Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Miller Brewery Tour (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

No trip to Milwaukee would be complete without a tour of the Miller Brewery, founded in 1855 by Frederick Miller when he purchased the small Plank Road Brewery in Miller Valley. Although many breweries have come and gone in this beer town, Miller Brewing Company, headquartered here, has persevered. Our tour provided highlights from the last 155 years of history starting with a short video, followed by a walking tour through the facility that was spread over several city blocks, and an overview of the ownership changes and various brands of beer manufactured by this company over the years. We were led through the packaging center, shipping and distribution warehouse, and the unique Miller Caves.

I most enjoyed learning the history of the Miller High Life Girl in the Moon logo. Even though she is one of the most famous advertising icons of the past century, her origins, dating back to the early 1900's, remain an enigma. According to company legend, A.C. Paul, Miller’s advertising manager was alone, possibly lost, in the woods in Wisconsin, when he had a crystal clear vision of the High Life Girl perched on the crescent moon. Nobody’s sure how his vision became the advertising logo that has long since endured. Some claim she represents an ancestor of the Miller family, but to date, there is no proof of this.


We enjoyed our tour of one of the oldest breweries in this country, and most especially the last part – sampling "The Champagne of Beers"! 


























Monday, October 24, 2016

Boerner Botanical Gardens (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

While we were in Milwaukee we spent a day at the Boerner Botanical Gardens, time very well spent! What does one really need to say about a botanical garden? The pictures really do tell the story!