From antique beer bottles to closely guarded recipes and treasured historic architecture, brewery culture has a special place in American history. This fascinating book brings the material culture of breweries in the United States to life, from many regions of the country and from the early productions of the sixteenth century to today's industrial operations. Herman Ronnenberg, a historical archaeologist and brewery expert who participates in major brewery clubs and publishes regularly on the topic, offers something for everyone from scholars to casual beer aficionados. He traces the evolution of techniques, equipment, raw materials, and architecture over five centuries, discusses informal production outside of breweries, and offers detailed information on makers marks, patents, labels, and beer containers that allows readers to identify items in their own collections. Well illustrated with photographs and drawings, this book will be popular with collectors and general readers, and essential for those working in historical archaeology, local history, material culture, and related fields.