In 1973, Point Special brand beer was rated the top American beer in a taste test as reported by Mike Royko, a prominent columnist for the Chicago Daily News.

In 1990, the company first began selling its product outside Wisconsin, in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Minnesota.

The new ownership was unique for Barton in that Point beer was its only domestic product line, with all of its other offerings being imports.

In 2002, the company was sold back to Wisconsin ownership by Milwaukee-based real estate developers Joe Martino and Jim Wiechmann.

[12] In 2003, Point Special won the gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival in the premium lager category.