About Capital Brewery
Capital is committed to sustainability and installed solar electric panels in April of 2014. Spent grain is provided to feed cattle raised by an area farmer. The Capital Brewery Bike Club was formed in 2009 and now over 100 riders meet regularly at the Brewery every Tuesday and Thursday when the weather is pleasant.
The Capital Brewery Bier Garten is open May through October and often hosts live music as well as numerous public and private events. It is known as ‘Middleton’s Backyard’ and typically attracts over 1500 patrons on Fridays, May through September. A Beer Patio was added in 2016 along Terrace Ave.
The indoor Bier Stube and Grain Room are open during the winter months (approximately November – April) and is also available for private events. Tours of the facility may be scheduled on its website.
Meet the Brewmaster
He enjoys spending time with his family, his two huge dogs, and working on his family’s antique steam engine.
While German Style ales and lagers are his forte’, Brethorst noted “What a fantastic setup we have here at Capital! A 7 BBL Pilot system to try out new recipes, and the old-school, by the book, mid-century German brewhouse that lets us brew pretty much anything we can think of. It gives us unlimited potential!”
History
Capital Brewery Company, Inc. was founded on March 14, 1984, held a public offering of common stock in 1985, and brewed the first batch of beer in the spring of 1986. It is a publicly held company registered in the state of Wisconsin.
The facility, located in Middleton, WI, was formerly the Mazo Egg Factory. The brewing kettles are from Hoxter Brewery in Germany. In 1997 Wisconsin Amber became the first craft beer available in cans. Capital Blonde Dopplebock has won 6 platinum medals and is featured at Bockfest, the annual winter celebration held in February.
Capital has won over 240 awards at domestic and international competitions, including the US Open Beer Championships, Great American Beer Festival (GABF), The Great Taste of the Midwest, and the World Beer Championships. The Brewery was named “America’s #1 Rated Brewery” by the Beverage Testing Institute at the World Beer Championships in 1998 and Grand National Champion at the 2013 US Open Beer Championship.
Awards
- 2013 World Beer Championship Gold (95) – Autumnal Fire
- 2013 World Beer Championship Gold (93) – Pumpkinataur
- 2013 World Beer Championship Gold (92) – Capital Oktoberfest
- 2013 World Beer Championship Gold (92) – Capital Dark
- 2013 World Beer Championship Gold (91) – Capital Pilsner
- 2013 World Beer Championship Gold (91) – Appleanche
- 2013 World Beer Championship Silver (89) – Wisconsin Amber
- 2013 World Beer Championship Silver (89) – Supper Club
- 2013 World Beer Championship Silver (89) – Lake House Lager
- 2013 U.S. Open Beer Championship Gold – Lake House Lager
- 2013 U.S. Open Beer Championship Gold – Capital Pilsner
- 2013 U.S. Open Beer Championship Gold Munchner Dunkel/Dark – Capital Dark
- 2013 U.S. Open Beer Championship Silver – Wisconsin Amber
- 2013 U.S. Open Beer Championship Bronze – Maibock
- 2013 U.S. Open Beer Championship Bronze – Supper Club
- 2013 Beverage Tasting Institute World Beer Championship Platinum Medal; Score of 97-Blonde Doppelbock
- 2013 Beverage Tasting Institute World Beer Championship Silver Medal; Score of 87-U.S. Pale Ale
- 2013 Beverage Tasting Institute World Beer Championship Silver Medal; Score of 86-Hop Cream
- 2012 U.S. Open Beer Championship Bronze American Amber/California Common – Winter Skal
- 2012 U.S. Open Beer Championship Silver Munchner Dunkel/Dark – Capital Dark
- 2012 U.S. Open Beer Championship Silver – Maibock
- 2012 U.S. Open Beer Championship Bronze American Cream Ale – Hop Cream
- 2012 World Beer Cup Gold American Style Amber Lager – Winter Skal
- 2012 World Beer Cup Bronze German Style Heller Bock/Maibock – Blonde Doppelbock
- 2011 Great American Beer Festival Gold Geman Stye Doppelbock or Eisbock – Autumnal Fire
- 2011 Great American Beer Festival Bronze Geman Stye Doppelbock or Eisbock – Eisphyre
- 2011 Madison Magazine’s Best of Madison: Best Microbrew
- 2010 U.S. Beer Tasting Championship Best in the Midwest Bock-Eisphyre
- 2010 Beverage Tasting Institute World Beer Championship Gold Medal; Score of 94-Eisphyre
- 2010 Beverage Tasting Institute World Beer Championship Gold Medal; Score of 94-Imperial Doppelbock
- 2010 Beverage Tasting Institute World Beer Championship Platinum Medal; Score of 98-Blonde Doppelbock
- 2010 U.S. Open Beer Championship Bronze Medal-Fest
