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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The K. Spoetzl Brewery, an enterprise that has won |
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the loyalty of legions of beer lovers across the country, is |
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celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding in 2009; and |
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WHEREAS, Established in 1909 by Shiner-area residents of |
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German and Czech descent, the brewery was long led by Kosmos |
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Spoetzl, a Bavarian-born brewmaster who began working at the plant |
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in 1914 and who purchased it the following year; after his passing |
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in 1950, his daughter, Cecile, carried on with the family business |
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until 1966; to oversee the actual production of the beer during that |
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period, she chose a cousin, August Hasselbeck, who was the son of a |
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Bavarian malt master; in 1966, "Miss Celie" hired John Hybner, who, |
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over the course of his nearly 40-year career there, earned the |
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distinction of being the company's longest-serving brewmaster; and |
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WHEREAS, For decades, beer from the Spoetzl Brewery remained |
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little-known outside of Shiner and its vicinity; that began to |
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change in the 1970s, as more and more people began to encounter |
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Shiner at Austin venues for the burgeoning local music scene; with |
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the advent of the South by Southwest festival in 1987, word of mouth |
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by thousands of festival attendees raised the profile of the beer |
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even higher; "Austin," in the view of current brewmaster Jimmy |
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Mauric, "introduced Shiner to the world"; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1989, the San Antonio-based Gambrinus Company, |
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headed by Carlos Alvarez, purchased the Spoetzl Brewery, opening |
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yet another chapter in the annals of Shiner beer; along with |
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building a new brewhouse and a quality assurance laboratory, |
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Gambrinus dramatically increased the production of Shiner Bock and |
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set about enlarging its geographical market; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, with the ability to produce some 600,000 |
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barrels annually, Spoetzl ranks as the largest craft brewery in the |
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South; its beer is sold in 38 states and the Cayman Islands, and |
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Shiner Bock has become the number one specialty beer in Texas and |
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one of the most popular in the nation at large; and |
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WHEREAS, The centennial of the Spoetzl Brewery is being |
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celebrated with the release of several limited edition beers, a |
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series of concerts sponsored by Gambrinus around the country, and |
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the publication of an extensively researched history titled Shine |
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On: 100 Years of Shiner Beer, by Mike Renfro; and |
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WHEREAS, A homegrown brewery that is steeped in small-town |
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pride and the rich heritage of the Lone Star State, the Spoetzl |
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Brewery constitutes a classic Texas success story, and it is a |
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privilege to join in recognizing this special milestone in its long |
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and colorful history; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 100th anniversary of the |
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founding of the K. Spoetzl Brewery and extend to all those |
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associated with the business sincere best wishes for continued good |
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fortune; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the Spoetzl Brewery as an expression of high regard by |
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the Texas House of Representatives. |