A Keg of Their Best

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Brewing in the Beer State Capital—From the Beer Baron Era to Modern Microbrews

Robin Shepard

A rich, lively history of brewing in Wisconsin’s capital city and the creative people who brought it to life.

320 pages, 8 x 10, 120 color and b&w photos and illustrations
Paperback: $32.95 | ISBN: 978-1-9766-0063-0
Ebook: $19.99 | ISBN: 978-1-9766-0064-7
Publication Date: 6/9/2026

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Description

Wisconsin has long been known as “The Beer State,” and the history of its capital city brims with stories of brewing innovation—from the city’s earliest beer-makers and long-forgotten farmstead breweries to today’s experimental microbrewers and enterprising taprooms. In A Keg of Their Best, journalist and beer expert Robin Shepard offers an authoritative history of Madison’s brewing legacy and its key figures from the 1830s to the present.

A Keg of Their Best documents how the beer industry emerged before Madison became a city and the early waves of European immigrants who brought their lager and ale recipes and brewing traditions—many of which live on today. The book also explores how the region’s environment—its rich soil and abundant water sources—made it ideal for beer-making. And it reveals how beer barons created and funded much of the early infrastructure that established Madison as the territorial capital.

Readers will discover how brewmasters, bootleggers, and homebrewers survived during Prohibition and the ways the post-Prohibition beer-making renaissance gave rise to the modern craft beer movement. Shepard brings Wisconsin’s brewing history up through today by highlighting the craft brewers, microbrewers, and regional breweries that are producing inspiring pilsners, IPAs, stouts, sours, and other tasty brews in Madison and Dane County’s thriving beer scene.

Drawing from newspaper accounts, ancestry and property records, and hundreds of personal interviews, Shepard has compiled a thorough and engrossing tribute to Madison’s beer-making heritage—including every known brewery in Dane County since the 1840s. Richly illustrated with historical and modern photos, maps, and breweriana, A Keg of Their Best is a must-have for beer enthusiasts, history lovers, and anyone who has raised a pint in the Beer State Capital.

Author Bio

Robin Shepard

Robin Shepard is a four-time honoree of the North American Guild of Beer Writers. He has been a regular beer columnist and reviewer for the Isthmus newspaper in Madison for more than two decades and also regularly contributes beer reviews, travel articles, and stories to a variety of beer publications and news outlets. His previous books include Wisconsin’s Best Breweries and Brewpubs, The Best Breweries and Brewpubs of Illinois, and Minnesota’s Best Breweries and Brewpubs. Shepard is an Assistant Dean for the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Division of Extension and a faculty member of the Department of Life Sciences Communications. He lives in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, with his wife, Kristi, and their two cats named after historical beer figures Roseline Peck and August Fitger.

Whether you are a beer historian, beer tourist, or beer aficionado, there is something here for you. As soon as you open the book, you will be informed, educated, and entertained. And, like a good beer, you’ll hate for it to come to an end.

Darrell Smith

Past president of the Museum of Beer and Brewing

“This book explores the rich history of the brewery industry in Wisconsin’s capital. From the original beer barons who built iconic brewing empires to today’s innovative craft brewers, it’s all covered within these pages. A must-read for anyone interested in brewing history and the legacy of Wisconsin beer.”

—Kevin McCabe, president, Brewery Collectibles Club of America

“Robin Shepard shines a light on the unique culture and history of beer and brewing in the Madison area as it emerged from the shadows of the state’s titans of the brewing industry. A Keg of Their Best is a refreshing account of a history that repeats itself in innovative ways that are as timeless and captivating as beer itself.”

—Mark Garthwaite, former executive director, Wisconsin Brewers Guild

“A Keg of Their Best guides us through the rollicking, industrious, and sometimes forgotten history of beer and brewing in our capital city. Robin Shepard expertly shares the stories of today’s craft brewers while tracing the liquid lineage of Madison back to its true (and humble) beginnings. And like any good brew, he blends the familiar with the enigmatic and leaves the reader wanting another sip.”

—Rob Novak, historic brewmaster at Old World Wisconsin