- 2010 North American Brewer’s Assocation North American Beer Awards Bronze Medal-Fest
- 2010 Beverage Tasting Institute World Beer Championship Gold Medal; Score of 91-Maibock
- 2010 US Open Beer Championship Pilsner-Bronze
- 2010 North American Brewer’s Assocation: North American Beer Awards Gold Medal-Dark
- 2010 North American Brewer’s Assocation North American Beer Awards Silver Medal-Eisphyre
- 2010 Assocation of Brewers Great American Beer Awards Bronze Medal-Weizen Doppelbock
- 2010 North American Brewer’s Assocation Silver Medal-Weizen Doppelbock
- 2010 North American Brewer’s Assocation North American Beer Awards Bronze Medal-Amber
- 2010 U.S. Open Beer Championship Bronze Medal-Eisphyre
- 2010 Great American Beer Festival Bronze German Style Wheat Ale – Weizen Doppelbock
- 2009 Beverage Tasting Institute Dark-Gold; Score of 90
- 2009 Beverage Tasting Institute World Beer Championship Gold Medal; Score of 93- Autumnal Fire
- 2009 Beverage Tasting Institute World Beer Championship Gold Medal; Score of 92-Oktoberfest
- 2009 Beverage Tasting Institute World Beer Championship Gold Medal; Score of 92-Pilsner
- 2009 Beverage Tasting Institute World Beer Championship Gold Medal; Score of 90-Dark
- 2009 Beverage Tasting Institute World Beer Championship Gold Medal; Score of 92-Oktoberfest
- 2009 Beverage Tasting Institute World Beer Championship Gold Medal; Score of 93-Autumnal Fire
- 2009 Great American Beer Festival Bronze Dortmunder or German Style Oktoberfest – Bavarian Lager
- 2009 U.S. Beer Tasting Championship Best in Midwest Amber-Winter Skal
- 2008 Great American Beer Festival Gold German Style Strong Bock – Autmunal Fire
- 2008 Madison Magazine’s Best of Madison: Best Microbrew – Bronze
- 2008 Madison Magazine’s Best of Madison: Best Microbrew – Bronze
- 2008 U.S. Beer Tasting Championship Grand Champion, Bock- Autumnal Fire
- 2008 North American Brewer’s Assocation: North American Beer Awards Gold Medal- Pilsner
- 2008 Assocation of Brewers Great American Beer Awards Gold Medal-Autumnal Fire
- 2007 Madison Magazine’s Best of Madison: Best Microbrew – Silver
- 2007 Great American Beer Festival Silver European Style Dark/Munchner Dunkel – Munich Dark
- 2006 Isthmus – Madison’s Favorite Local Microbrew – First Place
- 2006 Madison Magazine’s Best of Madison: Best Microbrew – Silver
- 2006 Great American Beer Festival Gold German Style Strong Bock – Autumnal Fire
- 2006 Great American Beer Festival Gold German Style Strong Bock – Eisphyre
- 2005 Isthmus – Madison’s Favorite Local Microbrew – First Place
- 2005 Madison Magazine’s Best of Madison: Best Bar & Grill BrewPub/Microbrew – Bronze
- 2004 Isthmus – Madison’s Favorite Local Microbrew – Second Place
- 2004 The Capital Times/Wisconsin State Journal Reader’s Choice Awards – Madison’s Favorite Local/Regional Beer
- 2003 Isthmus – Madison’s Favorite Local Microbrew – Second Place
- 2003 The Capital Times/Wisconsin State Journal Reader’s Choice Awards – Madison’s Favorite Local/Regional Beer
- 2003 Madison Magazine’s Best of Madison: Best Locally Brewed Microbeer – Gold
- 2002 Isthmus – Madison’s Favorite Local Microbrew – Second Place
- 2002 The Capital Times/Wisconsin State Journal Reader’s Choice Awards – Madison’s Favorite Local/Regional Beer
- 2001 Isthmus – Madison’s Favorite Local Microbrew – First Place
- 2001 The Capital Times/Wisconsin State Journal Reader’s Choice Awards – Madison’s Favorite Local/Regional Beer – First Place
- 2000 Isthmus – Madison’s Favorite Local Microbrew – First Place
- 2000 The Capital Times/Wisconsin State Journal Reader’s Choice Awards – Madison’s Favorite Local/Regional Beer
- 1999 The Capital Times/Wisconsin State Journal Reader’s Choice Awards – Madison’s Favorite Local/Regional Beer
- 1998 The Capital Times/Wisconsin State Journal Reader’s Choice Awards – Madison’s Favorite Local/Regional Beer
- 1998 BTI World Beer Championships – Rated Capital Brewery at 7th in the World, 1st in the United States
Mission Statement
Capital Brewery shall:
- Deliver a unique experience with award winning beer to meet the changing demands of the craft beer community.
- Continue to foster quality and industry leading standards in everything we do.
- Participate in the Craft Beer industry growth through support for established brands.
- Innovate with new styles and ideas to stay relevant to all craft consumers.
- Foster a culture of uncompromising approach to high quality brewing standards and positive consumer experience with our products and facilities.