Spoetzl Brewery

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|- |Location |Shiner, Texas
United States

|- |Owner |Gambrinus Company
San Antonio, Texas
United States

|- |Year opened |1909

|- !style="background:#ECC850; font-size: 120%" align="center" colspan=2| Beers |- style="font-size: 90%;" |Shiner Blonde |Lager

|- style="font-size: 90%;" |Shiner Bock |Bock

|- style="font-size: 90%;" |Shiner Hefe-Weizen |Hefe weizen

|- style="font-size: 90%;" |Shiner Light |Light Lager

|- style="font-size: 90%;" |Shiner Kölsch |Kölsch

|- style="font-size: 90%;" |Shiner Dunkelweizen |Dark Wheat Ale

|- |align=center colspan=2| |} Known as the "Little brewery in Shiner," the Spoetzl Brewery is an American brewery located in Shiner, Texas that is wholly owned by the Gambrinus Company. The brewery is most well known for producing Shiner Bock, a dark Texas-style beer.

Long a regional favorite, particularly among college students, Shiner Bock is now distributed as far west as California, as far north as Minnesota and as far east as Virginia.

When visiting Austin, Texas in 1996 for a week long film festival, director Quentin Tarantino quipped that he was "draining the town of Shiner." Hornaday, Ann. "Tarantino's film festival hits home with Austinites." Austin American-Statesman. Aug. 10, 1996. Page E-1.

History

The "Little Brewery" was established in Shiner, Texas, in 1909 by German and Czech immigrant farmers eager to satisfy their thirst for the old-world brews of their homelands. In 1914, they hired Bavarian brewmaster, Kosmos Spoetzl, whose recipes, expertise and passion for brewing excellence served as the basis of Shiner's first official beer, known today as Shiner Blonde. In March 1915, Kosmos purchased the Shiner Brewery and thus began his 35-year stewardship. During that time, the brewery remained in operation throughout Prohibition (1920-1933) by making ice and "near" beer, and later went on to enjoy steady growth and prosperity as Shiner Beers became a local favorite. In the late 1940s, Kosmos oversaw an addition to the brewery that introduced the distinctive white-brick architecture that defines the building today. In tribute to our original brewmaster, the home of Shiner Beer is still known as K. Spoetzl Brewery. We are Texas's oldest independently owned and operated brewery. We continue to handcraft beer in small batches with the same pride Kosmos Spoetzl put into every bottle nearly a century ago. We invite you to visit us in Shiner and see for yourself--we'll save a cold one for you.

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