[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 14894]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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            RECOGNIZING THE 160TH BIRTHDAY OF MILLER BREWING

 Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, as the son of a former general 
manager of a brewery and a loyal customer I wish to acknowledge the 
founding of a true American success story, Miller Brewing, and to 
congratulate it on the occasion of its historic 160th anniversary 
celebration.
  In 1855, just a few years after Wisconsin joined the Union, 30-year 
old Frederick J. Miller brought his brewing passion from his native 
Germany to the United States, taking over what was then the Plank Road 
Brewery in Milwaukee. Now, 160 years later, Milwaukee is known 
worldwide as Brew City, and the company he founded is celebrating the 
accomplishments of this young, brash entrepreneurial brewmaster who 
turned a pocketful of yeast into a global beer brewing icon. From its 
founding, through its expansions and partnerships, Miller Brewing has 
become a quintessential success story, having forever woven itself into 
the fabric of American society and culture.
  As Miller Brewing celebrates its 160th anniversary, guests from 
around the world have come to Milwaukee to hear and read stories of a 
young Frederick Miller. Each week the company is highlighting a 
different era from Miller's storied past, and visitors to the historic 
Miller Valley plant can even taste a sample of 1855 celebration Lager 
during brewery tours. Earlier this month, I toured Miller's Milwaukee 
brewery and enjoyed some of the same sights and smells I experienced as 
a young boy hanging around the small brewery managed by my father.
  After decades of continued success, Miller joined with Colorado-based 
Coors in 2008, thus combining more than 300 years of brewing heritage. 
Operating out of eight breweries in eight States, the most talented and 
professional brewmasters in the world now provide beer drinkers in 
America with a portfolio of beers that are second to none. But, Miller 
Brewing and MillerCoors are more than the product they make; they are 
greater than the sum of their parts. They are economic engines in 
Wisconsin, Colorado, and throughout the country, providing family-
supporting jobs to more than 8,000 employees nationwide. Because of 
their presence, over $5 billion is injected in the economy each year, 
money that is spent on goods and services, and which helps support the 
businesses of thousands of suppliers. Miller pays more than $1 billion 
annually in State, local and Federal taxes.
  As they celebrate the past 160 years, current employees are taking 
note of the efforts made by the earliest employees of Miller Brewing, 
who knew the importance of civic leadership and sustainable business 
practices. We see those traditions continue today, as Miller Brewing 
and MillerCoors remain a deeply rooted presence in the communities in 
which they brew and sell their beer. Support of local charities and 
responsible consumption programs, and efforts to reduce water and 
energy usage and waste are only a few examples of how the company 
proves itself to be a valuable corporate citizen.
  Frederick J. Miller arrived in Milwaukee with a passion and ambition. 
He committed himself to brew ``confoundedly good beers'' with 
``uncompromising quality.'' After founding Miller Brewing Company in 
1855, he worked hard to achieve that goal. For the past 160 years, 
millions of Americans have reaped the benefits of his efforts, one 
bottle, one can, or one glass at a time.

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