Anheuser-Busch Brewery, Saint Louis

Anheuser-Busch Brewery is a historic brewing complex and one of the oldest brewing businesses in the United States. Its history began in 1852 when George Schneider founded the Bavarian Brewery in South St. Louis, which would later be renamed the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Association in 1879. Eberhard Anheuser took over the brewery in 1860, and Adolphus Busch joined the business in 1864 before becoming a partner in 1869. Together, they expanded the company through innovations such as pasteurization and refrigerated rail transport.

During Prohibition, the company remained active by expanding production of yeast, malt syrup, ice cream, and Bevo, a non-alcoholic cereal beverage introduced in 1916, before resuming beer production after the ban ended. The 142-acre historic district includes more than 130 buildings and structures, many designed in the Romanesque Revival style with red-brick façades, towers, arched windows, and decorative ironwork. It received federal National Historic Landmark designation in 1966. The grounds also feature historic brew houses, landscaped courtyards, and an octagonal stable built in 1885 for Adolphus Busch's carriage and draft horses.

The world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales were introduced on April 7, 1933, when August A. Busch Jr. and Adolphus Busch III presented them to their father, August A. Busch Sr., to celebrate the partial repeal of Prohibition and the return of legal beer. Today, guided tours explain the brewing process through historic equipment and modern production facilities while highlighting the brewery's heritage and the enduring role of the Clydesdales. Beer tastings, seasonal programs, and special events are also part of the visitor experience.