Alexander Alex "Boss" Levin was born in Germany.  he arrived in Tucson, Arizona in 1866 and established the Pioneer Brewery in that year. He had a succession of partners the first five years, Frank Hodges, from 1866 to 1869, Julius Goldtree, from 1869 to 1870 and J. W. Hopkins  from 1870 to 1871.  Apparently business was good. 

In the late 1860s Alexander married Zenona Molina in Mexico.  It was a marriage that produced eight children.  

Levin bought wheat's Saloon in around 1869 and purchased the Hodges Hotel in 1870.  He expanded the brewery property into a beer garden and park.  In 1871 he bought out his junior partner Hopkins.   From then on Levin and his wife Zenona managed the Pioneer brewery and their acilary businesses together.

In 1880 the Levins sold the brewery to Joseph Bayer and Lewis Schwartz and they retired to their other businesses.  Alexander Levin died on the 29th of September, 1891.  At the age of 58 years he was described as one of the oldest citizens in the youthful town of Tuscon.