In 1910, the Tivoli Brewing Company started brewing Altes Beer – a true Bavarian style beer – in Detroit for European immigrants who worked in Detroit’s booming auto industry. By the mid 1940’s Altes was Michigan top selling beer and stayed a Michigan favorite for decades, sponsoring the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Lions. But as the big brewers became national and eventually global companies, they lost interest in proud local brands and Altes was eventually retired as too small to matter. Ten years ago three friends who grew up in Detroit and loved Altes, discussed creating a new craft beer that would capture the Bavarian style of brewing and honor Altes’ important place in Michigan beer history. Altes is now back and proudly brewed in Detroit again. The beer has been sold in over 1,500 stores, restaurants, bars, and other locations all over Michigan for nearly a year. Sales projections are looking good for the end of the first year and the trio is developing an Altes Sportsman Beer as a second product.
