The Wagner House

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Mission

Our Manifesto

  • Do the opposite of what you were taught in school.
  • Care not for the opinions of others. They are based on their own thoughts and fears.
  • Study the work of other rebels. Research with fury and don’t take no for an answer.
  • Forget about the competition; they are on a different path than you. Trends are for suckers.
  • Do things that scare you on a regular basis so you don’t fall asleep. And if you don’t like something, change it.
  • Exercise your voice and put your thoughts, ideas, and opinions out into the world, even if it’s scary.
  • Expand your horizons. Leave home and visit other places and cultures.
  • Never limit your playtime, even if your brain is telling you otherwise.
  • Question everything.
  • Follow your heart—you will always find yourself there.

Blog Post

Many Moons

It has been five years since we really went to work and refurbished the Wagner Printing Building into The Wagner House. I was recently asked, once again, why we named our venue The Wagner House. Well…for starters it is on the building and not likely to be changed any time soon. In reality it is about respecting the community and the families that created our wonderful city. We can’t begin to thank the founding families for the opportunities that they created for us. At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter what the businesses inside The Wagner House call themselves. Too many moons have passed. The building will always have been built by a wonderful family with a rich history starting in 1854, continuing with the construction of The Wagner Printing Building in 1903, and allowing our family to continue the story of The Wagner House. Too many moons have passed since I shared that first beer on opening day in March 2016 with Mark Wagner. Too many moons since we have toasted good health with glasses raised together. We look forward to the day when we can sit with all of you and share what we did in 2020 and how much we appreciate all the great things we look forward to for many moons to come.

Blog Post

Angostura Makes It Better

I mean bitters is bitters…right? There are so many bitters to add to cocktails and Angostura is the best! It’s a bold statement but we add Angostura to any and everything to balance and complete cocktails. Orange twist and angostura in Port? The Old Fashioned and the Manhattan. Wait a minute lets even go to Harvard? They didn’t’ use Angostura for nothing in the early 1800s. They used it because Angostura makes everything better.

Really its nothing new. A German surgeon general in Simon Bolivar’s army in Venezuela used it for its restorative properties and began to sell it in 1824. Since Angostura won a medal at the Weltausstellung 1873 Wien (The medal is still depicted on the oversized label, along with reverse which shows Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria in profile) the closely guarded secret has become a staple of cocktail culture…because everything is better with Angostura Bitters.

If you want to change your life and make a better gin and tonic…add 3 dashes bitters.

Outside of the staples that we all know and love try adding bitters to your Mojito, Pisco or Whiskey Sour, or favorite Champagne cocktail!

Tell us your favorite bitters secret! We would love to hear from you!

Visit

  • 1 E Spring St Ste 4338
  • Freeport, IL 61032
  • US

Contact

(815) 232-4408
events@wagnerhouseil.com

For an appointment, call during office hours or email.

Hours

Tuesday | 11am - 4pm

Wednesday - Thursday | 11am - 9pm

Friday - Saturday | 11 am – 10 pm

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