The August Schell Brewing Company recently announced the completion of its visitor's center addition and the opening of its brand new taproom. The Schell Brewing Company, located in New Ulm along the Cottonwood River, is the oldest family-owned brewery in Minnesota.

“We wanted to make sure that while we take this step forward, we still were paying homage to our German roots and remembering what got us here,” Ted Marti, President of Schell’s said in a press release. “We can’t wait to enjoy it with everyone!”

The brewery opened in 1860, making it the oldest family-owned brewery in Minnesota and the second-oldest in the United States of America behind only D.G. Yuengling and Son in Pennsylvania. It is the largest brewery in the state, earning that distinction after buying the Grain Belt rights in 2002, per Wikipedia.

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The beers are currently brewed by descendants of August Schell himself, now in their fifth and sixth generation. August emigrated to Cincinnati from Germany in 1848 before eventually heading west to Minnesota. The brewery was one of a few buildings left standing after the Dakota War of 1865.

During prohibition, the company pivoted to selling legal "near-beer," sodas and candy. Prohibition lasted from 1919 to 1933 and while the company struggled to survive the era, they did manage to do so.

In addition to the brewery itself, the grounds also include the historic Schell's mansion, a deer enclosure and a gift shop.

Located at 1860 Schell Road in New Ulm, the brewery is approximately a two-hour drive (97 miles) from St. Cloud.

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