Yoerg Brewing Company
 Engraving of the Yoerg Brewery c. 1866 | |
| Opened | 1848 |
|---|---|
| Closed | 1952 |
| Key people | Anthony Yoerg |
| Owner | Anthony Yoerg |
| Website | yoergbeer |
The Yoerg Brewing Company (YBC), historically known as the Yoerg Brewery, was a brewing company in Saint Paul, Minnesota founded by German immigrant Anthony Yoerg. The Yoerg Brewing Company was the first brewery in Minnesota Territory founded in 1848.:16 The company survived prohibition in the United States before ceasing operations in 1952.:5
History
Anthony Yoerg (1816–1896) was a German-American immigrant born in Gundelfingen an der Donau on October 5, 1816.:16:4 Yoerg emigrated to the United States in 1845 and originally settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before moving to Galena, Illinois and ultimately settling in Minnesota Territory by 1848 in Saint Paul.:16
Around 1848 Yoerg created his own small brewing company along the Mississippi River.:16:4 Yoerg's brewery is credited as the first brewery in Minnesota Territory and was the only brewery in the city until 1853.:4 Yoerg chose to erect his brewery along the east bank of the Mississippi River near the modern-day Irvine Park Historic District in order to excavate caves in the bluffs where he could lager his beer.:323
In 1871, Yoerg's brewery expanded to the west side bluffs on Ohio Street in Saint Paul.:4 By 1881 Yoerg's brewery was processing 20,000 barrels of beer annually and by 1891, 35,000 barrels.:4 Yoerg's "cave aged beer", as it was eventually advertised, became a notable selling point due to Yoerg's unique lagering process.:3 During prohibition in the United States, Yoerg's brewery suffered in sales but stayed in business by producing soft drinks and low-alcohol beer.:5
By 1941, the YBC had filed for bankruptcy, despite escaping its debts the company continued to decline, never again hitting its pre-prohibition sales. By 1952 flooding from the Mississippi River caused production to stagnate and decline further. The YBC officially closed by 1952 after three generations of family ownership.:5 A fire in 1958 destroyed the brewery building, which was located on Ohio Street near Isabel Street in Saint Paul.
Revival
Beginning in 2016 Yoerg's beer was resurrected by Carol Minogue and Thomas Keim of Saint Paul. Minogue and Keim began a contract with the Octopi Brewing Company out of Waunakee, Wisconsin to reproduce Yoerg's beer. Minogue and Keim eventually leased property for the modern-day YBC at 378 Maria Avenue in Saint Paul's Dayton's Bluff neighborhood. YBC employees Barry Madore and Jason Pattit purchased the company from Minogue and Keim in 2026.
Legacy
Yoerg's home, the Anthony Yoerg Sr. House, located in Saint Paul's West Side neighborhood survives and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for Ramsey County, Minnesota. The house is Second Empire style and was completed in 1875 by Monroe Sheire. The property was added to the National Register on May 29, 1989.
References
- 1 2 3 4 Bell, James B. (1996). "Minnesota's First Brewery: Yoerg's Final Years, 1933-1952" (PDF). Ramsey County History. 31 (2) – via Ramsey County Historical Society.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Brueggemann, Gary J. (February 16, 1981). "Beer Capital of the State: St. Paul's Historic Family Breweries" (PDF). Ramsey County History. 16 (2) – via Ramsey County Historical Society.
- ↑ Shepard, Robin (2011-06-24). Minnesota's Best Breweries and Brewpubs. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press. p. 323. ISBN 978-0-299-28244-8.
- 1 2 Nelson, Paul. "Yoerg Brewery". Saint Paul Historical. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Peck, Lauren (June 28, 2019). "Yoerg Beer - Then and Now". Minnesota Good Age. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ↑ Ngo, Nancy (2016-09-30). "Yoerg Brewing Co. to be resurrected on St. Paul's West Side". Twin Cities. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
- ↑ "Minnesota's First Beer To Make A Comeback". cbsnews.com. April 9, 2016. Archived from the original on August 16, 2025. Retrieved October 25, 2026.
- ↑ Nelson, Rick (July 11, 2018). "Reborn version of St. Paul's first brewery opening in former Strip Club restaurant". The Minnesota Star Tribune. Retrieved October 25, 2026.
- ↑ Lynch, Kevin (April 1, 2026). "St. Paul's 170-year-old Yoerg Brewing sold to employees". Minneapolis/ St. Paul Business Journal. Retrieved October 25, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - 1 2 3 Nord, Mary Ann (2003). The National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota: a Guide. Saint Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press. pp. 194. ISBN 0-87351-448-3.