The territorial village of Montezuma had only recently changed its name to Winona when Jacob Weisbrod launched a new brewing plant in Winona County. Weisbrod's original brewery, the second brewery to be able to be started in the county, began its operation in East Burns Valley during the fall of 1856. Within a few years the demands from the fledgling community outstripped the productive capacity of the original plant and Weisbrod found it necessary to erect a new and larger plant in the Sugar Loaf district. The first beer to be brewed at this location, the site of the former Peter Bub Brewery at the foot of Sugar Loaf was kegged in April 1862. Seven years later a young Bavarian immigrant, Peter Bub, who had been working at the Best Brewing Company in Milwaukee, moved to Winona and was hired by Weisbrod as Brew Master at the Sugar Loaf Plant. Weisbrod died the following year and young Peter Bub managed the brewery for his widow, whom Bub married in 1872.

The brewery later changed its name to The Peter Bub's Sugar Loaf Brewery and was operated by the same family until it closed in 1969. In 1903 W. M. F. Miller became affiliated with the brewery following his marriage to Pete Bub's daughter. Upon the death of Peter Bub in 1911, Miller became president and continued in this capacity until his death in 1941. Carlos Walters, the last president of Bub's joined the firm in 1928 following his marriage to W. M. F. Miller's daughter. Mr. Walters is still residing in Winona today. In its best years, Bub's produced 22,000 + barrels of beer annually. Bub's market consisted of the Southeastern quarter of Minnesota, from St. South to the Iowa border and East into Western Wisconsin. This territory included the Twin Cities. Bub's met the same fate as most other small town breweries, not being able to compete with the larger breweries and by the restrictions put on them by the federal government. Much of the former brewery, which still stand below Sugar Loaf, was constructed after a fire destroyed the original brewery in 1872.

We here at Bub's Brewing Company are trying to carry on that great tradition of Winona's last brewery by naming our bar after it. The Bub's Beer that once graced the taps of more than 100 bars and neighborhood saloons in this great river town for over 130 years is of course no longer being produced. We have chosen a fine selection, which we call Bub's Black Forest Ale, Bub's Amber Red and Bub's Golden to bring the legendary Bub's name into the 21st Century. We hope you will take the time to try one of these great brews that others have enjoyed since we opened our doors here in March 1992. The History of Our Building The building was built in 1897 and was originally known as the Druids Hall or Union Club. The Elks Lodge NO. 327 began renting the building and purchased it on October 22, 1914. It was owned by the Elks Lodge until February 17, 1992 when it was purchased by Bub's Brewing Co., Inc. and turned into the fine drinking and eating establishment that it is today. The original building had a bowling alley in the basement, which has long since been removed. We try to preserve most of the heritage that this fine building deserves.