Storz Brewing Company

Lore & Background

The Storz Brewery originated from a brewery founded in 1863, which passed through several owners before Gottlieb Storz, a German immigrant, became foreman in 1876. After the owner's death, Storz purchased the brewery in 1884 with a partner and expanded production. In 1893, a new six-story building was constructed at 16th and Clark Streets, featuring red tiled floors, copper fixtures, and facilities including an ice plant, bottling shop, and a restaurant. The brewery faced prohibition in Nebraska, which took effect in 1917, forcing it to produce near beer, ginger ale, soft drinks, and ice. During this period, Fred Astaire worked as a salesman for Storz in Omaha. After prohibition ended in 1934, the brewery resumed beer production and by 1935 was making 150,000 barrels annually. Gottlieb Storz died in 1939, and his son Adolph took over. Storz became Nebraska's top-selling beer just before World War II.

Reader's Guide

Storz Brewing Company was a significant regional brewery that dominated the Nebraska market for decades. Its beers won medals at international expositions in Omaha (1898), Portland (1905), and Paris (1912). The brewery's main brands included Storz Beer, Storz Gold Label, Storz Premium, Storz All Grain, and Storz Tap Beer, sold in bottles, cans, and draft. In the 1950s, it introduced "Storz-ette" beer in 8-ounce cans with an orchid on the label, marketed as "calorie controlled" in four-can "Princess Packs." The company was sold in 1966 to an investment firm, then to Grain Belt Breweries, which closed the brewery in 1972. The brand was revived in 2013 by Thomas Markel and John Markel, descendants of the founder, producing five major beers including Storz Triumph, Storz Gold Crest Amber Ale, Storz Wood Duck Wheat, Storz Mugs Pale Ale, and Storz Dancing Monks Dopplebock, along with seasonal offerings. The revival ended in 2015 due to unpaid rent and property taxes.

Did You Know?

• Storz was one of Omaha's 'Big 4' brewers, along with Krug, Willow Springs, and Metz.
• The brewery's 1950s 'Storz-ette' beer came in 8-ounce cans with an orchid on the label.
• Storz won medals at the Trans-Mississippi Exposition (1898), Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition (1905), and in Paris (1912).