Solano Brewery
Vallejo, California, USA · Est. 1854
Tally's Take
Why this matters
California Pass 187. Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum history says German immigrants Charles Widenmann and Peter Rothenbusch founded Solano Brewery in 1854; the brewery became known for Solano Steam Beer, reached 6,000-barrel annual capacity by 1891, and Widenmann continued operating it until 1918. A 1878 Solano County atlas independently identifies Solano Brewery under Widenmann & Rothenbusch, and federal brewer-return data records Vallejo Widenmann & Rothenburg selling 1,722 barrels in 1878 and 1,706 in 1879.
The Beer Library
Beers
Solano Steam Beer
Year-RoundSteam Beer / California Common
California Pass 187. Aliases: https://vallejomuseum.blogspot.com/2008/05/early-vallejo-breweries.html. Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum says Solano Brewery was renowned for its Solano Steam Beer. Exact ABV/recipe remain UNKNOWN.
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Sources
- recordProbable
Brewery record taken from Tally's California master, Pass 187, which cited https://vallejomuseum.blogspot.com/2008/05/early-vallejo-breweries.html for this entry. The cited page has not been opened by the archive.
Tally's California master, Pass 187 (research workbook) · Tally's Beer Universe research workbook · 2026
CommercialMedium reliabilityAccessed 2026-08-19Reviewed 2026-08-19
Only the claims above are sourced. Everything else on this page is the archive's own research and has not yet been tied to a document — which is worth knowing rather than hiding.
Straight answers
Common questions about Solano Brewery
- Who owns Solano Brewery?
- Solano Brewery is independently owned — there is no parent company above it on record. It is based in Vallejo, California, USA.
- Is Solano Brewery independent?
- Yes. Solano Brewery is recorded as independent, with no parent company. Independence is recorded as the brewery states it; where a stake is a minority holding or joint venture, this archive leaves it unmapped rather than calling it ownership.
- Is Solano Brewery still open?
- No. Solano Brewery has closed. California Pass 187. Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum history says German immigrants Charles Widenmann and Peter Rothenbusch founded Solano Brewery in 1854; the brewery became known for Solano Steam Beer, reached 6,000-barrel annual capacity by 1891, and Widenmann continued operating it until 1918. A 1878 Solano County atlas independently identifies Solano Brewery under Widenmann & Rothenbusch, and federal brewer-return data records Vallejo Widenmann & Rothenburg selling 1,722 barrels in 1878 and 1,706 in 1879.
- When was Solano Brewery founded?
- Solano Brewery was founded in 1854 in Vallejo, California, USA.
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