Kreische Brewery tells the real story of master stonemason and German immigrant, Heinrich Kreische and his family, who built a large home and one of the first commercial breweries in Texas.
In 1846, Heinrich Ludwig Kreische immigrated to Texas from Gottegetreu, Saxony. He settled in La Grange and practiced his occupation of stonemason. He built the county jail in 1853 and the third county courthouse in 1855. He lived on the bluff overlooking the Colorado River with his wife, Josepha, and six children. Between 1860 and 1870, Kreische changed his major occupation to that of brewing.
Heinrich Kreische built a large brewery just down the hill from his home starting some time in the 1860s, and by the late 1870s his had become the third largest brewery in the state. Like many other nineteenth century Texas manufacturers, Kreische began his business on a small scale and served a local market. He also retailed his product at a beer garden on the bluff and beer halls in La Grange. While the family continued to live in the house through 1952, the large stone brewery fell into ruins. Except for short periods, the house has been vacant since Julia Kreische died in 1952.
Learn about the brewery's Frisch Auf! Banner.
