MAKE MINE A SHINER

Spoetzl Brewery, legacy of German immigrant brewmaster Kosmas Spoetzl whose vitae included a stint at the Pyramid Brewery in Egypt, is home to the Texas brew known nation-wide as Shiner. Spoetzl took over the Shiner Brewing Association’s operations in 1914, a local brewery founded in 1909 in the future community of Shiner, transforming it into an innovative family enterprise. With the exception of a brief period of altered productivity (the Prohibition years) in which a close proximity to beer (known as “near beer”) was brewed, the brewery has been producing its signature Bavarian elixir for almost a century. The operation, now housed in a white brick building built in 1947 and reminiscent of the Alamo in design, continues to produce a selection of over a half-dozen locally-brewed beers including a classic American Pale Ale, a wheat brew known as a Hefewizen, a special “Holiday Cheer” brewed with peaches and roasted pecans, and the traditional Bock, a deep amber Bavarian standard. Heritage brew fans can tour the Spoetzl Brewery (and sample the goods) most non-holiday weekdays.

Watch our German Texan Culture video to learn more about German Texan cultural heritage in Texas. This video was produced for inclusion in our German Texans mobile tour found in our Texas Time Travel Tours mobile app. Download the app for more videos and travel information: