Brewery Profile

Excel Brewing Co

In Breese, Illinois, the beer scene is closely tied to local identity, and Excel Brewing Co. stands out because it is not just a newer craft stop but a continuing piece of brewing and bottling history. Operating since 1936, it is one of the nation’s few remaining independent family bottlers and is known for maintaining the only returnable bottling line left in Illinois. A visitor walking in should expect a small-town operation where the story is as much about bottles, continuity, and local loyalty as it is about the beer itself. Its craft brews share the spotlight with Ski soda, a familiar name that has helped carry the company beyond Breese into the greater St. Louis area.

Travelers moving through this part of Illinois often look for places that feel rooted in the region rather than interchangeable with breweries in larger cities. A stop here fits that interest well: it offers a chance to connect beer with a broader beverage tradition, including soda production and returnable packaging, instead of focusing only on rotating tap lists or trend-driven styles. For visitors who plan brewery stops around history, local manufacturing, or independent producers, Excel Brewing Co. offers a different kind of context. It is a reminder that Midwestern brewing culture includes long-running family bottlers as well as modern taprooms, and that a brewery visit can be about process and place as much as what is in the glass.

Practical details should be confirmed directly before making the trip, especially if you are planning around hours, tours, food, seating, or packaged beer availability. The taproom is the place to confirm the day’s pours, and staff can clarify what craft brews and Ski soda products are currently available. Because the returnable bottling line is central to the brewery’s identity, it is also worth asking on site how bottle returns or purchases are handled rather than assuming a specific process. Visitors coming from the greater St. Louis area can treat Breese as a small-town detour with a clear local focus: an independent brewery and bottler that has remained part of its community for generations.

Deep in Breese, Illinois, Excel Brewing Co. is a rare piece of American brewing history, operating since 1936 as one of the nation's few remaining independent family bottlers. They proudly maintain the only returnable bottling line left in Illinois, a testament to their commitment to tradition and quality. While their craft brews and famous Ski soda now reach the greater St. Louis area, this cherished mom-and-pop operation remains a local institution built on heritage and community.

Website available

488 S Broadway, Breese, Illinois, 62230-1805

Phone: +1 618-526-7159

Website: http://www.excelbottling.com

Hours: Monday 8:00am - 4:30pm Tuesday 8:00am - 4:30pm Wednesday Closed Thursday 8:00am - 4:30pm Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm Saturday 8:00am - 12:00pm Sunday Closed