Corporate Spotlight

CAPITAL BREWERY

In 1984, Ed Janus had recently returned home to Madison from an inspiring trip to Germany and the first inklings of a craft beer revolution started brewing in the United States. A few years earlier, Janus had founded (and was general manager of) the wildly popular Madison Muskies baseball team. His entrepreneurial instincts told him a German beer brewery was exactly what the area needed next.

Janus incorporated Capital Brewery in 1984, leasing a large warehouse in the former Mazomanie Egg factory on the outskirts of Middleton. Along with the spacious warehouse, the factory featured a large outdoor area perfect for a beer garden and hard water flowing from deep aquifers, ideal for brewing lagers. To top off his authentic German brauhaus, Janus invested in copper brew kettles from the Krekeler Brewery in Hoxter, Germany.

“The brew kettles will actually be celebrating their 65th birthday this year,” says Scott Wiener, president of Capital Brewery. Wiener says he developed a taste for European dark beers while frequenting the student union at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and jumped at the chance to buy shares in Capital Brewery’s initial stock offering in 1985.

Today, Capital Brewery continues to innovate and is led by brewmaster Ashley Kinart-Short, a University of WisconsinMadison graduate who holds an international diploma in brewing technology from the Siebel Institute and Doemens Academy in Germany. Wiener says the brewery leads not only in award-winning beers (the brewery has collected a whopping 240 medals), but in the implementation of sustainability throughout its business as well, which makes sense from both a financial and ethical standpoint.

“We have been giving our spent grain to farmers for their cattle feed for a long time,” says Wiener. “And two years ago, we started selling some to Clasen’s European Bakery — just four blocks away. They make breads, rolls and pretzels with the spent grain. It is lower in carbohydrates, higher in fiber — and tastes great!”

Capital Brewery also added solar electric panels in 2014 to further reduce its carbon footprint. “In a few more years, we will be making money from sunlight,” Wiener says.

Lovingly referred to as “Middleton’s Backyard,” Capital Brewery prioritizes giving back to the community whenever possible. The company has over 200 members in its Capital Brewery Bike Club, a bicycle-loving group that rides Tuesdays and Thursdays from May through October, and supports many local and regional causes. The company participates in and is the exclusive brewery for The Ride, an annual bike ride benefiting the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center.

Capital Brewery has also brewed and rebranded a number of beers for fundraising, and as longtime members of the TLW, often partners with the league to host charitable events. “We recently brewed Hogs for Heroes ale in conjunction with the Hogs for Heroes nonprofit group and the Tavern League, and look forward to future collaborations,” confirms Wiener.

Like everywhere else, COVID-19 restrictions have forced Capital Brewery to cancel on-site events, but thanks to efforts by the TLW, the brewery has beer to-go options and is open with limited seating, including an outdoor beer patio. Packaged beer is available to go Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m., and the brewery holds monthly virtual beer and cheese tastings, pairing their beers with fabulous Wisconsin cheeses.

“Our Tavern League is one of the strongest in the nation, and the bar and restaurant owners are the crucial last link in the chain from our brewery through our distributors to the consumer,” says Wiener. “Having a strong distribution network is crucial for our economic future — especially now.” TLW

“Our Tavern League is one of the strongest in the nation, and the bar and restaurant owners are the crucial last link in the chain from our brewery through our distributors to the consumer. Having a strong distribution network is crucial for our economic future — especially now.” — Scott Wiener, Capital Brewery

CAPITAL BREWERY

7734 Terrace Ave., Middleton, WI 53562 (608) 836-7100 | capbrew@capitalbrewery.com capitalbrewery.com | facebook.com/CapBrew