| |
| |
|
|
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 |
| |