H.R. No. 1256
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The K. Spoetzl Brewery, an enterprise that has won
the loyalty of legions of beer lovers across the country, is
celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding in 2009; and
WHEREAS, Established in 1909 by Shiner-area residents of
German and Czech descent, the brewery was long led by Kosmos
Spoetzl, a Bavarian-born brewmaster who began working at the plant
in 1914 and who purchased it the following year; after his passing
in 1950, his daughter, Cecile, carried on with the family business
until 1966; to oversee the actual production of the beer during that
period, she chose a cousin, August Hasselbeck, who was the son of a
Bavarian malt master; in 1966, "Miss Celie" hired John Hybner, who,
over the course of his nearly 40-year career there, earned the
distinction of being the company's longest-serving brewmaster; and
WHEREAS, For decades, beer from the Spoetzl Brewery remained
little-known outside of Shiner and its vicinity; that began to
change in the 1970s, as more and more people began to encounter
Shiner at Austin venues for the burgeoning local music scene; with
the advent of the South by Southwest festival in 1987, word of mouth
by thousands of festival attendees raised the profile of the beer
even higher; "Austin," in the view of current brewmaster Jimmy
Mauric, "introduced Shiner to the world"; and
WHEREAS, In 1989, the San Antonio-based Gambrinus Company,
headed by Carlos Alvarez, purchased the Spoetzl Brewery, opening
yet another chapter in the annals of Shiner beer; along with
building a new brewhouse and a quality assurance laboratory,
Gambrinus dramatically increased the production of Shiner Bock and
set about enlarging its geographical market; and
WHEREAS, Today, with the ability to produce some 600,000
barrels annually, Spoetzl ranks as the largest craft brewery in the
South; its beer is sold in 38 states and the Cayman Islands, and
Shiner Bock has become the number one specialty beer in Texas and
one of the most popular in the nation at large; and
WHEREAS, The centennial of the Spoetzl Brewery is being
celebrated with the release of several limited edition beers, a
series of concerts sponsored by Gambrinus around the country, and
the publication of an extensively researched history titled Shine
On: 100 Years of Shiner Beer, by Mike Renfro; and
WHEREAS, A homegrown brewery that is steeped in small-town
pride and the rich heritage of the Lone Star State, the Spoetzl
Brewery constitutes a classic Texas success story, and it is a
privilege to join in recognizing this special milestone in its long
and colorful history; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 100th anniversary of the
founding of the K. Spoetzl Brewery and extend to all those
associated with the business sincere best wishes for continued good
fortune; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the Spoetzl Brewery as an expression of high regard by
the Texas House of Representatives.
Morrison
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1256 was adopted by the House on April
29, 2009, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House