Karl Strauss

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Karl Martin Strauss was one of the most honored brewers in America. He was a highly-regarded executive, consultant and brewer in the American brewing industry, both for a major national brewery as well as microbreweries. The Karl Strauss Brewing Company, which he helped found in 1989, continues to bear his name.

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[edit] Early life

Karl was born Oct. 5, 1912, on the second floor of the administration building of the Feldschlösschen Bräu, a brewery in Minden, Germany, of which his father was president. The second born of two boys and a girl to Albrecht and Mathilde Strauss, Karl attended the Oberrealschule in Minden where he received his Abitur. During his young life he assisted his father as a brewer and intern while living in the family quarters at the brewery. At age 19, Karl went to Munich Technical University at Weihenstephan, where he received a degree in the science and practice of malting and brewing. In addition, he received Master Brewer certification, allowing him to teach apprentice brewers. With his diploma in hand, he began working at breweries including the Falkenkreuz Brauerei Lippert in Detmold; the Bauer Brauerei, Luebecke; and the Altstädter Malzfabrik in Altstadt, Thüring.

But with the rise of the Nazis, Germany was not a safe place for the Jewish Strauss family, and work became scarce. "I graduated from college while Hitler was in power and as a Jew could not find employment in the brewing industry," he wrote in 1943. Thanks to family living in the United States, he was able to secure sponsorship to emigrate. But other members of his family were not so lucky. The last time Karl saw his mother was the night he left Germany. She later was killed in a concentration camp. His brother was killed in a Nazi raid on the Polish underground.

[edit] Immigration to America

In 1939, Karl was able to leave Germany for the United States, followed soon by his first wife, Irene Vollweiler. He had planned to join family members in San Francisco, Calif., but stopped in Milwaukee, Wis., at the urging of an uncle to visit family friends. While there he applied for a job with the Pabst Brewing Company. "I arrived in Milwaukee on St. Patrick's Day, 1939," he later recalled. "I started to work at Pabst on May 11, 1939, and I worked for Pabst for 44 years." Karl began his work at Pabst feeding bottles to the bottle soaker. Within a few months he was promoted foreman of filtration. He continued to quickly move up the corporate ladder becoming an assistant superintendent and later malt house superintendent. In 1942, he was transferred to Pabst's brewery in Peoria, Ill., as the plant production manager. Within a few years he was made head maltster in Milwaukee and was assistant superintendent of the malt house and brewhouse. In 1948, he was promoted to superintendent of Pabst's newly-purchased plant in Los Angeles, and remained there until 1956. He was named technical director of Pabst in 1958, and promoted to vice president of production in 1960. He helped Pabst reformulate its beer as well as create a new Pabst Blue Ribbon. He continued as vice president until he retired from Pabst in 1983.

Karl’s first wife died in 1978. He married his second wife, Marjean Schaefer, in 1980.

[edit] Post Retirement

Karl began a new career as a brewery consultant, providing services for both large breweries and microbreweries throughout the world. His services were called upon in Europe, Asia as well as North America. Karl counted more than 50 pub and microbreweries he helped design. Some of his clients included Kurth Malting, Molson, Oldenburg Brewery, and Goose Island Brewery.

He also co-authored a book, "The Practical Brewer," published by the Master Brewers Association of America.

In 1989, a cousin, Chris Cramer, and Cramer's college roommate, Matt Rattner, asked Karl to help them develop a brewpub in San Diego, Calif. Not only did he help design the facility, train the brewers and provide brewing recipes, he lent his name to the enterprise. The Karl Strauss Brewing Company now includes six brewpubs/restaurants and a microbrewery, as well as a beer garden at Disney's California Adventure. In addition, Karl Strauss beers can be found on tap at many Southern California restaurants and bars, and the company's bottled beers are available in several states.

With his face plastered on advertisements and the labels of the company's beers, and the use of his booming, German-accented voice in radio spots, Karl became something of a celebrity in San Diego, even though his home remained in Milwaukee. Perhaps one of his most memorable appearances was introducing the legendary punk rock group The Sex Pistols at the San Diego Street Scene in 2003.

Karl died on Dec. 21, 2006, in Milwaukee, of complications following surgery for cancer.

[edit] Legacy

Karl was president of the Master Brewers Association of America from 1961-63, and he is the only person to receive the three highest awards given by the association. He received the organization's Award of Merit (1981), given to an individual or individuals who made an outstanding contribution to the brewing industry; the Award of Honor (1992), given to a member who has rendered outstanding service to the association; and the Distinguished Life Service Award (2003), which recognizes MBAA members who have given exceptional service to the Association.

Karl was a founder and director of the Museum of Beer and Brewing in Milwaukee. The museum now presents the annual Karl Strauss Award to individuals for lifetime contributions to the industry.

The Karl Strauss Brewing Company has set up the Karl Strauss Brewers Education Fund with the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego. The fund provides financial educational support to aspiring Southern California brewers pursuing a career in the field of brewing.

[edit] References

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