Reisch Charities

Reisch Charities is a non profit 501 C3 organization. Supported by a Board of Directors and a group of breweriana collectors called the Reisch Brew Crew. Our goal is to save, support and share the history of Springfield, Illinois and its brewing history. 

2019 will mark 170 years since Reisch Gold Top Beer has been brewed by the Reisch Family. All profits of Reisch Gold Top Beer will go to support Springfield, Illinois heritage sites.

In 1849 our brewery founder started what was to be Springfield, Illinois' longest operating brewery. Surviving multiple prohibition events in the 19th and 20th centuries by making things like bricks, near beer, brake pads, soda, and ice cream. The Reisch Brewery finally closed in 1966 due to competition from the big national brewers' ability to have multiple breweries across the nation delivering their brand to local consumers. The property was sold to Memorial Medical Center who later donated the land to Southern Illinois University to make way for the Southern Illinois University (SIU)  school of medicine which sits on the brewery's old property.