Beatrix Montes
Meister Bräu is a lager first brewed by the Peter Hand Brewing Company, which was established in 1891 in Chicago. The company was purchased and renamed Meister Brau Inc. in 1965, and the beer was distributed nationally. In 1972, the Meister Brau brand was sold to Miller, which repackaged it as a cheaper competitor to Budweiser. Today, Meister Bräu is brewed by the Miller Brewing Company and is available at select locations, including Creekside Walk and Town Hall Liquors.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Brewery | Miller Brewing Co., Inc. |
| Location | Milwaukee, WI |
| Type | Lager |
| ABV | 4.5% |
| Availability | Not widely available |
What You'll Learn
Meister Brau Beer Label
The Meister Brau beer label has a long history dating back to the late 19th century. The original label was associated with the Peter Hand Brewing Company, established in Chicago, Illinois, in 1891 by Prussian immigrant and American Civil War veteran Peter Hand. The company successfully marketed its flagship lager, Meister Brau, and expanded its operations over the years.
In the 1960s, an investor group acquired the brewery and renamed it Meister Brau Inc., aiming to distribute Meister Brau nationally. This era saw extensive marketing efforts, sponsorships of Chicago sports teams, and the launch of Meister Brau Lite, a popular light beer. The label's design during this period likely reflected the company's ambition to establish a strong brand identity.
However, financial troubles led to the sale of most Meister Brau brands to Miller in 1972. Miller repackaged the beer, and the Meister Brau label underwent a redesign to differentiate it from its previous incarnation. This new iteration of Meister Brau was positioned as a more affordable alternative to competing brands.
Today, the Meister Brau label is associated with the Miller Brewing Company, and the beer is still available, although it seems to be less popular. The current label likely retains some elements of the original design but may have evolved to match modern tastes and Miller Brewing Company's branding guidelines.
Unfortunately, I could not find specific details on the design elements of the Meister Brau beer label throughout its history. However, the label has undoubtedly undergone changes to reflect the different eras of the brand's ownership, marketing strategies, and target audience.
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Meister Bräu Miller Brewing Co
Meister Bräu is a beer that was originally brewed by the Peter Hand Brewing Company, which was established in 1891 in Chicago, Illinois. The founder, Peter Hand, was a Prussian immigrant and American Civil War veteran. Meister Bräu was a successful lager for the company, and by the end of the 1960s, the brewery was producing a million barrels of beer annually, with sales exceeding $50 million.
However, due to financial issues, the company ran into debt and, in 1972, most of its brands, including Meister Bräu, were sold to Miller Brewing Co. Miller repackaged Meister Bräu as a cheaper competitor to Budweiser. Today, Meister Bräu is still brewed and sold by Miller Brewing Co., and it is considered an American Adjunct Lager.
Reviews of Meister Bräu on Untappd are mixed, with some praising its affordability and nostalgia factor, while others criticise its taste. It has been described as a "budget discount beer brand" and "pure unadulterated swill". However, one user commented that it has a "cool name".
While it is challenging to determine specific locations where one can purchase Meister Bräu, reviews on Untappd indicate that it is available in various states across the USA, including California, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia. These reviews also suggest that Meister Bräu can be found at establishments like the Blue City Hotel Baden and Town Hall Liquors, as well as at events like the Elmont, NY fair.
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Meister Brau in Chicago
Meister Brau has a long history in Chicago, dating back to the 19th century. Prussian-born Civil War veteran Peter Hand founded the Peter Hand Brewing Company in Chicago in 1891, with Meister Brau as its flagship beer. The brewery enjoyed regional success and survived the prohibition years, with Meister Brau becoming a popular lager in Chicago.
In the mid-1960s, a group of investors purchased the brewery, renaming it Meister Brau, Inc. They expanded distribution across the country, with a particular focus on Chicago, and introduced Meister Brau Lite, the first true light beer on the market. This helped increase sales significantly, with Meister Brau selling over a million barrels a year by the end of the 1960s.
