Minnesota’s First Brewery

Minnesota’s first brewery opened in 1848 from the hard work of German immigrant Anthony Yoerg. The Yoerg Brewery thrived for over a century, well known for its Bavarian-style beers. From cave expansion to natural disaster, Minnesota’s first brewery has seen it all.

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Editor: Britt Aamodt

Producer: Autumn Haeg

Editorial support: Emily Krumberger

Mixing & mastering: Chris Harwood

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Transcript

Welcome to MN90: Minnesota History in 90 Seconds.

Minnesota's first brewery opened in 1848 by the hands of German immigrant Anthony Yoerg. The Yoerg Brewing Company practiced German brewing techniques and utilized Minnesota's natural resources like rivers and farmland to grow their own ingredients. The brewery thrived for over a century, well known for its Bavarian style beers. Over time, the brewery grew significantly, Anthony built a stretch of caves along the river that helped boom production. The caves drew the attention and jealousy of every other brewery in the country but also helped to make their company one of the best in the state. They survived Prohibition by expanding into soft drinks and milk production. But in the end, industry changes, like the adoption of corn syrup and rising costs, led to the brewery's decline. The brewery was hit by a flood in 1952 and then a fire in 1958 destroyed the building. Yoerg Brewery was renewed in 2016 so that Minnesota's first brewery can continue to be celebrated.

MN90 is produced by AMPERS, diverse radio for Minnesota's communities, made possible by funding from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Online at MN90.org.