Stevens Point - Beer Town

A legendary part of the Wisconsin city considered the most centrally located in the state - is the brewery which bears it's name.

Point Beer began in 1857.

The place which brought the beer to life is the 5th oldest continuously operating brewery in the United States.

Stevens Point product quenched the thirst of Union soldiers during the Civil War.

It changed the lines to make near-beer and soft drinks during Prohibition.

Heading into the Depression, Wisconsin was home to 80 breweries - Point Beer survived.

Cans filled with beer rolled off a new assembly line in the 1950s.

And so it went through the years - serving soldiers, people working in their yards, college kids, and choosy beer connoisseurs - Point Special Beer was honored as the best beer by a Chicago newspaper columnist and more awards followed.

I missed the tour time on a recent visit, but snagged some of their product and a Point Beer button.  In a nod to their fans, they offer a special Hoodie Sweatshirt which can hold your bottle of beer!

As readers of this blog are aware, some special people during my high school years bestowed me with the nickname, Pointdexter. Some of those guys were members of the same debate team I was on when we attended a competition in the brewery's community.

Which is why they soon began to call me "Point" or "Pointy."

I presume someday I will not look like the brewery's namesake.

If I do, I hereby give you permission to break that old nickname out of its ice - cold storage.

Since the nadir of Wisconsin's many independent breweries - the industry of craft beers is collectively blowing the suds off some of Big Beer's mugs.

Wisconsin is among the leaders in community beer.  New Glarus' Spotted Cow leads a busting 12 pack of product.  Leinenkugel's in Chippewa Falls isn't a little guy anymore - that changed when Miller Brewing made them an offer they couldn't refuse.  (Since then, Miller and Coors have joined frosty hands.)


While I don't always drink beer, when I do I like a locally made brew.

The tradition, heritage, and culture concocted inside each bottle and can make it more than something to drink - it's a link to a time long ago.

A good beer can be its own reward after a hard day of yard work or a way to celebrate time with friends at the ballpark.

Don't overdo the rewarding - it ruins all the fun.