August Schell Brewing Company


The August Schell Brewing Company is a brewing company in New Ulm, Minnesota that was founded by German immigrant August Schell in 1860. It is the second oldest family-owned brewery in America and became the oldest and largest brewery in Minnesota when the company bought the Grain Belt rights in 2002. In September 2010, the brewery celebrated its 150th Anniversary with a two-day festival. Every year, Schell's also celebrates traditional German holidays with Bock Fest and Oktoberfest. The current brewery is owned and operated by the August Schell Brewing Company, a Minnesota corporation that was incorporated in 1902.

History

August Schell emigrated to the United States in 1848. He worked in Cincinnati as a machinist before relocating to New Ulm with other members of the Turner Society. Upon moving to New Ulm, building on his experience as a machinist, he established a mill. In 1860, August Schell partnered with Jacob Bernhardt to found a brewery to serve the growing German immigrant population in the area. August and Jacob selected a site two miles from the heart of New Ulm along the Cottonwood River. While much of the city of New Ulm was damaged or burned during the Dakota War of 1865, the brewery escaped intact. In 1866, August Schell bought out his partner Jacob Bernahrdt to take sole ownership of the brewery, starting an unbroken chain of family ownership that continues to this day. During this time, the brewery grew in size and production.
August Schell died in 1891 leaving the brewery to his wife Theresa. Their son Otto took over managing the brewery. Otto had studied brewing back in the Schells' home country of Germany. As the 19th century became the 20th, Otto continued to modernize the brewery by adding refrigeration to the brewery. 1911 was a tragic year for the Schell family as first Otto and then Theresa died. At that time, George Marti, the husband of August's daughter Emma, took over managing and operating the brewery.
1919 brought about the passage of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and implementation of Prohibition. The August Schell Brewing Company struggled along with many other American breweries. The brewery transitioned to producing "near-beer", soft drinks, and candy. Prohibition ended in 1933 with passage of the 21st Amendment. George Marti had successfully steered the brewery through Prohibition, but died shortly thereafter in 1934.
George's son Alfred Marti became the President and Manager of the brewery upon the death of his father. Al ran the brewery until 1969 until he retired and passed leadership of the company to his son Warren Marti. During this time, the brewing industry was going through a period of consolidation and upheaval, and Schell's was not immune. At one point, the brewery only managed to keep its doors open by cutting down a large black walnut tree located on the grounds of the brewery and sold its lumber. During Warren's tenure, the brewery responded to its customers changing preferences by introducing Schell's Export Beer, Schell's Light Beer, and 1919 Root Beer.
In 1984, Warren's son Ted Marti took over operations of the brewery and became President of the brewery in 1985. Having studied at the Siebels Institute of Brewing, Ted began expanding the line of beers offered by the Schell's Brewery. One of those beers, Schell's Pilsener, earned a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 1988. Schell's continued to expand its beer offerings through the 1990s, brewing 38 different beers over that decade.
In 2002, Schell's Brewery expanded its reach by acquiring the recipe and branding for Grain Belt Beer. Upon moving production to its New Ulm Brewery, Schell's introduced additional Grain Belt varieties including Grain Belt Nordeast in 2010, Grain Belt Lock & Dam in 2016, Grain Belt BLU in 2018, and Grain Belt Southwest Cerveza in 2019.
The next generation of the Marti family is increasing its involvement in the management and operation of the brewery. Ted's oldest son Jace Marti became a brewmaster in 2010 and has taken the lead on producing Schell's Noble Star line of sour Berliner Weisse beers. The brewery opened the Starkeller facility on the North side of New Ulm to produce the Noble Star line. This facility also houses a tap room dedicated to these sour ales.
The brewery has continued to update its offerings by retiring long time brews such as Maifest, Schmaltz's Alt, and Pils among others, while adding and IPA, a Kolsch and Cream Ale. In 2020, it is expected that the brewery will release a line of hard seltzers as Grain Belt N'icebreakers as well as a low calorie Grain Belt Elite.

Brewery

The historic Schell's brewery is located in New Ulm, Minnesota alongside the Cottonwood River. The brewery has grown and evolved over the decades to accommodate new technology and expanded production lines. In addition to serving as a production facility, the brewery grounds house the historic Schell's mansion, a gift shop, a beer garden, and a deer enclosure. The grounds are open to visitors with tours running out of the gift shop. Peafowl live on the grounds and are free to roam the property.

Events

The August Schell Brewing Company hosts annual Oktoberfest and Bock Fest celebrations on the grounds of the historic Schell's brewery. Oktoberfest, usually held in early October, features a large fest style tent where the Schell's hobo band plays and the Oktoberfest keg is tapped. Bock Fest, held in late February or early March, features a hunt for Bock beers hidden on the grounds of the brewery and nearby Flandrau State Park. Large fire pits are spread throughout the brewery grounds where attendees can have their beers poked with a hot iron. To highlight and celebrate the sour beers produced under its Starkeller label, an annual event called Funk Junction is held at the Starkeller brewery featuring sour and "funky" beer from breweries across the United States.

Contemporary Beer

Year-round Brews

These beers are available longer than Schell's other seasonal beers. They are available for roughly six months.
s include:
Grain Belt BLU and Schell's Sangria started as beer available exclusively at the Minnesota State Fair, available with or without a frozen slushie on top. Both beers have since been canned and made available throughout Schell's distribution area. In 2018, Schell's released the Starkeller sour beer Two to Tango, Three to Mango at the Minnesota State Fair where is was exclusively available. This was followed up in 2019 with the Minnesota State Fair exclusive Berry Go Round Sour, available at Lulu's Public House at the State Fair.

Noble Star Collection

A collection of specialty beers, all Berlin-style wheat beers or Berliner Weisse, aged in rare cypress fermentation tanks Schell's bought in 1936. Noble Stars are available in select liquor stores as well as Schell's Starkeller facility in New Ulm.
Under its Grain Belt brand, the brewery is releasing hard seltzers in 2020 branded as "N'icebreakers." Samples were served at the 2020 Bockfest celebration, and available flavors include Prickly Pear + Guava.

Shift Happens Miniseries

A "transitional miniseries in four parts," this limited 2020 collection of beers celebrates the 160th anniversary of the brewery.
A collection of innovative and experimental, limited-edition brews released periodically throughout the year. This has evolved to include not beers sold in standalone six packs under the Stag Series label, but also those only available in seasonal variety packs.

Standalone Stag Series

*1995-1997 Beers were called Blizzard Ale
** 1992 Beer was called Xmas Brew

Retired Brews