Historic Beer Birthday: Frank Yoerg

Today is the birthday of Frank Yoerg (July 10, 1867-July 13, 1941). He was the third oldest son of Anthony Yoerg, who founded Minnesota’s first brewery in 1848. He “attended MIT (Massachusetts School of Technology) in Boston and worked as an architect for four years before he joined the family trade where he was a ‘collector’ from 1893-1896, the bookkeeper from 1899-1904, Vice President from 1904-1905, President from 1905-1934 and secretary from 1934 until his death in 1941.”

The brewery was known as the Anthony Yoerg Brewery from its beginning until 1896, when its founder passed away, then it was changed to simply the Yoreg Brewing Co. The brewery opened after prohibition ended, and continued in business until 1952.

A Yoerg’s Cave Aged Beer label from 1933, when Frank was still president.A new Yoerg’s Beer started up again in Saint Paul in 2015, with plans to offer the first beer shortly, and according to their Facebook page, the beer is in the bottle and they’re awaiting federal label approval, with plans to introduce Yoerg’s Bock this Fall.

Frank and Anthony Yoerg Jr. with their wives at the St. Paul Winter Carnival in 1915