to his courtship of a young Milwaukee woman. Pabst married brewer Jacob Best's daughter in 1862 and eventually took over Best's company. That was the beginning of the brewery carrying Pabst's name. For whatever reason, it was nearly 100 years before Pabst introduced a beer called "Jacob Best."

It took awhile for the beers that made Milwaukee famous to catch on in Ahnapee. Harriet Warner was 9 years old when she arrived in Wolf River with her parents on July 4, 1851. The Warners were one of three founding families of what would be Algoma. Harriet, by then Mrs. Abraham Hall, was interviewed by the Record about the early days .She remembered the fun and music loving Wolf River residents as having a dance any time there was a fiddler around. With the dances came plenty of homemade beer.

Following the Civil War the Ahnapee brewery was born. Less than ten years later, the Record reported hearing from DePere visitors that Ahnapee beer was better than the famous Milwaukee lager. If people north of town were not able to get to the taverns, brewery manager Henry Sibilsky used the sloop Whiskey Pete to deliver beer.

Ahnapee's brewery had been in operation less than  20 years when John Skala discontinued the business and moved the equipment to Hagermeister Brewery of Green Bay.  A closer look at saloon photos about 1900 reveals Algoma establishements were serving Rahrs' products, not Hagermeister's. By the time there was a Pabst back in town, it was in a bottle, and by then Capt, Frederick Pabst, who had meant so much to the early residents, was long-forgotten.

Note: Over 140 years later, the building is the home of Von Stieh Winery. The above drawing of Woyta Stransky & Co. Ahnapee Brewery comes from the advertising on the 1876 Kewaunee County Plat Map.

*The Enterprize changed its name to Enterprise and the Goodrich Line waa a Manitowoc ferry and shipping company.

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