The Rise and Fall of Sioux Falls Brewing Company

Here in Sioux Falls, we love our beer. Just stop by any local taproom on a Friday night, and you’ll see friends gathered around pints of craft brews, talking and laughing. But while today’s breweries are popular, Sioux Falls’ beer story actually began more than 150 years ago.

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In 1874, the Sioux Falls Brewing Company was built on North Main Avenue. At its peak, it was the second-largest brewery in the country, producing up to 100,000 barrels of beer each year. That’s an incredible amount, especially for a growing city on the prairie. The business was first known as George A. Knott & Company before changing its name in the 1880s.

The brewery faced major challenges over the years. South Dakota adopted prohibition laws from 1890 to 1896 and again from 1917 to 1918. During those dry years, the company managed to survive by shipping its beer to other states where alcohol was still legal. However, when the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution took effect in 1919, banning the production and sale of alcohol nationwide, the brewery could no longer continue. Its long run came to an end.

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The large brick building didn’t stay empty for long. The Crescent Creamery moved in and delivered milk and dairy products by horse-drawn wagon until the 1950s.

Sadly, in October 1987, the historic building was destroyed in a fire that investigators later ruled was arson. Even so, the legacy of brewing in Sioux Falls lives on today.

Source: Greetings from Sioux Falls