The Past, The Crash, The Future!
Written by Duane Kuss,
Research and Photos by Stearns History Museum and Gluek Brewing Company
(PART I of III Part Series)
In a city known internationally as home to one of the largest granite companies in the world, the Cold Spring name is also well recognized for its 130-year-old brewery, now home of the Gluek Brewing Company. For most of these years the brewery operated as the Cold Spring Brewing Company.
It was in 1874 that Michael Sargl, an immigrant German brewmeister (brewing master) opened his brewery at the site of "Pure Spring Waters." The modern day brewery still stands on the same site where Sargl had a dream to brew beer like he did back in the "old country".
Ownership at the brewery changed hands a number of times in the early years until late in the 1890's when John Oster became a partner due to some interesting circumstances. Although Oster's experience with brewing beer was limited at best, he was the proud owner of a steam engine that could no longer be used as a threshing machine. The engine was mounted on wheels allowing it to be moved from field to field and farm to farm. This mobility was an important feature where this engine could now be moved from place to place within the brewery. Until 1890 the barley used in the brew batch was refined using horses and a treadmill. This steam engine on wheels became a new grain refining innovation at the brewery and as the result Oster became a part owner with a half interest in the company.
John Oster's second partner was Henry Hilt and with this new partnership the brewery was known as Oster & Hilt. Hilt had hay fever health problems which were severe enough that he traveled to Washington to try to find respite . He returned to Cold Spring for a short time but his health issues continued to plague him. Hilt soon approached a relative of his named Ferdinand Peters to take over the business for him. Peters bought Hilt's half interest in the brewery and the name was now changed to Oster & Peters.
The new partnership made a strategic change in direction in 1900 when they hired Eugene Hermanutz as their brewmaster and offered him part ownership. Together the new trio became incorporated and the Cold Spring Brewing Company was born. Oster and Peters also had ownership interest in the Cold Spring Granite Company. This proved to be very important as an avenue by which the brewery was able to provide for its increasing capital needs.
The early 1900's were lucrative years for the brewery. This is evident by the homes each of the three owners built across the street from the brewery and on the other side of Brewery Creek. John Oster was first to build his home in 1907. Eugene and Mary Hermanutz built their home on North Red River Road. They had six sons who eventually all worked at the brewery. The two youngest sons apprenticed under their father and became master brewers.
PICTURE QUOTE
In
this 1910 photograph men are shown relaxing with Cold Spring beer.
Quoted on the right hand photograph: “ Automobile Riding May Be Fine,
but Cold Spring Beer for Mine.”
Early in the Cold Spring Brewing Company history it began bottling its uniquely pure spring water. As the winds of prohibition began blowing in 1917, the brewery introduced its new label creating Cold Spring Mineral Water. As prohibition hit on July 1, 1919, no beer could be sold with more than one-half percent of alcohol by volume. All the beer that was on hand at the brewery had to be dumped and disposed of. Federal agents arrived at the brewery unexpectedly and dumped the beer into the creek.
PICTURE QUOTE:
At
Cold Spring the federal agents arrived unexpectedly and dumped the beer
into the creek. Oster and Peters stood by and watched the sorry event.
John Oster is seen (middle) scratching his head and Ferdinand Peters
with his hands on his hips. The federal agent, Peter Kolling is on the
far right. Hermanutz had to leave, unable to watch his beer being
destroyed.
Part I of III part series.
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