On This Date In Twin Cities History - July 6, 1849

On this date in 1849, Bavarian immigrant Anthony Yoerg opens Minnesota’s first brewery located in St. Paul below what is now the River Center parking ramp on the east side of downtown. In 1871, Yoerg moved his brewery to the west side bluffs at Ohio Street, two blocks south of what is now Water Street. At that location he built a large stone brewery and excavated nearly a mile of caves to keep his beer cool. Sold using the label “Yoerg’s Cave Aged Beer,” the brewery produced 35,000 barrels per year by 1891 making it one of Minnesota’s largest brewers. Yeorg himself passed away in 1896, but the business kept operating through the Great Depression, as well as, Prohibition. The brewery finally closed in 1952.