Christian Walter, the son of a cobbler, was born in Bergfelden, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. He was one of twelve children, five of them brothers who would grow up to form a brewing dynasty in the American heartland.

After Christian finished his education in Germany he drove a milk wagon for two years. He emigrated to America in 1872 and landed in Milwaukee Wisconsin on June 12th with five dollars in his pocket. Within the week he had found work in a brewery (possibly Fred Miller) but the job did not suit him, and he left after a few months.

He lived four years in Milwaukee and worked at Miller, Pabst and Sweigert & Gettelman. He then left town and set up shops in several Wisconsin cities over the next three years, staying only a few months in each. These business ventures by all accounts didn't end in failure, on the contrary he was seemingly never satisfied, or perhaps he soaked up all the knowledge he could, or maybe he was simply looking for a better situation.

In 1877 Walter, now 21, opened a saloon in Appleton, Wisconsin. Two years later he relocated his business to the town of Freedom, then later to Apple Creek. In 1887 he returned to Appleton and worked for his brother George for six months. Then in 1888 investor Frank Fries hired Christian and his younger brother Martin to operate a brewery that he'd just purchased called the Island City, in Menasha, Wisconsin.

The brewery was only eight years old but the Walter Brothers rebuilt it into a state-of-the-art facility. By 1891 the company had turned such a profit that the brothers were able to buy out Fries's stake. From then on out it was called the Walter Bros. Brewing Company.

Christian married Amelia Buchsler on the 28th of November 1875. Miss Buchsler (also Bixler) was also a German immigrant. She had crossed the Atlantic just three years earlier, an orphan at age 16. Their union would produce seven children. Despite its 100 mile proximity to several of the largest breweries in America the Walter Bros. Brewing Company was able to carve out a substantial and loyal territory in northeastern Wisconsin. Sales were strong right up until Prohibition shut them down in 1920.

Christian Walter died at his home in Los Angeles on August 10th, 1932. He was 76 years of age. The town, despite being 12 years into Prohibition hung their flags at half-staff at the news of his death. Had Walter lived another year he would have seen barrels once again rolling through the doors of the family business. As it was, the Walter Bros. Brewery delivered their first post-Repeal beer on July 1st 1933. The firm had retained its reputation, and kept and grew its loyal customer base even in this new era in which the Milwaukee breweries enjoyed even more power. The brewery ultimately closed in 1956 and the brewery buildings were razed in 1960.

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