Adolphus Busch

But as we've seen, American breweries also came up with their own innovations from brown bottles to the brewing process itself.

Budweiser was founded in St. Louis, Missouri in 1876 by the German-born businessman Adolphus Busch.

It pioneered the use of mechanical refrigeration and pasteurization.

Through technical innovation and marketing, Budweiser grew into one of the most popular American beers of the 20th century.

Milwaukee relied on its frigid winter and harvested ice from Lake Michigan, while St. Louis and Cincinnati used extensive limestone caves and riverbank cellars.

These cities grew into brewing powerhouses led by German immigrants such as Frederick Pabst, Joseph Schlitz, and Valentin Blatz in Milwaukee, Christian Moerlein and John Hauck in Cincinnati, and Eberhard Anheuser and Adolphus Busch in St. Louis.

Beer production in these cities soared, particularly in Milwaukee.

After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed the brewing industry there, Milwaukee filled the production deficit and never gave it back.