The Spoeltz Brewery

Shiner ,TX     August 17, 2001

I enjoy a good beer now and then often I choose a Shiner Bock beer.  One day driving through Texas I had a chance to stop at the little brewery where this beer comes from.  This brewery was established in 1909  and the first brewmaser was a Bavarian named Kosmos Spoetzl.  In the 1940's they built a brick building that still stands as the visitors center (upper left picture) and tasting room.  On the right is the new brew house it was built in the early 90's.  I took the free tour.  It started in the old building inside the arch way.  The we went up stairs in the new building.  Inside the glass windows and the big copper kettles where the ingredients for the beer are mixed and cooked.  The tour guide would not let us take any pictures up there.  We could also not touch any of the seven shiney copper brew kettles.  The picture on the lower right is under the tank room.  This room is filled with the storage tanks for the fermenting process.  There are many pipes under the tanks that connect them together and move the beer around.  I found it amusing that this pipe was labeled "BEER".  Shiner Texas is about half way between San Antonio and Houston, Texas.