However, despite its success, Meister Brau Inc. struggled with increased spending, debt, and mismanagement. In 1972, the company sold most of its brands to Miller, who continued to brew the original Meister Brau but rebranded Meister Brau Lite as Miller Lite, revolutionizing the beer industry. Miller discontinued the original Meister Brau in 2005 due to sagging sales.
Today, Meister Brau is no longer brewed or sold in Chicago, as it was discontinued by Miller in 2005. However, its history is an important part of Chicago's brewing past, and it played a significant role in the city's beer culture, especially during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
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Meister Brau Lite
Owades shared the recipe with his friend at the Chicago-based Meister Brau brewery, and the beer was relaunched as Meister Brau Lite. This new version targeted diet-conscious consumers and was a success, with production reaching a million barrels per year by the end of the 1960s. The sales of Meister Brau Lite quickly exceeded $50 million.
However, due to mismanagement, the Meister Brau brand encountered financial difficulties and went into heavy debt. As a result, in 1972, Meister Brau sold several of its brands, including Meister Brau Lite, to Miller. Miller reformulated and rebranded the beer as Miller Lite, which was introduced nationally in 1975 and became the first successful mainstream light beer in the United States.
Today, Miller Lite is a popular light American lager beer with a 4.2% ABV, sold by Molson Coors. It has won several awards, including the gold medal for Best American Style Lager or Light Lager at the Great American Beer Festival in 2010 and 2014. The brand sponsors several famous sports teams, such as the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, and Green Bay Packers.
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Meister Brau reviews
Meister Bräu is an American adjunct lager brewed by the Miller Brewing Company in Wisconsin, United States. It is carefully brewed from the finest malted barley and selected cereal grains and hops. It contains no additives or preservatives.
"Pure unadulterated swill. Worst beer ever brewed!" - BustaBeerGut from Massachusetts, rating: 1.02/5
"Mass-produced straw-yellow BMC AAL type here, maybe a little darker since you've seen a lot of light beers in your time. Taste is rough, harsh alcohol way bigger than it needs to be, corn sweetener thinned out, rubbing alcohol and nail polish remover at times. Bitter. No hop taste, just bitterness." - rodbeermunch from Nevada, rating: 1.37/5
"Meister Bräu Lager, 4.5% - clear straw gold colour with a frothy white cap of foam, thin lager aroma and taste with mild corn, grains, and hops, slightly metallic." - seakayak from Massachusetts, rating: 1.5/5
"Back in college, when you could get a case of these bottles for about $6, the only way you could consume them was via beer bong. That way, the taste could be avoided, allowing the alcohol to reach the bloodstream without being rejected involuntarily by your body. Once, on a lark, I took a big swig from a bottle instead. This was 24 years ago, but I still remember what registered in my brain as this swill hit my taste buds: Purple. A few minutes later, I was puking." - IMFletcher from Kentucky, rating: 1.19/5
"Used to drink this a lot in high school. Very affordable. Very bad tasting." - LaneMeyer from California, rating: 1.83/5
"This beer was (I'm guessing) about 10 years old... and one of the better awful beers I've had." - WillieThreebiers from Connecticut, rating: 2.53/5
Meister Bräu has also received some more positive reviews from users on Untappd.com:
"This is some ghastly high school partying shit. So I have a soft spot for this trash." - beer andraiderfan, rating: 1.39/5
"White Whale for me personally. 5000th [beer]." - Aaron West, rating not provided
"Congratulations on 5,000. I had no idea this was around. Haven't heard it mentioned since 1985!" - Sam Greenbush, rating not provided
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Frequently asked questions
Meister Bräu beer is brewed by the Miller Brewing Company, so you can try checking their website to see where it's available.
You can also try checking beer-focused websites such as BeerAdvocate and Untappd, which have information on where to buy different types of beer.
It is not clear whether Meister Bräu beer is available worldwide. However, it appears to be available in the United States, as reviews on Untappd indicate that people in states such as California, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, and Pennsylvania have purchased the beer.
Meister Bräu was originally brewed by the Peter Hand Brewing Company, which was established in Chicago, Illinois in 1891. The brewery closed in 1978, and the Meister Bräu brand was sold to Miller Brewing Company.
