Herman Weiss

Lore & Background

Herman Weiss began his American brewing career as a saloon keeper in San Antonio, as recorded in the 1900 census and a 1895 newspaper article placing his saloon at the corner of S. Alamo and Market St. His eldest son, Herman Weiss Jr., worked as a brewer at the Lone Star Brewery while living with the family. From 1907 to 1909, Weiss owned and operated the Herman J. Weiss & Sons Brewery in Galveston, where both his eldest sons worked. In the summer of 1909, he was offered the position of head brewmaster at the newly formed Shiner Brewery. Photographic evidence suggests Herman Jr. also worked there in 1909, though the 1910 census shows Herman Jr. residing in Houston. Charles Weiss lived in Shiner and worked at the brewery according to the 1910 census. The Shiner Brewery had early success but may have suffered refrigeration issues; a refrigeration system was installed in summer 1910, with no mention of spoilage in the Shiner Gazette. In October 1910, the Shiner Gazette reported that a new brewmaster, Mr. Hollenburg, had been hired and that Herman Weiss Sr. and Charles Weiss had departed with their families for Houston. Later, Weiss was employed in San Antonio as a brewmaster for the San Antonio Brewing Association (later Pearl Brewing Company) and ran a saloon out of his residence at 400 James St. A 1915 newspaper article states he was Vice President of the San Antonio Brewery Workers Union.

Reader's Guide

Herman Weiss's significance lies in his role as a transitional figure in Texas brewing, moving from saloon keeping to owning a brewery and then serving as head brewmaster at the newly formed Shiner Brewery. His tenure at Shiner, though brief (summer 1909 to October 1910), occurred during the brewery's early years, when it faced potential refrigeration challenges. The installation of a refrigeration system in summer 1910, with no reported spoilage, suggests efforts to stabilize production. After leaving Shiner, Weiss returned to San Antonio, where he worked for the San Antonio Brewing Association (later Pearl Brewing Company) and held a leadership position in the San Antonio Brewery Workers Union as Vice President, indicating his standing in the industry. His legacy is tied to the early development of the Shiner Brewery and the family-operated Herman J. Weiss & Sons Brewery in Galveston, both of which involved his sons. The article does not provide details on the later success or closure of these breweries, nor on Weiss's life after 1915.

Did You Know?

• Herman Weiss immigrated to Texas in the 1880s with his wife Maria.
• He was head brewmaster at the newly formed Shiner Brewery from summer 1909 until October 1910.