Pearl Brewery

Hey Gang,

Pig here, thanks for joining us here today. I've got something that might interest you. Today my Big Daddy Ray started working on a soil investigation job down at the old Pearl Brewery here in San Antonio. I know that to some of you out there an old brewery may not be as important as what the left wings are up to, or maybe what the politicians have been doing in Washington trying to screw us all over one more time. Of course, an old brewery still may not be as important as what breasts the TSA are feeling up. BTW since work has been so slow, I applied for a job with the TSA. I was turned down be cause I don't have any thumbs. Really bummed me out cause I was looking forward to testing the firmness of some boobies.

The old brewery is one of 2 historic brewery's in San Antonio. The demise of the Pearl brewery happened back in June of 2001. The old buildings left behind are filled with a legacy of old tales. If the walls could talk, what a story they could tell. Nested on the north side of downtown SA and still part of the SA skyline, the buildings continue to serve us as reminder of much simpler times.

I for one, had only consumed Pearl beer one time in my life. I remember when the Big Daddy & Stacey took me to a NIOSA event years back. (they walked me around on a leash, people kept petting my head calling me cute. It was so embarrassing) I, being the pig that I am, consumed mass quantities of Pearl. It was the only beer served at NIOSA, it flowed free and I really indulged myself. It wasn't until I decided I wanted to try some of the local flavors of food when trouble started. I consumed a large order of calf fries. Not long after the last fry dropped into my tum tum, I was informed just what calf fries really are. (fried bull balls) I blew the stew in a massive spray of chunks and beer. With each contraction of my stomach muscles placed a taste of that crap in my mouth which caused me to continue over and over until I passed out from the pain. Never again did I ever drink another drop of Pearl. Oh wait a minute, I was suppose to be talking about the old brewery & simpler times. Sorry about that.

Ray had brought me along to hang out and shoot some pictures while he worked the job. I had a lot of fun just walking around and seeing the old buildings. There was an old guy there, Sam, who works as the grounds keeper. He let me in several locked doors and was able to give me a little history on the place. When I got home, I did a little research online and learned a little bit more.

The first brew house was built and opened in 1881 under the name of J.B. Behloredsky brewery. It was built on the east side of the San Antonio river. To have good beer, one must start with good water. (If you looked at the water in the SA river today you wouldn't think that.) The brewery was purchased in 1883 by a group of SA business men and ran it as The San Antonio Brewery Company. In 1887 they began to produce the Pearl beer from a recipe acquired in Germany. The new brew was introduced on July 4^th. The name Pearl was given to the beer by the German brewmaster who create the recipe because he thought the bubbles in a fresh poured glass of beer looked like pearls (called Perlen). In 1894 the new brick brew house was built. The iconic mansard-roofed tower has been a beloved San Antonio landmark ever since. By 1916 the Pearl brewery grew to the point where they had the capacity to produce 110,000 barrels of beer per year. Now that's what I call a brewery.

 

When prohibition began in 1920 the brewery survived the next 13 years by making near-beer, soda water, dairy products and ice. On September 15, 1933 at 12:01 am, 6000 people gathered at the brewery to watch 100 truck and 25 boxcars loaded with Pearl beer rumble out of the brewery to deliver beer.

In 1952 the company changed the corporation name to The Pearl Brewery to define the name closer to the beer. In 1961 The Pearl brewery acquired the Goetz brewery of St. Joesph MO. They began to produce Pearl there in St. Joesph which allowed the company to sells its beer in 45 states. In 1995 the S&P company of Mill Valley CA. purchased the Pearl brewery and changed the name to Pabst Blue Ribbon. In 1998 Pearl bought up the Stroh brewing company who owned the Lone Star label. In essence Pearl had returned Lone Star back home to San Antonio. In 2001 S&P closed the Pearl brewery and began to have the Miller Brewing company in Fort Worth to brew their beers. The headquarters remained open in San Antonio until 2006 when it was moved to Chicago.

Since 2002, the old brewery has been taken apart piece by piece and sold off. Most of the piping, electrical and tanks have been taken out. Given the age of everything, I would bet there was a lot of old asbestos used as pipe insulation too. There are still a few pieces of outdated equipment left behind, but pretty much all is left is the shell of the old buildings. It is dangerous to walk around in the building, there are trip hazards everywhere with the pipes cut out through the walls and floors.

As I walked around, I never felt any dread or feelings of ghosts around me although it is a little bit spooky in there. No, instead of dread, I could sense the feeling of pride and true American workmanship of the people who built the place and of those who made beer. Just

think of all those wonderful gallons of beer that were made there that made so many people happy. I was told that Pearl made over 30 different kinds of beers through the years for other brewers along with Pearl & Pearl light.

I did get rather thirsty for a cold one when I seen four holding tanks that once held 600 gallons of beer at a time. I was in heaven being in that place. I hope when the property is finished being transformed into a hotel and office complex that they keep as much of the original architecture and style as possible. The owners are hoping that everything will be done within the next three years. I would love to stay and chat but there is a cold beer with my name on it awaiting for me.

Ride Hard Or Stay Home

Pig