United States
New Ulm, MN
August Schell
|
August Schell was born in 1828 in Durbach, Germany, located in the heart of the famous German "Schwartzwald", otherwise known as the Black Forest region. August received an early education as a machinist/engineer but after a short time, became intrigued by the opportunities overseas. In 1848 he bid farewell to his mother and father, leaving his homeland in search of success in the United States.
August arrived in New Orleans and continued up the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers to Cincinnati where he worked as a machinist in a locomotive factory. It was here that he met the love of his life, Theresa Hermann. Theresa, also a German immigrant, and August wed in 1853 and would remain married for the rest of their lives.
In 1856, August, Theresa and their two baby daughters headed to Minnesota along with a group of fellow Germans known as the Cincinnati Turner Society. The Turner Society had heard from a group of German settlers in Southern Minnesota who were in need of skilled workers. The two groups merged and formed the town of New Ulm.
Once in New Ulm, August wasted no time in finding a job as a machinist in a flour mill, however as the years passed, August realized that good German beer was difficult to find in such a small, rural area. In the fall of 1860, August partnered up with Jacob Bernhardt, a former brewmaster at the Benzberg Brewery in St. Paul, MN (what today is known as the Minnesota Brewing Company). They erected a small brewery just two miles from town along the banks of the Cottonwood River. During their first year of operation they produced 200 barrels of beer, a very small amount based on today’s standards.
The location of the brewery was ideal. Aside from the beauty of it’s natural surroundings (August was especially fond of his hikes into the woods), the brewery was located next to an artesian spring, providing exceptionally pure water for brewing. It’s proximity to the Cottonwood River gave the brewery a means of transporting beer and supplies, and the river also became essential to the refrigeration process. Each winter, large blocks of ice would be harvested and hauled up the hill where they would be stored in underground caves. The ice would keep the caves cool throughout the spring and early summer in order to allow proper ageing and fermentation of the beer.
But along with the rewards also came the risks. New Ulm, as many settlers back then realized, was located in the heart of Dakota Indian country. In the early days of the brewery, many of the Dakota Sioux Tribe visited the brewery where Mrs. Schell often provided them with food. This good will proved to be a blessing for the brewery. In 1862, southern Minnesota was the focal point of the "Sioux Uprising", otherwise known as the "Dakota Conflict". While buildings were burned and ransacked in New Ulm and other towns in the region, the brewery remained untouched due to the kindness of the Schell family.
In 1866, Jacob Bernhardt became ill and decided to sell his share of the brewery. In order to command as high a price as possible August agreed to place the entire brewery up for sale to the highest bidder. August’s bid of $12,000 won out and he became the sole owner of the business.
The early years were good for the Schell family. August and Theresa raised six children; two sons, Adolph and Otto, and four daughters, Emma, Emelia, Anna and Augusta. The brewery flourished as additions were built to the existing brewery, many of which continue to grace the brewery grounds, a testament to the enduring Legacy of Schell’s.
At the age of 50, August became stricken with severe arthritis which greatly affected his activities within the brewery. While still maintaining an executive role with the brewery, August handed over the management responsibilities to his eldest son Adolph and the bookkeeping responsibilities to his youngest son Otto. However, Adolph soon moved his family to California leaving Otto and his brother-in-law George Marti to run the brewery.
In 1885, August and Theresa built the exquisite Schell Mansion on the brewery grounds, complete with formal gardens and deer park, all of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. As August’s arthritis worsened, he would enjoy spending his days in the solitude of the gardens watching the constant hum and activity at the brewery.
August died on September 20, 1891 at the age of 63, leaving the brewery to Theresa with Otto as manager. While the brewery mourned the loss of it’s founder, Otto became it’s driving force. By the turn of the century, Otto was busy spending time between the brewery and his brewing education in Germany. In 1902 the brewery was incorporated and Otto was elected president, his mother Theresa was elected vice-president, and brother-in-law George became secretary-treasurer.
Otto and his wife Adelia became a very prominent couple in the New Ulm community, active in many social, civic and financial endeavors, but once again fate dealt the Schell family a cruel hand. Otto’s sudden death on January 14, 1911 stunned the community and struck a terrible blow to the family. Theresa, in her grief, would die just four months later on May 21, 1911.
George Marti, husband to Emma - August and Theresa’s daughter, was handed the reigns of the company. Though the name associated with management changed at that time, it was and is still kept totally within the confines of the Schell family and it’s descendants. With George’s guidance, Schell’s Brewery would continue to build on it’s legacy of making the finest beers.
Prosperity soon met it’s fate with the start of Prohibition in 1919. Just prior to Prohibition, there were over 1900 breweries in the country. By the time it was repealed fourteen years later, only 600 breweries remained. August Schell Brewery was among the fortunate. The brewery shifted gears, producing "near beer", assorted soft drinks and candy, all of which helped keep the machinery running and the transition back to brewing beer that much easier.
George passed away in 1934 and the brewery management was passed on to his son, Alfred Marti. Al was known as the fun-loving sort who loved music almost as much as beer he brewed. This was evident in the group of musicians he gathered together and sponsored. A group fondly known as the Schell’s Hobo Band. Known for their circus-style music as well as their antics, the band has become famous across the region and still entertain young and old to this day.
Al retired in 1969 and was succeeded by his son, Warren Marti. Warren was the "Jack of all Trades"; World War II veteran, teacher, bookkeeper, salesman, gardener, brewmaster and father. Similar to his family that preceded him, Warren was dedicated to the brewery and the community that surrounded it. Under his leadership, Schell’s introduced new styles of beer into the market including Schell’s Export and Schell’s Light. But Warren also saw beyond the beer market and tapped into the soft drink market with 1919 Root Beer, a continued favorite to this day.
Warren’s era also saw the introduction of the beer can, and many still remember Schell’s for the award winning, scenic designs that graced many of their cans. By the time Warren retired in 1978, the Schell’s brewery was experiencing unprecedented success. So called "mega-breweries" were dominating the beer industry and many of the smaller, regional breweries were beginning to disappear, but Warren’s persistence kept Schell’s thriving and ready for the entrepreneurial spirit of his son Ted.
Ted Marti took the helm at Schell’s in 1985, and similar to his father, had spent most of his upbringing around the brewery. His education was extensive, including studies at the Siebel’s Institute of Brewing in Chicago, as well as at numerous breweries in Germany.
With this expertise under his belt, Ted decided to take Schell’s to a new level by introducing their own line of "specialty" beers. Schell’s hit the ground running with styles ranging from Alt to Pils and Pale Ale to Weizen, and it wasn’t long before a number of these exceptional beers became medal winners.
Ted’s reputation as an accomplished brewmaster grew within the industry, and along with that growth came an increase in the number of contract beers Schell’s produced.
The brewery currently makes 37 different beers, of which 21 are contracted lines sold under different names.
In 1999, the brewery invested in their growth by building on to the existing brewery and adding a new state-of-the-art brewhouse. With four, imported, stainless steel kettles each operating a different stage of the brewing process, Schell’s has improved it’s efficiency and quality, setting the stage for continued success into the 21st century.
Over 140 years have slipped by since the first barrel of beer rolled off the docks at Schell’s, making it the second oldest, continuously family owned brewery in the country. And similar to August’s pride back in 1860, the family today strives to provide the finest beers to the people that love it.
(Info from: August Schell, 2002)
|