Through researching Leinenkugel related Newspaper articles on Access Newspaper Archive, I came across the Wisconsin State Journal. The date of this Newspaper publishing was December 3, 1987, the year that Miller had purchased Leinenkugel’s. At the bottom of the front page, the article reads, “Miller to buy, not ‘swallow’, Leinie’s.”  This fantastic article explains on how Miller’s goal was not to take over the Leinenkugel Brewery, but only enhance it. I selected this source because it provides a first hand account of the expansion of the Leinenkugel Brewery, and how it came about. I picked this source for my research because of the history of the Leinenkugel transformation that it gives. The purchase of the Leinenkugel Brewery by Miller helped Leinenkugel’s become a better-known company, however, they did not change the quality of their beer.

The article gives first-hand accounts individuals of high-ranking status in the two respective companies of Leinenkugel and Miller. Throughout the article, the key point was that Miller’s goal in the purchase of Leinenkugel was not to completely take over the brewery. Miller had a distinct plan for this purchase. As the article states, Leinenkugel did not sell the company because of financial struggles, the Leinenkugel brewery was doing quite well financially. The owners of Leinenkugel sold the company to better it, not to make a quick buck on their family’s extreme hard work put into the company. This was a family-run business, and has been since Jacob Leinenkugel and John Miller started the Brewery in 1867.

My response to this source was very positive, it helped me gain ideas of where I want to take my research. It offered information on the purchase of Leinenkugel’s by Miller in which I was extremely interested in researching on. I could not find a problem with this source. After reviewing the article, I concluded that it gave key points of what Miller’s plans were for Leinenkugel’s, and the same for Leinenkugel’s. Each company had their own benefits from the deal, and this Newspaper article explained them entirely well.

My ideas of where I want to take my research have been shaped through my analysis and reading of this source. This source gave me insight of some details of the purchase of Leinenkugel’s. I would like to look further into the purchase of Leinenkugel’s, and also the early years of after the deal had taken place. This source was published in 1987, 27 years ago from today, which gives me room to research these 27 years. From reviewing this source I would like to start looking more into the future of Leinenkugel’s and Miller’s partnership, but also look back at what went on during prohibition.

Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company History, a secondary source that I happened to come across on Findinguniverse.com, gave me an excellent overview of Leinenkugel’s history, and also how it has transformed into what it is today, as being part of the powerhouse brewery of Miller. The article starts out by delivering the early history of Jacob Leinenkugel and his founding of the Leinenkugel Brewery in the northwoods of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. I chose this source because it gave specific examples of how the brewery was able to thrive in a town like Chippewa Falls. This town was perfect to start a brewery in. Pure water was vital for having a brewery, especially in a remote and small town like Chippewa Falls, and the town sure did have plenty of pure water. The article gave a great opening source for my research by educating myself on the key points of the Leinenkugel Brewery.

The source reveals how the Leinenkugel’s Brewery has stayed true to itself from its founding and even to present day. Leinenkugel has maintained its original recipe of its first beer, and has also maintained a select few of brews. When Miller bought Leinenkugel in 1988, employees and customers were worried that the Miller would take over Leinenkugel in a negative way. However, Miller was strategic in the way it approached the Brewery of Leinenkugel. Leinenkugel was able to operate in its original way, but with the financial support and the marketing support of Miller.

This source offered me many ideas of where I can take my research. Through this source, some of my research questions were briefly covered throughout the article, but I will need to go into further detail in them to get a better understanding of them. This source of the Leinenkugel history gave me an excellent start to my research by giving me the right influences in where I want to take my research.

I will be researching the history of the Leinenkugel Brewing Company. Including their business through the times of prohibition, modern business, and the effects that the company had on Wisconsin. I am intrigued by this topic of Leinenkugel’s and its history because of its relationship with between students. College students drink, and the Leinenkugel Brewing Company Brewing company provides these college students with much of the booze that is consumed by college students. I am interested in the history of Leinenkugel’s because of my lack of knowledge of its operations, and also where it may have affected my life and me.

This topic of mine is important because of its association with Wisconsin and towns around Eau Claire. I did not realize how close Eau Claire is to the founding of Leinenkugel’s, which makes me find it necessary to explore the stories and the effects of the business to Eau Claire and Wisconsin as a whole. As a Minnesota-born citizen, I did not find it important to research Leinenkugel’s because it did not pertain to my life, and where I grew up.

As a student here in Eau Claire, I find it essential to find history of Leinenkugel’s, and to share it with people that may be interested in the topic. Through research of the Leinenkugel Brewing Company, I hope to find not only history of the beer industry, but also history of the effects of it to the towns of where it was founded.