Beer was brewed in Detroit as early as 1836. By the eve of the Civil War there were "upward of 40" breweries in Michigan's largest city. One of these was operated by Bernhard Stroh, who began brewing beer in Detroit in the 1850s. By the 1880s, Stroh was Detroit's biggest brewery. In the years following World War II, Stroh fought with Goebel and Pfeiffer for dominance in the city. By 1982, Stroh was the nation's third largest brewery, but Stroh's acquisition of Schlitz led to the closing of the Detroit plant.