Tour poster: Brew City: Barons, Bricks & Craft Revival
Red Thread OriginalMilwaukee
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Self-guided podcast audio tour

Milwaukee

Brew City: Barons, Bricks & Craft Revival

History & MemoryFoodways & Culinary Identity
Distance
4.2 km
Duration
134 min
Route
8 stops

Step into the amber-tinted story of Milwaukee’s beer empire. Walk from the Cream City brick fortresses of nineteenth-century barons like Pabst and Schlitz to church-turned-incubators, Prohibition-era dining rooms, and riverfront power plants reborn as craft breweries.

Max Krämer
Your guide Max Krämer History & Memory
Audio sample

What awaits you on this Red Thread tour

Step into the amber-tinted story of Milwaukee’s beer empire. Walk from the Cream City brick fortresses of nineteenth-century barons like Pabst and Schlitz to church-turned-incubators, Prohibition-era dining rooms, and riverfront power plants reborn as craft breweries. Experience the sensory richness of old taverns, world-famous stickers, and the human grit that made Brew City famous.

Your in-app experience

This is how the Red Thread app brings your tour to life.

Red Thread guides you through the city's stories that you won't find in any guidebook. Authentically and compellingly told by our experts and locals.

Home
01

Home

Get inspired and choose a story that fits your location and your mood.

Search for tours directly
02

Search for tours directly

Use the map to find tours in your city or at a specific address.

Redeem in the app
03

Redeem in the app

Redeem purchased tours or City Passes in the app using a voucher code or QR code.

Start well prepared
04

Start well prepared

Explore the route, stops, and many additional features for your experience.

Listen where it happened
05

Listen where it happened

Hear the stories where they happened.

Ask your guide
06

Ask your guide

Get extra context, deeper details, or useful tips nearby.

Collect discoveries
07

Collect discoveries

Build your travel passport and explore fascinating insights.

Itinerary

1

TOUR START

Best Place at Historic Pabst Brewery

The original birthplace of Best & Company (later Pabst), marking the start of Milwaukee's beer baron era.

Best Place at Historic Pabst Brewery

Image by Michael Barera on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

0.12 km • 2 min
2

STOP 2

Pilot Project Brewing Milwaukee

A former church and Pabst training facility turned contemporary craft beer incubator.

Pilot Project Brewing Milwaukee

Image by Michael Barera on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

0.11 km • 2 min
3

STOP 3

The Brewery District Courtyard

Central courtyard showing how 19th-century breweries functioned as self-contained industrial cities.

0.99 km • 15 min
4

STOP 4

Mader's Restaurant

Landmark German restaurant open since 1902 that survived Prohibition through culinary adaptation.

Mader's Restaurant

Image by David Wilson on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

0.36 km • 6 min
5

STOP 5

Old World Third Street Historic District

The commercial spine of German social life in 19th-century Milwaukee.

0.61 km • 9 min
6

STOP 6

Schlitz Park

Historical site of Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co., once the largest brewery in the world.

Schlitz Park

Image by Freekee on Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

0.88 km • 14 min
7

STOP 7

Lakefront Brewery

Pioneer of Milwaukee's modern craft movement set in a repurposed 1908 municipal power plant.

Lakefront Brewery

Image by Michael Barera on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

1.12 km • 17 min
8

END

Wolski's Tavern

A classic working-class neighborhood corner tavern operating since 1908.

Where the tour takes place

Starting point and rough tour area – the exact route unfolds in the app.

Good to know

  • Ideal for Beer lovers, history buffs, urban explorers, architectural enthusiasts, and storyseekers.
  • Best time Afternoon into early evening, especially Fridays for fish fry events
  • Comfortable Footwear This walking tour covers approximately two miles across urban sidewalks and paved courtyards.
  • Bar Time Planning If you hope to earn an 'I Closed Wolski's' sticker, plan your evening accordingly as they are only awarded at 2 AM.
  • Friday Fish Fry Lakefront Brewery's famous Friday Fish Fry fills up fast; reserve or arrive early for live polka music.
  • Weather Prep Milwaukee near the river can be breezy; bring a light jacket or coat during cooler months.
  • Your voucher You can redeem your voucher for two years from purchase. Once redeemed, you have 14 days of access and can enjoy the tour as often as you like during that time.

Your guide

Max Krämer
Audio sample
0:000:00

Max Krämer

  • History & Memory
  • Northern Germany

Historian with a passion for urban places of remembrance. Has worked in archives and museums for years; shows the traces of revolutions, monuments, and colonial pasts in today's streets.

Explore Milwaukee at your own pace

Your podcast audio tour through Milwaukee

  • Hear the stories of Milwaukee right where they unfold
  • Explore 8 hand-picked stops across 4.2 km – at your own pace
  • Atmospheric storytelling, carefully researched and always ready in the app
  • Your voucher stays valid for two years; after redemption you have 14 days of access
Now only €5.99 incl. VAT

One-time purchase – no subscription, no ongoing commitments.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to the tour after buying?

You see your voucher code right after payment – and you also receive it at the email address you entered at checkout. Redeem that code in the Red Thread app; that's where the tour starts.

When does my access start?

Only when you redeem the code in the app, not at purchase. From redemption you have 14 days of access to the tour.

Do I need the Red Thread app?

Yes. The free Red Thread app turns your tour into a vivid experience: with audio, a map, and thoughtful prompts, it guides you from place to place in an engaging and entertaining way. It's available free for iOS and Android.