How did German Immigrants in the mid 1800s brew lagers in Texas?

[hyperslug]

I cannot find an answer to this question and its been bugging me. It is said there was a large immigration from Germany starting in the mid 1800s and they brought German brewing methods with them including lagers. Many German Immigrants settled in Texas, New Bruanfels comes to mind and they brewed lagers. But the climate doesn't support lager temperatures, especially in the more southern regions like New Braunfels and refrigeration was not common.

Did their yeast adapt to the warmer temperatures which I think might then make them ale yeast or is there something I'm missing?

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[Guden]

Refrigeration (especially in breweries) became prevalent in the mid to late 1800's prior to which (and even to some extent during this period) ice harvesting was used for refrigerant.
Additionally a lager yeast brewed at higher temperatures is not an ale per se, check out the california common for more information on that.

 

[remilard]

That is why there are lots of ice houses in TX (where, none of them are still used for that purpose).

 

[TarHeeledTexan]

A cellar from perhaps the oldest recorded brewery in Austin was found during archaeological work for the new City Hall complex. You can get fairly low temperatures in a subterranean setting.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

Very likely to be the same as in Germany, where they often built cellars/lagering "rooms" under the biergartens to lager.

Might have been at a higher depth in TX though.

M_C

A cellar from perhaps the oldest recorded brewery in Austin was found during archaeological work for the new City Hall complex. You can get fairly low temperatures in a subterranean setting.

 

[doctorRobert]

Ale Yeast and Lager yeast are literally different types of fungus. It's more than just fermentation temperatures that set them apart.

Most likely the beer didnt turn out as great as they hoped. Lagers didnt really take off until refrigeration was widely available.

 

[hyperslug]

Thanks for the replies.

There was no local ice harvesting or at least it would have been rare in southern Texas. Trains did ship ice at some point but trains started in Texas mostly 1880 and later. In Boston ships delivering cotton from the south would have to use ballast for the return trip so they sometime used ice instead of rocks. But I don't think it would have been common at least for the small local brewer or one in the Hill Country far away from the ports.

Ice houses in Texas probably came much later. They were just getting a foothold in New England in the mid 19th century. I have yet to trace an icehouse in Texas that is even 100 years old much less 150. Remember Texas was a late bloomer compared to the east coast.

As far as cellars and basements, I read that 10 feet underground in Houston averaged 72 or maybe it was75 and I don't think the Austin area would be much different. Caves in Texas are said to be about 70. Still too warm for even California Common as we know it.

I looked at the possibility of them fermenting in spring fed creeks but even those are above 70 degrees.

I am really starting to believe they just made due with what they had. Maybe kept brewing to the winter months, but temps would of flutuated often beyond lager range. Some or many probably did use cellars but again it would not hold lager temperatures. Thier yeast strains would have adjusted and evolved as yeast strains do. In the end I suspect thier lagers would not meet our definition or expectations today. And by lager I mean traditional German lagers.

Any more info or surces is highly appreciated.

 

[wedge421]

I know caves were used at some locations but im not sure about Texas

 

[jbrookeiv]

i know caves were used at some locations but im not sure about texas

+1.

 

[TwoGunz]

I love that you asked this question. Brewing and beer history are so interesting to me and it's just great to see somebody thinking and researching it at this level.

 

[hyperslug]

TwoGunz, I didn't really research it so much as just googled around and relied on the work of others. I can't say its 100% accurate. This winter I may attempt to re-create an early Texas lager, which is the motivation behind my quest. I am really interested in tasting a little history.

If you like early beer history, you will enjoy this; http://www.roundtop.com/beer.htm
Maybe I can uncover the recipe for Bluff Beer.

Jeff

 

[mchal]

if you ever go by la grange, there's a state park that was 19th century brewery. kinda cool. the guy was a stone mason, so he built lagering rooms in the side of a hill. check it out.

 

[mpruett]

TwoGunz, I didn't really research it so much as just googled around and relied on the work of others. I can't say its 100% accurate. This winter I may attempt to re-create an early Texas lager, which is the motivation behind my quest. I am really interested in tasting a little history.

If you like early beer history, you will enjoy this; http://www.roundtop.com/beer.htm
Maybe I can uncover the recipe for Bluff Beer.

Jeff

Oddly enough, Texas was at the forefront of mechanical refrigeration in the mid-19th century. Apparently the hot climate and beef industry didn't work so well without it.

http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/dqr01

It's not at all unlikely that an 1870s Texas beer would have been something along the lines of a Classic American Pilsner, especially considering the number of German and Czech immigrants to Texas during that period.

 

[hyperslug]

Mpruet, thanks for the link. Great info! Adolph Busch with others built a large commercial brewery in San Antonio about 1880, Lone Star Brewery. I am confident that would have had refrigeration, as it was Texas first brewery that could compete with the national breweries.

Two of the three original commercial breweries in Texas, Menger and Kreische did not have refrigeration. I have yet to find enough info on the third. This was pre 1880 and these very tiny commercial operations, less than 1800 barrels for the largest. The Menger brewery used a cellar with 3 foot thick stone walls and used water from the Alamo Madre Ditch to keep the beer cool. Kreische was in a cave like cellar under a bluff with stream flowing through it. Kreische probably only brewed in the winter.

Most German immigrant home brewers probably used cellars as other have suggested and brewed in the winter months. Some of the more well off may have bought ice. The point is that most early Texas lagers, say pre 1880, would have been brewed and stored at temps warmer than even today’s California Common.

I’m still looking for a recipe from one of the old breweries. As I said in an earlier post, I really want to recreate some history to drink.