Jeremy Banas - Pearl : a history of San Antonios iconic beer

Published by American Palate

A Division of The History Press

Charleston, SC

www.historypress.net

Copyright 2018 by Jeremy Banas

All rights reserved

Front cover image of can by Steve Fernandes. Pearl logo courtesy Pabst Brewing.

First published 2018

e-book edition 2017

ISBN 978.1.43966.386.8

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017955993

print edition ISBN 978.1.46713.992.2

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

To my boys, Quinn, Jack and Max: My love for you knows no bounds. You inspire me to be the best father I can be. To my parents, Milton and Cathy Banas: Your unconditional love and support are what keep me going. To my baby sister, Cari Gordonne: I grow more in awe of you each and every year that passes by. I love you all.

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

Over the last fifteen years, we have had the honor of working in the footprint of the historic Pearl Brewery as weve tried to reimagine and rebuild this stately neighborhood that is home to so many stories, traditions and histories that we as San Antonians hold dear.

What drew us to this property and this project were the beautiful buildings, evidence of an era when pride in quality meant everything, and the opportunity to bring a place back to life that had faded in relevance and energy.

Our aim at Pearl over these fifteen years has been to use the principles that made the brewery greatcommitment to people, pride in quality and, most importantly, a sense of place and community indelible and rooted in South Texas cultureto build a next chapter filled with people making things that make us proud, public space, beautiful architecture and an invitation to all of San Antonio to make it their own.

As we complete our final project, the Bottling Department Food Hall, we take stock in the dense, diverse, well-loved and well-used neighborhood that has grown up around and in the beautiful bones of the brewery.

Beer is brewed here again, students are educated at the Culinary Institute of America, homegrown and far-flung chefs are honing their craft in our nineteen restaurants and San Antonians and visitors alike bask in the special and inimitable beauty of the Hotel Emma, located in the original San Antonio Brewing Association brewhouse.

As you read this book, we invite you to absorb the history so that you may look for clues of this places illustrious past in this contemporary iterationchandeliers made of bottle cappers, cabanas and fountains made of tank ends and a conveyor belt as a boardroom table. But more than the things, its truly the spirit of the people who built, worked in and led this place that we hope you feel here today. Their spirit, ingenuity, boldness and creativity live in the community that is here now, writing the next chapter of Pearl.

CHRISTOPHER KIT GOLDSBURY

PREFACE

At Pearl Brewing, everyone was family. Everyone watched out for one another, from Bubba at the grain rail sidings to Leo Kitchen, the keeper of the yeast. Cowboy Wallace took care of the fermentation, all the while making sure that everyone had peanut butter to snack on. Manuel Rodriguez and Howell Parker headed up the filtration crew, which kept Pearl and Pearl Light flowing, and James Burns handled the packaging department by way of the government cellar. The department lunches included great barbecue and homemade tamales and were always good times. One of the better memories was when a certain supervisor from Rhode Island ate a tamale for the first time and didnt know to remove the cornhusk.

I am very proud to follow in the steps of past brewmasters G.J. Billmeier, Howard Nagle and Richard Kromar, not to mention working with past brewmaster Kenneth Schmidt, who came to Pearl in the 1980s (via the Lone Star Brewing Company) as a packaging manager; another big shout-out goes to our plant manager, Eddie Mueller, who kept the boat afloat.

Pearl finally has a future, but I always remember the past, as its quite literally carved into the walls of my office. The hidden office was part of the original brewery and full of dark oak paneling, as well as the handmade Triple X chairs and historic beer steins lining the walls. I would always take my two kids to the brewery on the weekends when I had to work. They loved sitting on the big leather sofa in my office, running around, riding the big elevators and checking fermentation in the cellars.

With the sweaty aroma of the beer being brewed coming from the huge copper kettles, it was an industrial playground that reminded me of how beer making runs in my blood and now runs in the blood of future brewers and Pearl drinkers.

I started my brewing career working at my familys brewery in Smithtown, Pennsylvania, at the age of sixteen. I later attended the Siebel Institute Master Brewer Program, graduating in 1979. I was the master brewer at the Jones Brewing Company, the makers of Stoneys Beer, until 1984, when I joined the Pearl Brewing Company in San Antonio, Texas. After the Pearl plant was closed, I moved on to the Miller Brewery Company, working at its Fort Worth plant.

To all the Pearl enthusiasts and future generations of Pearl beer drinkers:

Lets drink the liquid of amber so bright;

Lets drink the liquid with foam so bright;

Lets drink the liquid that brings all good cheer;

Prost to the past, present and the future Pearl beer drinkers.

BILL JONES

Bill Jones is now retired and living with his wife, Christy, in Fort Worth, Texas. He has two children: a son, Benjamin Jones, living in Arlington, Virginia, and working for Keller Williams Realty, and a daughter, Isa Jones, living in Jackson, Wyoming, and working as a journalist for the Jackson Hole News & Guide. Bill won numerous brewing awards while working at Pearl: Gold Medal for Pearl Larger at the 1991 Great America Beer Festival, Gold Medal for Old Milwaukee NA in 1999 and Best Amber for Salado Creek Beer at the World Expo of Beer in 1997.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The best part of writing a book on a subject you have a passion about and maybe a fair amount of knowledge is the researchexploring and discovering things that not only you did not know, but tidbits of information that also previously had been lost to time. All this cumulative knowledge tells the story of your subject, as well as the stories of the people involved.

This comprehensive history of the Pearl Brewery tells such a story of people. I would be remiss, however, if I did not acknowledge the many people who helped with this wonderful book. My sincerest apologies if anyone was left out.

To my Heidi, thank you for your love, support and putting up with all my late nights and weekends of researching and writing. I love you, sweetie.

Mike Hood, thank you for being an inspiration with writing, as well as a mentor and friend. It means more than you know.

Charlie Staats, your knowledge and passion for the history of Texas breweries know no bounds. Thank you for keeping me historically on track. Your guidance and friendship were invaluable.