Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
August 26, 2026: Robin Shepard -- A Keg of Their Best: Brewing in the Beer State Capital—From the Beer Baron Era to Modern Microbrews
--submitted by Kirsten Houghton
Robin Shepard, author of A Keg of Their Best, shared stories from the book, published by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press, tracing Madison’s beer culture from the 1800s to today. Shepard’s history begins with Rosaline Peck, who operated Madison’s first public house from her family cabin in the late 1830s, and follows the city through waves of immigration, Prohibition, the rise and fall of breweries such as Fauerbach, and today’s thriving craft beer scene. A UW–Madison Extension assistant dean and Life Sciences Communication faculty member, Shepard developed his passion for beer through homebrewing. As Madison’s craft brewing movement grew in the 1990s, he began researching local brewing history, leading walking tours, and writing about beer for Isthmus. His book combines historical anecdotes and brewery profiles, showing how immigration, changing tastes, and local entrepreneurs shaped Madison’s distinctive brewing tradition over nearly two centuries.
Guest speaker starts at 22:57 minutes.
August 26, 2026: Robin Shepard -- A Keg of Their Best: Brewing in the Beer State Capital—From the Beer Baron Era to Modern Microbrews
--submitted by Kirsten Houghton
Robin Shepard, author of A Keg of Their Best, shared stories from the book, published by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press, tracing Madison’s beer culture from the 1800s to today. Shepard’s history begins with Rosaline Peck, who operated Madison’s first public house from her family cabin in the late 1830s, and follows the city through waves of immigration, Prohibition, the rise and fall of breweries such as Fauerbach, and today’s thriving craft beer scene. A UW–Madison Extension assistant dean and Life Sciences Communication faculty member, Shepard developed his passion for beer through homebrewing. As Madison’s craft brewing movement grew in the 1990s, he began researching local brewing history, leading walking tours, and writing about beer for Isthmus. His book combines historical anecdotes and brewery profiles, showing how immigration, changing tastes, and local entrepreneurs shaped Madison’s distinctive brewing tradition over nearly two centuries.
Guest speaker starts at 22:57 minutes.
