In the mid-1800s, the population of St. Louis exploded as a large wave of German immigrants settled in the city.  One of the principal industries that Germans brought to St. Louis was brewing.  These German brewers introduced a style of beer popular in Germany, but relatively unknown in the United States: lager beer.

Eberhard Anheuser — a German soap maker who would go on to own the largest soap and candle company in St. Louis — emigrated to Missouri in 1843.

Although he had no brewing experience, Eberhard became part owner of the Bavarian and by 1860 had bought out the other investors, changing the brewery’s name to E. Anheuser & Co. 

Adolphus Busch was born in 1839, the second youngest of 22 children. At the age of 18, he made his way to St. Louis via New Orleans and the Mississippi River. Adolphus began working as a clerk on the riverfront and by the time he was 21, he had a partnership in a brewing supply business. It was through this enterprise that Adolphus Busch met Eberhard Anheuser — and his daughter Lilly.  

In 1861, Adolphus Busch and Eberhard Anheuser’s daughter Lilly were married. Shortly after that, Adolphus went to work for his father-in-law at E. Anheuser & Co, later purchasing half of the brewery.

Adolphus’ vision and entrepreneurial mindset grew the business both in the US and abroad – no small feat at the time. In 1879, the company was renamed the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Association to recognize his efforts.

When Eberhard Anheuser died in 1880, Adolphus became president of the brewery. In 1901, the company broke the 1 million barrels of beer sales mark for the first time, making it one of the nation’s leading breweries.

When Adolphus began working at the brewery, most beer in the United States was sold and consumed in the community in which it was brewed. But, Adolphus was determined to create a brand that would transcend the tradition of local brews and appeal to people across the US.

In 1876, Adolphus and his friend Carl Conrad created Budweiser, an American-style lager that succeeded beyond anyone’s expectations and eventually became the brewery’s flagship brand: 

In addition to being a leader in the technical development of the brewing industry, Adolphus Busch was also a master of advertising and promotion.

Adolphus used traditional, proven selling methods, but in a far more organized and deliberate manner than his competitors. He pioneered the use of giveaways and in the 1880s turned the Anheuser-Busch brewery into a tourist destination by offering tours to the public.    

Although Adolphus Busch passed away in 1913, his legacy lives on at every Anheuser-Busch brewery.  Adolphus’s unwavering commitment to quality and innovative spirit can still be found in the beer we brew today.