A stout effort

Article by: Bill Ward , Star Tribune
Updated: November 25, 2007 - 4:00 PM

A new book on the Land of 10,000 Brews should slake the thirst for knowledge of any beer aficionado or Minnesota history buff.

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These six low-profile cone-tops are among the earliest beer cans in Minnesotaindeed, in the world.

Photo: Feed Loader,

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Eons before the catchy phrase "from the land of sky blue wa-ha-ters" ever was sung, way before the first batches of Gluek's or Pig's Eye came off the assembly line, there was "drum major Schillinsky."

His given name lost in the ether of history, along with his fate, Schillinsky is believed to be Minnesota's first brewer, at Fort St. Anthony (now Fort Snelling) in 1823. The legacy he spawned is worthy of a serious-minded historical account, which we now have with the publication of Doug Hoverson's "Land of Amber Waters: the History of Brewing in Minnesota." Packed with anecdotes -- most of them a lot less sketchy than Schillinsky's (several soldiers being court-martialed for desertion accused him of making and selling beer) -- loads of Minnesota lore and an eye-popping array of photographs, Hoverson's tome bears the hopped-up fruits of a 10-year labor of love.

Despite the festive aura of his subject, Hoverson spent more time nose to the grindstone than mouth to the mug, and the result is a thorough overview of the state's brewing history. When Minnesota became a state in 1858, it already had more than 30 breweries. August Schell, which opened two years later, is the second-oldest family-owned brewery in the country behind Yuengling in Pottsville, Pa. More recently, microbrews and even a beer marketed for gays (90s Choice) have dotted the local landscape.

From temperance battles and lawsuits to the effects of icehouses and wars to capsules on every Minnesota brewery ever, "Land of Amber Waters" rolls out a barrel of information.

Bill Ward • 612-673-7643

Bill Ward • bill.ward@startribune.com

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RELATED EVENTS

7 p.m. Tuesday: Doug Hoverson will sign copies of his book, "Land of Amber Waters" (University of Minnesota Press, 340 pages, $39.95), at Borders, 8472 Tamarack Bay, Woodbury.

6-8:30 p.m. Dec. 6: Free presentation and book signing at Mill City Museum, 704 S. 2nd St., Minneapolis.