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"!
