Casting Agent: "Hops"

This week's edition of "Casting Agent" is for a pay-cable mini series drama focusing on the trials and tribulations of running a brewery during the late 1850s/early 1860s in the United States. It will take place in Milwaukee and focus on a character based on Joseph Schlitz, the power struggles of running a profitable brewery, and more larger themes like the U.S. Civil War. I see this as a "television event"–type series, with six episodes (at most) and no additional series renewal. I'm calling it "Hops."

Characters

Jim Thome as Tom Schlipps, upstart owner of the Knüg Brewery/Schlipps Brewers

Harmon Killebrew as Augustus Knüg, deceased owner of Knüg Brewery (shown in flashback)

Mary Steenburgen as The Widow Knüg and future Mrs. Schlipps

Bob Moose as Lemuel Fjordsson, brewmaster at Knüg Brewery
and rival at Mountain River & Sons Brewery

Walter Johnson as Castleton Parnassus "C.P." Billingsley, local financier

Johnny Bench as Meinhard "Pete" Wermeißer, Schlipps' neighbor and friend

with Johnny Mize as James B. Cross, mayor of Milwaukee and later rival to Schlipps

and Mark Eaton as Martin Bartellschloss, a corrupt policeman
in the new Milwaukee Police Department